Background
Founded in 2014, the Alliance of CSOs for Clean Energy Access (ACCESS) is a global coalition
of over 100 CSOs and practitioners. Our Mission is to advocate for people living in poverty to have
access to safe, reliable, affordable energy, and for environmentally sustainable and efficient
energy systems globally. Most ACCESS members are practitioners and civil society groups based
in sub-Saharan Africa, with some members working in Asia, in countries with high levels of energy
poverty.
The Coalition’s advocacy priorities are centred around three work streams: (a) ensuring inclusive
SDG 7 implementation; (b) carrying out advocacy and engagement with multilateral development
banks (MDBs), namely the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) and the World Bank Group (WBG);
and (c) building member and external stakeholder knowledge and capacity building around energy
access issues through the ACCESS Learning Group. ACCESS also works through regional
coordination groups in East, Southern and West Africa.
The ACCESS Secretariat is currently hosted by the Kenya Climate Change Working Group in
Nairobi, Kenya. It consists of two full time staff, the International Coordinator and the
Communications and Membership Manager. KCCWG is an equal opportunity employer.
ACCESS is now seeking to recruit a Finance and administration Officer to undertake Finance
and Administration activities. This will be a one year position, initially, with the potential for
renewal. Salary will be dependent on the level of skills and experience of the candidate. Other
benefits include a 10% pension contribution and healthcare package.
Roles and responsibilities
The Finance and Administration Officer will support the management to maintain strong internal
controls, to enforce appropriate accounting and financial procedures, and policies, providing
timely support to the programs, preparation of timely and accurate grants and financial
information, keying transactions in the system on a timely basis. Meeting the external reporting
requirements, audits, procedures and compliance among other duties.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Finance and Accounting
● Ensuring that proper financial procedures/systems are operated and maintained, ensure
compliance with ACCESS financial policy and set accounting standards.
● Preparing budgets, tracking expenditures, forecast and amendments working with the
International Coordinator and Secretariat staff and ensure that budgetary implications are
understood by the team and regional partners.
● Oversee all financial administration of ACCESS accounts by verifying and recording financial
obligations and payments, reviewing and submitting quarterly accounts/financial statements and
analysing and monitoring status of obligations and expenditures
● In consultation with the International Coordinator, manage all financial requisitions and ensure
all financial obligations are met in a timely manner.
● Manage cash flow, including monthly bank reconciliations and preparing financial status reports
as may be required.
● Preparing donor financial reports and ensure compliance with their financial and other
requirements as against budgets and provide timely advice of likely over and under spends.
● Serve as the primary liaison with external auditors, preparing accounts and reports for external
audits, responding to audit queries and following up on the audit recommendations.
● Provide advice, financial interpretations and corrective actions in response to audits and other
queries.
● Provide substantive support to the development and implementation of accounting systems.
● Analyse accounts, propose/implement solutions with respect to problem transactions and
irregularities.
Grants and Sub grant Compliance management
● Ensures timely transfer of funds to ACCESS Regional Nodes/ subgrantees.
● Review of financial reports, funds requests and providing timely feedback to the regional
nodes/sub grantees.
● Supports in carrying out due diligence on new and potential partners and regional nodes/sub
grantees.
● Supports on follow-ups on all regional nodes/sub grantees for timely and accurate financial
reports.
● Supports in updating the grant tracker with the new information as provided.
● Ensures timely invoicing and request for funds from donors based on achieved reporting and
deliverable milestones as per contracts.
● Support in the training, mentoring, and coaching of both the ACCESS non-finance team and
partners Finance teams where required.
Compliance
● Ensuring compliance with national regulations in respect of financial, legal and regulatory.
requirements e.g. taxation, labour laws and NGO Coordination Board among others.
● Develop and implement internal policies and procedures to ensure accountability and minimize
risks.
● Monitor organizational adherence to financial and operational requirements for the organization
and donors.
Treasury Management
● Ensure sufficient liquidity for all bank accounts before payment processing.
● Timely liaison with banks for new accounts, mandate changes/edits, ensure good customer
relations and seamless bank transactions.
● Forex dealership requests; ensuring best value for ACCESS.
Bank Reconciliations
● Prepares all bank reconciliations for ACCESS and ensures are completed by the 5th monthly.
● Ensure any reconciling items have been adjusted into the cashbooks within the relevant
periods.
Procurement
● In consultation with International Coordinator and ACCESS staff, manage contractual
negotiations and agreements with vendors and service providers to ensure compliance with
ACCESS and donor policies.
● Ensure transparent and competitive procurement processes and maintaining detailed
procurement records.
● Maintain an inventory of all the purchased items.
● Confirm that proposed obligations or expenditure for goods and services, are in accordance with
ACCESS financial policy, budget and corporate plan.
Human Resources
● Support the International Coordinator in the recruitment, onboarding and management of staff
and consultants.
● Maintain human resources records, ensuring compliance with labour laws and internal policies
and procedures.
● Oversee payroll processing, staff benefits administration and other HR related financial matters.
● Support staff development through training to staff on internal procedures and donor accounting
requirements.
Operations and Administration
● Maintain and manage administrative records, including filing systems, contracts, organizational
documents including ACCESS membership database.
● Coordinate ACCESS operational activities ensuring effective implementation of programs and
projects.
● Co-ordinate and maintain a cash forecasting system to ensure that the administration has
adequate funds in its bank accounts and cash imprest to meet its obligations at all times.
● Be the custodian of cash receipts, vouchers, cheques and other payment systems established
documentation.
● Ensure proper maintenance of office equipment and supplies.
● Manage logistics and resource planning to ensure timely delivery of services.
● Implement security protocol and commit to confidentiality as to internal issues.
● Oversee the outsourcing and management of office premises and ensure a safe conducive
working environment.
● Perform any other duties as may be requested by the International Coordinator.
Line management
● The Finance and Administration Officer will report to the International Coordinator.
Essential qualifications and skills
● The applicant must hold a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics or any related
field.
● A professional qualification – CPA Level II and above will be required and an asset.
● Resilience and ability to establish and oversee a finance department of a growing organisation.
● 3+ Years of working experience in financial management, including budgeting, grants
management and reporting with a reputable organisation.
● Ability to work in teams and ability to multitask and work in a fast-paced environment.
● Ability to translate financial concepts and to effectively collaborate with work colleagues who do
not necessarily have a finance background.
● Technology savvy with experience in using Accounting software especially QuickBooks, ERP,
SAGE, and Microsoft Office Suite (Excel and Word etc), among other financial and accounting
systems.
● Effective Communication and report writing skills.
● Experience of working with civil society organisations and with other relevant stakeholders such
as government, private sector etc.
Desirable qualifications and skills
● Previous experience working with membership organisations and NGOs with regional partners
and donors in SSA will be an added advantage.
● Experience in supporting teams on resource mobilization to ensure fundraising financial
compliance.
Application process
Please send a brief supporting statement (max. 400 words) outlining why this role interests you
and your relevant skills, qualifications and experience, and a CV including your full contact
details and three professional referees to:[email protected], copied to
[email protected]. The statement and CV should be sent as one document.
Deadline for applications: 8th November 2024
For more information on ACCESS and our work, visit our website at: www.access-coalition.org.
Further information about KCCWG and its work, visit the website at: www.kccwg.org.
