Finance/Administrative Officer 

Job Description

Position: Finance/Administrative Officer 

Employment type: Full Time

Application ends:  Tuesday, 15th December 2023

Vacancy: One (1)

Location: Freetown 

ABOUT WANEP – SIERRA LEONE 

The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) Sierra Leone was established in 1998 and is registered with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development in Sierra Leone. WANEP-SL is a well-established national network of peacebuilding civil society organizations including women’s groups, youth groups, and religious institutions committed to encouraging, facilitating, and mobilizing local initiatives for peacebuilding, promotion of gender justice, conflict resolutions, and transformation. WANEP-SL is a membership network with over 50 registered organizations across the country with a shared responsibility and interest to prevent conflict and build peace in Sierra Leone. 

We envision a Sierra Leone characterized by just and peaceful communities where the dignity of the human person is paramount and where the people can meet their basic human needs and decide their direction, we seek to enable and facilitate the development of mechanisms for cooperation among civil society-based peacebuilding practitioners and organizations by promoting cooperative responses to violence and conflict in Sierra Leone. 

JOB PURPOSE:

Responsible for ensuring the books and records for all bank and cash transactions in WANEP – Sierra Leone, including reviewing all supporting documentation for payment requests to ensure WANEP’s Accounting Manual and procedures are being complied with consistently.  He/she will also be responsible for all bank payments, checking supporting documentation, and monitoring bank/cash balances in each account operated by WANEP-Sierra Leone and in the office safe. 

MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Cash/Bank Management

• Ensure all supporting documents to cash disbursement, approvals, and vouchers are complete, accurate, relevant, and comply with WANEP’s Accounting Manual and all donor requirements.
• Support in the preparation and review of monthly project finance reports and maintain finance records and filing system every month.
• Ensure proper receipt, safekeeping, and lodgment of all funds received according to WANEP’s Accounting Manual 
• Coordinate the preparation of project and office budget implementation, revisions as necessary, and support in monitoring actual project/office expenditure against approved budget line items.
• Monitor cash levels in the petty cash box and office safe and request cash transfers on a timely basis to ensure that there are always sufficient funds in the office.
• Ensure bank transfers/cheques/cash payments are made within WANEP’s limits and that all required documentation and authorization procedures for the payment have been followed.
• Ensure timely preparation of bank transfers/cheques for authorization. 
• Monitor issues as they arise on the bank and cash book reviews to ensure they do not continue to occur.  
• Ensuring that all activity advances are cleared in time and current as well as guarantee that all project-related balance sheet items are clean and accurate.
• Liaise with the field staff/suppliers to arrange the preparation of cheques regarding pick up or delivery of payments.
• Carry out cash transfers from the bank in conjunction with the Board and National Network Coordinator.
• Be the main contact point for banking issues. 
• Maintain and update all bank signatory lists.
• Support internal and external audit staff to facilitate annual financial audits. 
• Occasional travel to program sites as and when requested by the National Network Coordinator to make cash payments to beneficiaries.

Books and Records

• Maintain accurate Bank/Cash books.
• Ensure that all receipts are properly checked and verified, including any payments to service providers and consultants. 
• Ensure filing is orderly, stored safely and inventory updated.

Payments

• Make prompt and timely payments to suppliers.
• Make prompt and timely payment of all taxes and creditors.
• Participate in the implementation of bulk bank payments / mobile money payments to beneficiaries.

• Prepare the monthly payroll journal for staff and volunteers.
• Maintain the balance sheet reconciliations of the staff debtors and make monthly deductions from payroll as required.
• Carry out monthly bank reconciliations.
• Maintain the bank, and cash accounts on the balance sheet reconciliations.

Payroll

• Prepare monthly salary and allowance calculations for national staff and make the required payments. 
• Ensure all salary payments go through on time.

• Produce monthly pay slips for staff.

Financial Reporting, Budget, and Audit

• Ensure all documents requested by auditors are presented in a timely and orderly way and returned to the files/archive correctly.
• Support the Finance Volunteer to handle queries related to internal and external audits. 
• Work closely with the Programs team in the following up and implementation of recommendations by Auditors and the Regional Office.
• Participate in the production of any ad-hoc year-end documents for WODI. 

Administration 

• Provide coordinated and integrated finance, administration, and HR advisory support to ensure the smooth running of all functions and foster effective and efficient project implementation within WANEP-Sierra Leone 

• Support the Finance intern and Volunteers to ensure that staff movements are coordinated and approved, and flight bookings within and outside Sierra Leone are made in compliance with WANEP’s Sierra Travel Policy and pre-approved.

• Oversee monthly payroll processing and ensure salaries are paid to staff on time and that statutory deductions are deducted and remitted to the relevant government authorities in Sierra Leone, staff deductions are paid and accruals for other staff benefits are done and posted in the financial system.
• In coordination with the National Network Coordinator ensure yearly registration renewal for WANEP – Sierra Leone with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, SLANGO, and Freetown City Council is processed.

• Ensure that all staff/volunteers/interns complete an induction process that equips them to deliver on their role confidently and effectively.

• Ensure the effective implementation of performance management systems in line with organizational systems, policy, and WODI.

• Provide oversight to ensure an up-to-date and accurate Assets Register is in place, assets are tagged, and obsolete assets are highlighted for disposal according to WANEP’s policy and/or donor requirements.
• Ensure the procurement committee is functional, vendor lists are being updated, and procurement plans and the monitoring tracker are being kept up to date with the information provided by the program team.

OTHERS

• Actively participate in Senior Management Team meetings, contributing to decisions on policy and strategic direction, and play a key role in the ongoing implementation and adaptation of the WANEP Sierra Leone Strategic Plan.

• Any other duty as may be assigned by the National Network Coordinator and/or Regional Office. 

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

• Required: Diploma in Accounting or Finance-related Field. 
• Desired: Degree in Accounting or Finance related Field or Part Qualified AAT, ACA, or ACCA
• At least 2 years’ experience in finance / related field.
• Experience in working with Civil Society or non-governmental organizations.
• Experience in management reporting would be highly desirable.
• Computer literacy, particularly in Microsoft Office programs such as Word and Excel as well as accounting packages including QuickBooks. 
• Experience in developing finance/admin staff and/or volunteer capacity on the technical aspects of finance and training of non-finance staff on finance functions.
• Ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines and in a team environment. 

SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES:

Practice, promote, and endorse the issues of safeguarding policy among team members and ensure the implementation of safeguarding standards in every course of action while on and off duty, promote a safe work environment in all your dealings, and avoid actions, that may cause any form of harm, abuse, neglect, harassment, and exploitation of team members, beneficiaries, interns, volunteers, service providers and network members to achieve the program’s goals on safeguarding. 

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested candidates need to send an application letter, stating the position applied for, attaching an updated CV mentioning academic qualifications and experience. Application pack should be sent to our secretariat’s email wanep-sierraleone@wanep.org with a mandatory copy to recruitments@wanep.org. Only completed applications will be accepted and shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

“FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY”