Donor Accountant

The Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies is seeking a full-time Donor Accountant who will contribute to achieving quality financial planning by supporting effective grants management. The Donor Accountant works closely with and supports the finance team and the wider Sana’a Center on day-to-day financial matters concerning donor accounting and financial reporting. S/he ensures full compliance with Sana’a Center policies and procedures, and that financial and internal controls as well as donor contractual obligations, in terms of accounting policies and regulations, are met. S/he manages timely and quality internal and external reporting, coordinates revisions to grants and consultancies and contributes to proposal development. S/he also ensures Sana’a Center program/support teams are informed of relevant donor compliance regulations and Sana’a Center procedures.

We are a dynamic, highly mobile, multilingual team with diverse backgrounds and expertise. Our main office is in Sana’a, while the majority of our team works remotely from locations across Yemen, around the Middle East and in Western capitals. Among our core strengths are our versatility, initiative, access, networks and audacity. We seek new team members who would complement this dynamic.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Maintain updated information on donor reporting requirements, reporting formats and guidelines and provide support in this area to Sana’a Center staff.
• Manage the flow of financial information between program managers and project finance and admin staff across Sana’a Center offices as well as with partner organizations.
• Coordinate closely with the finance team and program finance staff to ensure financial aspects of programs run smoothly and effectively.

• Regularly update Donor Report Schedule and share with respective managers.
• Prepare and submit all donor reports in a timely manner.
• Assist program managers to prepare budgets and financial reports, and lead all project and donor audits for different contracts.
• Produce monthly budget monitoring reports and support budget holders in reviewing the reports and actions.
• Contribute to the preparation of monthly and quarterly management reports.
• Manage final contract reconciliation and closure of projects in coordination with Grants Manager and Finance Manager, ensuring all financial and contract issues are properly completed; review and recommend improvements to systems and procedures.
• Oversee support and capacity development of field office finance and program teams in the area of financial management, induct new finance staff and provide on-going guidance and training on Sana’a Center procedures and guidelines including internal controls.
• Review proposal budgets and provide input before submission to donors to incorporate overhead costs to optimum levels and ensure their presentation meets donor requirements.
• Ensure systems are in place to collate information required to meet internal and external contract conditions and liaise regularly with relevant departments in relation to donor contracts, ensuring that information flow is timely and appropriate actions are taken to ensure compliance.
• Participate with the finance team in year end closure of accounts and facilitation of statutory audit.
• Other duties assigned by the Finance Manager.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCE:

• Degree in Finance and/or Accountancy; additional related financial qualifications are an advantage.
• At least four years of work experience. Experience working with an INGO is desirable. Good understanding of monitoring and managing donor contracts preferable.
• Knowledge of the financial landscape of international donors, including reporting requirements, trends, procedures, priorities and guidelines (particularly for the EU, SIDA, Canada MoFA,CSSF, NMFA, etc).
• Self-motivated and able to work independently and within a team.
• Able to manage a large portfolio and to deal with competing demands.
• Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to communicate clearly and assertively with a wide range of people from different cultures.
• Able to communicate technical issues to non-technical colleagues.
• High level of competency with spreadsheets, database and accountancy based IT. Good skills with computer software such as PeopleSoft and Excel. Eager to learn new software packages to adapt to financial management needs.
• Good analytical skills and ability to deal with large quantities of financial data.

Position Details:

• Reports to: Finance Manager
• Starting salary: To be determined based on experience
• Contract type: 12-month renewable
• Location: Yemen, but open to applicants abroad in the case of an exceptionally strong candidate.
• Travel: 20% of time working

For those interested, please email [email protected] with the following:

• Your CV and a cover letter.

Application Deadline: 20th of October

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, political affiliation, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, disability or age.

More about the Sana’a Center:

Founded in 2014, the Sana’a Center is one of the few independent research centers that has continued to operate in Yemen throughout the ongoing armed conflict. While the Center maintains cordial relations with all key stakeholders it has remained fiercely unaligned with any of the belligerent parties. The Sana’a Center has thus maintained a unique positioning and ability to work throughout Yemen and beyond.

The Sana’a Center maintains a strong network across Yemen with access to key political, military and security figures, tribal leaders, the financial sector, economists, journalists, humanitarian actors, civil society and other important stakeholders. The Center has also established a broad network and presence within the international community connecting it to international organizations, diplomatic circles, regional and international policy makers, research centers and global forums.

The Sana’a Center’s reports and researchers are widely quoted in local, regional and international media outlets, while the analysis of the Center’s experts is regularly sought out by local and international stakeholders.

The Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies

Founded in 2014, the Sana’a Center is one of the few independent research centers that has continued to operate in Yemen throughout the ongoing conflict. While the Center maintains cordial relations with all key stakeholders, it has remained fiercely unaligned with any of the belligerent parties. The Sana’a Center has thus maintained a unique position and the ability to work throughout Yemen and beyond.

The Center maintains a strong network across Yemen with access to key political, military and security figures, tribal leaders, the financial sector, economists, journalists, humanitarian actors, civil society, and other important stakeholders. The Center has also established a broad network and presence within the international community, connecting it to international organizations, diplomatic circles, regional and international policymakers, research centers and global forums.

The Sana’a Center’s reports and researchers are widely quoted in local, regional, and international media outlets, while the analysis of the Center’s experts is regularly sought out by local and international stakeholders.