The Finance Officer (FO) role situated within the Finance and Administration Unit of the Project Office. Working under the Finance Manager, the Finance Officer role is vital in ensuring smooth financial administration and management of the project in Zambia. The role will support the management of project finances including maintenance of project bank accounts and reconciliations, issuance of advances and reconciliations, management of petty cash and reconciliations, supporting procurement processes, while overseeing compliance with NIRAS.

The Finance officer role is a Full time role based in the NIRAS Zambia Office in Lusaka. The Finance Officer will work under the oversight of the Finance Manager and will specifically be responsible for:

Programme Delivery

• Supporting in-country project finance management and compliance (including expenses recording and filing), petty cash disbursement and reconciliation, and financial reporting for the project accounts.
• Supporting the Project Finance Manager in preparing expenditure forecasts, disbursement requests, bank reconciliation statements, and other financial reports for the project office.

Financial Management

• Assisting in the development and maintenance of project budgets, monitoring day-to-day expenditures, and providing regular financial forecasts and reports to the Finance Manager.
• Management and disbursement of petty cash including the preparation of reconciliation statements.
• Preparing payment vouchers, petty cash vouchers and petty cash reconciliations.
• Management of the Advance/Imprest processes by assisting core team members in making requests and retiring expenditures. The Finance Officer will also prepare monthly Advance reconciliation statements
• Responsible for filing finance documents on SharePoint folder and storing hard copies safely.
• Other tasks as assigned by the Finance Manager.

Financial Reporting

• Prepare accurate and timely financial reports, including income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and variance analyses.
• Ensure compliance with accounting principles, regulations, and reporting standards.
• Present financial information to management and provide insights on financial performance.

Accounting and Bookkeeping

• Maintain accurate financial records, including general ledger entries, accounts payable and receivable, and payroll.
• Ensure proper coding, classification, and reconciliation of financial transactions.
• Coordinate with external auditors and provide support during financial audits.

Cash Flow Management

• Monitor cash flow, manage banking activities, and ensure sufficient funds are available for operational needs.
• Prepare cash flow projections and recommend actions to optimize cash utilization and minimize financial risks.

Financial Controls and Compliance

• Implement and maintain strong financial controls to safeguard assets, prevent fraud, and ensure compliance with internal policies and external regulations.
• Conduct regular internal audits and risk assessments.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance financial efficiency and effectiveness.

Procurement, Asset Management and Administrative Support

• Under the direction of the Finance Manager, provide oversight to the Administrative Officer on the handling of administrative tasks related to project operations, including procurement and logistics.
• The Finance Officer will also provide oversight to the Administrative Officer in the following:
  a) Maintaining project files, records, and documentation.
  b) Managing the maintenance of project assets and ensuring that repairs are made on damaged assets, where necessary.
  c) Managing the overall Project Asset Register, including Memorandums of Equipment and Asset Clearance Certificates.
  d) Responsible for engaging of vendors after approval (except for intervention delivery)
  e) Supporting procurement of project items including sourcing at least three quotations and providing quotation analysis for goods and services.