Project Accountant MU-JHU Research Collaboration

Description and Purpose:
The Project Accountant will ensure financial integrity of the projects through management of all accounting and financial activities relating to the development, implementation, reporting and closeout of grants and contracts.

Required Qualifications and Experience:
• The prospective candidate must hold a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or equivalent and holds a complete ACCA/CPA certification.
• A minimum of 3 years’ relevant working experience in a similar capacity with a multi-donor busy institution. Experience working with a clinical research institution would represent an advantage. Must be proficient in the use of Microsoft Applications (desired applications inclusive of Excel, Power Point and Word).
• Familiarity in the use of computerized accounting packages is required, specific experience with Navision software would be an advantage.
• The candidate should be flexible to travel to multiple districts as required and should possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills with ability to prioritize in a demanding environment, multiple accountabilities, and to tight deadlines.

The holder of this position will work under the direct supervision of the Head of Project Accounting section and will be responsible for the following duties and responsibilities:
Project Financial Management
• Prepare timely and accurate financial reports as required by the Study Investigator/Project Director/Budget holder and Project Accounting Head/Director of Administration & Finance.
• Submit reports to the Project Accounting Head/Director of Administration & Finance responsible for oversight to ensure adherence to institutional finance policies and donor requirements.
• Submit timely financial reports in appropriate template in compliance with donors’ requirements.
• To support the Study Investigator/Project Director/Budget holder in the use of financial analysis for sound project management.
• Be responsible for monitoring the budget utilization and communicate any relevant budgetary issues to the Study Investigator/Project Director/Budget holder.
• Follow up and review financial reports from all project stakeholders to ensure compliance with the reporting schedule and sponsor requirements.
• Support Study Investigator/Project Director/Budget holder with project narratives in relation to expenditure reports and financial risks.
• Ensure that project cashflows (income, expenditure and fund transfers) are managed in a timely and accurate manner.

Manage the day to day project finances, including billing and verification of expenses against budgets.
• Coordinate the project audits and ensure audit requirements are monitored and adhered.
• Work with the Study Investigator/Project Director and Project Accounting Head/Director of Administration & Finance to ensure that audit recommendations are fulfilled.
• Ensure that all financial documents including study reports are properly stored and archived for referencing and verification during internal and external audits.

Project Start up and Closeout
• Coordinate the initial implementation of the project budget to Study Investigator/Project Director and financial accounting team.
• Run financial aspects of inception workshop in coordination with Project Accounting Head/Director of Administration & Finance.
• Ensure all sub-partners to the project (if applicable) understand the financial requirements and have systems in place to meet them.
• Coordinate financial closeout process thru identification of current budget status and discussion with stakeholders for a list of additional projected closeout activities.

Financial Support and Monitoring
• To provide information and ongoing financial training to project staff to ensure the financial success of the project.
• To inform the Study Investigator/Project Director of material issues and variances and propose and monitor actions.
• Ensure transaction listings for subrecipient/sub-awardee are maintained as supporting documentation for donor reporting.
• Respond to donor financial queries and recommend actions to the Study Investigator/Project Director as required.
• To advise participating sites and their partners of donor specific financial rules and regulations and support staff to meet these.