Principal Accountant at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional group of fifteen West African countries. Founded on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, its mission is to promote economic integration across the region.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Principal Accountant

Job Code: 20001055
Location: Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
Institution: West African Health Organization (WAHO)
Grade: P5
Status: Permanent
Directorate: Administration And Finance
Division: Finance
Line Supervisor: Director Administration and Finance
Supervising: Accountants, Budget Officer

Role Overview

• Under the supervision of the Director of Administration and Finance, the Principal Accountant shall be responsible for providing financial and budgetary compliant services to the Institution.
• She/he shall provide supervisory, mentoring, and coaching roles to the division’s staff as well as provide technical support to all other directorates and staff on accounting and budgeting procedures matters.

Role and Responsibilities

• Monitor and ensure compliance with generally accepted/established accounting principles in accordance with ECOWAS Procedures and Regulations.
• Ensure planning, coordination, and control of the finance unit’s
• Review, investigate, and correct errors and inconsistencies in financial entries, documents, and reports.
• Review financial transactional processes and develop actions for effective and efficient
• Review financial proposals, interpret them, and provide guidance on actions to be taken
• Ensure monthly payments of staff salaries into the relevant bank
• Ensure that all statutory deductions are remitted and related documents forwarded to the relevant authorities in a timely manner.
• Prepare work papers and supporting schedules for periodic financial
• Implement various accounting procedures to ensure the fluidity of work and reduce turnaround times.
• Ensure periodic preparation of bank reconciliation
• Approve transactions within duties and ensure proper handling of financial
• Ensure that dossiers are processed in a timely manner (internally and with partners)
• Coordinate the preparation of periodic and annual
• Ensure that statements of commitment are consistent with approved levels and
• Coordinate the preparation and passing on of documentation for internal and external
• Report, analyze and ensure integrity of all financial
• Maintain a foolproof accounting system and keep records on all organisational transactions and assets.
• Ensure internal and external visibility of the unit’s actions and
• Identify training needs for the staff of the finance division to address identified shortcomings in task execution.
• Supervise the preparation of Annual Work Plans for all supervisees,
• Supervise activities of the staff in his/her
• Provide regular performance feedback to ensure that performance targets are met,
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned.

Academic Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s Degree in Accounting, or Finance, or Business Administration, or Finance Management or relevant qualification in a similar field from a recognized university.
• Ten (10) years of professional experience in managing finance and budget operations, financial monitoring, accounting, and financial reporting, in international or multinational organizations, including 5 years at a supervisory level.
• In-depth knowledge of International Public Service Accounting Standards; budgeting and budget management skills as well as an acute and expert knowledge of institutional
• In-depth knowledge of corporate reporting, financial management, accounting and financial audit and taxation.
• demonstrated practical knowledge of relevant financial accounting principles and concepts to perform tasks in accordance with the generally accepted Accounting Principles and Standards of relevance to public sector and international
• Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; accounting best practices, ECOWAS financial policies (e.g. revenue, accounts payable).
• knowledge of financial and budgetary principles and practices, budget development and financial administration of resources.
• Professional qualifications in accounting such as ACCA, CIMA, and ICA, will be an advantage

Age Limit:

• Be below 50 years old. This provision does not apply to internal candidates.

Salary
UA 53,809.91 / USD 84,901.27 Annually.

Application Closing Date
6th November, 2024.