Landirani Trust is a small NGO based in Malawi and supported from the UK. Our vision is for a healthy, educated and self-sufficient community in Malawi.
We work in an area North West of Lilongwe Airport that is 400sq KM in size, with 14 centres, population of 45,000 and around 3,000 direct beneficiaries who are orphans and/or vulnerable.
Following the receipt of dedicated funding for the completion of our Training Village project, ‘Sam’s Village’, we now have 3 full time vacancies to join our small but committed and enthusiastic team. We are seeking a Project Manager, Architect and Project Accountant to ensure that this major project is completed on time and within budget and that everyone on the team is doing their job as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Within each of the separate projects your responsibilities will cover all financial aspects from the payment of invoices through to the production of management information.
As the Project Accountant you will be expected to work closely with a variety of the Trust’s team members, including the Village Project Manager and Architect and the Trust’s Country Manager and Finance Officer.
Your duties will include:
1 Create appropriate project accounts that will enable us to monitor progress and provide timely reports to meet key donors’ requirements
2 Maintain project-related records, including contracts and change orders
3 Authorize the release of funds from project-related accounts
4 Procure and deliver goods on behalf of the Trust
5 Review and approve supplier invoices related to a project
6 Review and approve time sheets for work related to a project
7 Review account totals related to project assets and expenses
8 Investigate project variances and submit variance reports to management
9 Confer with appropriate team members regarding unpaid contract billings
10 Report on project profitability to management
11 Report to management on any opportunities for cost savings
12 Report to management regarding the remaining funding available for projects
13 Respond to requests for more detail from management
14 Close out project accounts upon project completion
15 Compile information for internal and external auditors, as required
16 Represent the interest of the Trust
17 Provide ongoing financial risk analysis
18 Use IT as appropriate to keep track of costs and progress
19 Hold regular monitoring meetings and reporting to relevant stakeholders on progress
2 Maintain project-related records, including contracts and change orders
3 Authorize the release of funds from project-related accounts
4 Procure and deliver goods on behalf of the Trust
5 Review and approve supplier invoices related to a project
6 Review and approve time sheets for work related to a project
7 Review account totals related to project assets and expenses
8 Investigate project variances and submit variance reports to management
9 Confer with appropriate team members regarding unpaid contract billings
10 Report on project profitability to management
11 Report to management on any opportunities for cost savings
12 Report to management regarding the remaining funding available for projects
13 Respond to requests for more detail from management
14 Close out project accounts upon project completion
15 Compile information for internal and external auditors, as required
16 Represent the interest of the Trust
17 Provide ongoing financial risk analysis
18 Use IT as appropriate to keep track of costs and progress
19 Hold regular monitoring meetings and reporting to relevant stakeholders on progress
Person Specification – skills and qualities
Essential
• A key part of the task is the ability to order materials in advance for Village construction activities. Therefore a good understanding of quantity surveying would be helpful. Particularly the ability to buy at the right time when costs are lower (e.g. timber) and to ensure that materials are on site in good time, so that building work is not delayed
• A good bachelor's degree in accounting or finance
• Detailed knowledge of project accounting with at least 3 years experience
• Strong analytical, financial reporting, and presentation skills with the ability to present complex issues clearly and concisely
• Excellent organization skills
• Analytical and numerate
• Commercial awareness
• Good communication skills, both written and oral
• Excellent team worker, able to motivate people
• Mobile and wiling/able to travel to and from Lilongwe/the field.
• Able to stay on site in a rural situation
• Self-starting and self-motivated, able to plan resources to deliver results
• Able to speak and write in Chichewa and English to a good standard
• Professional and courteous
• Committed to helping orphans and vulnerable people
• Honest and reliable
• IT literate with advanced Excel skills, able to use PCs/laptops to write reports, record data etc. and ideally a working knowledge of Microsoft Project 2010
• Full clean driving licence
• A good bachelor's degree in accounting or finance
• Detailed knowledge of project accounting with at least 3 years experience
• Strong analytical, financial reporting, and presentation skills with the ability to present complex issues clearly and concisely
• Excellent organization skills
• Analytical and numerate
• Commercial awareness
• Good communication skills, both written and oral
• Excellent team worker, able to motivate people
• Mobile and wiling/able to travel to and from Lilongwe/the field.
• Able to stay on site in a rural situation
• Self-starting and self-motivated, able to plan resources to deliver results
• Able to speak and write in Chichewa and English to a good standard
• Professional and courteous
• Committed to helping orphans and vulnerable people
• Honest and reliable
• IT literate with advanced Excel skills, able to use PCs/laptops to write reports, record data etc. and ideally a working knowledge of Microsoft Project 2010
• Full clean driving licence
How to apply:
Applications MUST be made on line only using the following:
• CV in English, no longer than 2 sides of A4 and in font no smaller than size 11, and:
• An accompanying covering letter confirming which position you are applying for and which gives details of your evidence of the essential and desirable criteria. It must also include details of your current remuneration package and the contact details for 2 referees indicating when these referees be contacted.
CVs and accompanying letters should be sent to hr@landirani.org by 6pm on Tuesday 31st December 2013. Applications that are late and/or do not comply with the application guidance and which do not meet the essential criteria will not be considered. Shortlisting will take place in early January 2014 and successful candidates will be invited for interview shortly thereafter. The precise dates and locations (either Lilongwe, Malawi or Surbiton, UK) for interviews will be advised to the successful candidates at the earliest opportunity.
