Project Accountant

About this role

About Trócaire

Trócaire is an International NGO. We work with local partners in the world’s most at-risk communities and with people in Ireland to tackle the underlying causes of poverty and injustice and respond to the crises they create. Together we bring about positive and lasting change for a just world. Trócaire works in up to 20 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. We work towards five goals:

• Promote Access to Justice;
• Achieve Climate & Environmental Justice;
• Ensure Women & Girls’ Protection, Voice & Influence;
• Save Lives and Protect Human Dignity and
• Mobilise the Public on the island of Ireland to achieve Global Justice.

Our work is rooted in Catholic Social Teaching and in our values of Solidarity, Courage, Participation, Perseverance and Accountability.

About the division:
The Zimbabwe Country Office sits within Trócaire’s portfolio of countries where human rights and democratic space are contested, one of three thematic and country groupings that make up Trócaire’s global programme. The Zimbabwe country programme addresses four themes: defending human rights and promoting access to justice; climate and environmental justice; supporting women and girls’ protection, voice and leadership; and saving lives and protecting human dignity. Trócaire’s rights-based approach, partnership model, commitment to localisation and accountability, and the humanitarian–development–peace nexus underpin each programme area. The Zimbabwe finance team has 11 staff members with different but complementary responsibilities, led by the Finance and Administration Manager.

About the role:
Working closely with the project team and with programme and finance colleagues, the Project Accountant will support the financial management of the consortium grant. The role provides day-to-day operational financial support to donor-funded projects and partner organisations, covering financial monitoring, partner compliance, budget tracking, financial reporting and the maintenance of accurate financial records. The Project Accountant ensures partner financial reports are accurate, complete and compliant with Trócaire and donor requirements, and gives technical support to partners and to project teams within Trócaire, working closely with the Country Finance and Administration team and the wider country team.

The role will report to the Programme Accountant and does not include line management of staff. The role is based in Harare, Zimbabwe, with frequent travel to project areas.
Key responsibilities
Partner financial management and compliance

• Carry out first-level reviews of partner financial reports to ensure they are accurate, complete and compliant with donor and Trócaire requirements.

• Verify supporting documentation and follow up on outstanding issues with partners.

• Carry out partner voucher reviews, spot checks and compliance monitoring visits.

• Maintain partner financial management tracking tools and action plans.

• Monitor the implementation of audit, voucher review and capacity assessment recommendations.

• Review partner disbursement requests and expenditure reports before they go to the Programme Accountant.

• Monitor partners’ statutory compliance and keep the relevant compliance records.

• Escalate significant compliance issues, suspected irregularities and financial risks to the Programme Accountant.

• Keep in regular contact with partner finance staff about financial reporting requirements.
Financial monitoring and reporting

• Compile and review financial data from partners and project teams.

• Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual financial monitoring reports.

• Prepare supporting schedules and reconciliations for donor reports, and help prepare donor financial reports in line with donor guidelines.

• Review expenditure to make sure costs are reasonable, allowable, allocable and adequately supported.

• Track and reconcile partner balances, advances and outstanding accountability submissions.
Budget monitoring and forecasting

• Monitor project spending against approved budgets and approved budget revisions.

• Produce monthly budget monitoring reports and variance analyses.

• Identify budget overruns, under-spending and potential compliance issues.

• Support partner organisations to prepare budgets and forecasts.

• Maintain project budget tracking tools and expenditure schedules.

• Provide budget monitoring information to the Programme Accountant and Project Manager to support decision-making.
Partner support and capacity building

• Provide day-to-day financial management support to partner finance staff.

• Support the delivery of partner finance training programmes.

• Help coach partner finance staff on reporting templates, donor compliance requirements and documentation standards.

• Follow up on the implementation of agreed partner capacity-strengthening plans.

• Share lessons learned and common compliance issues with partners to improve financial management practice.
Audit and internal control support

• Prepare the financial records and supporting documentation needed for donor, external, internal and partner audits.

• Take part in partner financial assessments and internal control reviews.

• Assist with investigations into financial irregularities when required.

• Follow up on the implementation of audit recommendations and agreed corrective actions.
Systems and documentation management

• Ensure project financial information is properly maintained in Salesforce, Agresso and other organisational systems.

• Ensure all project financial records are complete, accurate and properly filed, with well-kept electronic and physical filing systems for audit and compliance purposes.

Requirements
Experience

• At least 3 years’ experience in an accounting or finance role.

• Experience working in a non-governmental organisation or donor-funded environment, including managing institutional donor grants and funds.

• Experience…