WaterAid is an international not-for-profit organisation, determined to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. WaterAid Uganda (WAU) is one of the Country Programmes of WaterAid global, established in 1982. In the past 40 years, WAU and its partners have transformed the lives of millions of people by bringing clean water, decent toilets, and hygiene closer to them.

Informed by 40-years of experience in Uganda, the Country Programme has developed its new strategy for the next five years (2023-2028) that is anchored on two aims: (i) Positioning WASH as essential for the health sector to improve public health and (ii) Strengthening the resilience of WASH to climate change.

WAU has cultivated a niche over the years as a development organization that advocates for the WASH rights of the poor and marginalized with a special focus on women and girls. WaterAid has remained resolutely focused on tackling these three essentials that transform people’s lives. Without all three, people can’t live dignified, healthy lives. With all three, they can unlock their potential, break free from poverty, and change their lives for good. Children grow up healthy and strong, women and men get to earn a living, whole communities start to thrive.

WaterAid is fully committed to protecting those with whom it comes into contact. WaterAid is
committed to ensuring that wherever we work in the world there is no tolerance for the abuse of power, privilege or trust. WaterAid reinforces a culture of zero tolerance towards any form of inappropriate behaviour, discrimination, abuse, bullying, harassment, or exploitation of any kind. The safeguarding of the communities in which we work, our staff, volunteers and anyone working on our behalf, is our top priority, and we take our responsibilities extremely seriously. We are passionately committed to WaterAid being an organisation where everyone is welcome, respected, included and empowered to be their best. We represent and celebrate the diversity of our staff, partners and everyone with whom we work to create a culture where everyone can reach their full potential. All staff and volunteers are required to share in this commitment through our Global Code of Conduct.

We will conduct the most appropriate pre-employment references and checks to ensure high standards are maintained.

WaterAid will carry out disclosure checks for roles that involve direct contact with children and vulnerable adults. Applicants are required to provide details of convictions that, in other circumstances, would be considered spent. For more information about safeguarding at WaterAid, please visit our safeguarding webpage at: https://www.wateraid.org/uk/safeguarding-at-wateraid

Place of Work: Mbale, Uganda
Pay Band: Grade E
Salary: In line with WaterAid salary scale for grade
Contract Type: 2 years, renewable. Full time
Reports to: Team Leader
Accountable to Director of Finance, on finance related issues
Manages: None
Travel: Some in-country travel involved

Project description
The Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Water and Environment has received grant from the Adaptation Fund to implement the Project – Enhancing Adaptation of Communities to Climate Change through Improved Early Warning Climate Resilient
WASH Technologies and Catchment Management in Mpologoma Catchment-Uganda. The project will be implemented in Mpologoma Catchment-in Eastern Uganda over a duration of 4.5 years. The project is intended to increase the resilience of the communities to climate change risk of floods and landslides through sustainable community access to water, sanitation and hygiene services and integrated catchment management measures in upstream, midstream and downstream sub-catchments of Mpologoma catchment in Eastern Uganda.

The Ministry of Water and Environment will be the Implementing Entity of the Project while WaterAid Uganda (WAU) will be the Executing Entity of the project with support of the Directorate of Water Resources Management (DWRM). WAU will be responsible for project management and project execution while DWRM will provide operational oversight through its regionally based implementation unit of Kyoga Water Management Zone.

Considering that the project is multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary it will be managed and supported by a well experienced team of experts that will include a Project Accountant.

Job Purpose Summary
The Project Accountant will be responsible for providing expert financial knowledge and guidance in accordance with donor requirements and Government of Uganda financial policy and regulations. Their primary goal is to ensure total precision in all finance transactions related the Project. This role plays a vital role in ensuring the project’s financial performance, providing support for financial planning, fund managing, and maintaining financial control over the project. Their duties include generating and analysing financial reports, delegating accounting tasks to team members, and reconciling financial statements. It is expected that the person in this position will foster positive working relationships with project partners, key stakeholders, and WaterAid Uganda’s Finance team.

Key Responsibilities:
Transaction Processing and Quality Assurance
• Establish controls and procedures that adhere to the finance partners, community and WaterAid’s policies and guidelines, aiming to guarantee the legality and quality of all transactions. These controls should also align with donor requirements and the financial policy and regulations set forth by the Government of Uganda
• Prepare and review monthly transactions listing for completeness and assurance and post required adjustments in a timely fashion. Ensure all transactions are supported by adequate documentation, and that this is filed and retained in a suitable way.
Ensure all reversing transactions are adequately cleared on a timely basis.
• Reconcile all project balance sheet accounts every month.
• Meet the year-end and other deadlines set by the Ministry of Water and
Environment/Government of Uganda, Adaptation Fund, and WaterAid’s internal processes, ensuring timely recording of project transactions, if necessary, at this stage.
• Regularly review and settle all accruals, particularly before project closure, to maintain accuracy and completeness.

Reporting and Analysis
• Prepare project financial reports in accordance with the guidelines and reporting standards of both the donor, Government of Uganda and WaterAid (monthly, quarterly, six months, annually). Additionally, provide comprehensive explanations and narratives for the financial aspects of the reports, as requested by the Project Team Leader.
• Prepare monthly cost recovery analysis and reconcile cost recharges to the project for compliance with donor cost principles.
• Design, calculate and record any regular key performance indicators (KPIs) for the project, providing narrative explanations for variances versus expectations where appropriate.
• Attend to queries regarding project reports/budgets in a timely manner to avoid delays to project plans attributable to late processing of payment requests.
• Check / Verify requests for payments and purchase orders, to ascertain whether sufficient project funding is available and that requests are charged to correct budget lines and nominal ledger.
• Responsible for the accurate entry of payments to the system developed and approved by the Government of Uganda and customised to align with WaterAid’s Accounting System.
• Provide timely and accurate input into Month-end Quarterly, Mid and End of year reports.
• Participate in end of project/sub-award close-out procedures/processes, ensuring all liabilities are settled on time.
Planning, Start-Up and Closure
• Provide guidance and support to WaterAid and Partners’ staff regarding the financial regulations and reporting requirements set-forth by the Government of Uganda and the donor.
• Coordinate (or produce) the initial project budget and subsequent iterations, obtaining sign -off as required from budget holder, and addressing questions as raised by the donor.
• Conduct project specific finance induction for new staff and partners. Provide guidance to partners on visibility, expense eligibility and other specific donor regulations as it affects the project.
• Develop reporting templates (and other tools) in line with MWE and donor requirements and the requirements of WaterAid’s finance system, allowing automated reports to be produced in the desired format and which include transparent reporting on cost-recovery.
• Work with implementing partners to establish systems that are integrated and meet donor requirements (and audit), and review these to ensure all financial requirements, controls, and conditions (both donor and WaterAid) can be met.
• Prepare ‘ad hoc’ management and financial information and reports as and when required internally by WaterAid Uganda and Water East Africa region.
• Provide support to the Project team for activity costing, budgeting, and preparation of annual costed work plan. Mapping of work plan to donor budget and to assign activities to donor budget lines.
• Responsible for preparation of Annual Project budget broken down into monthly planned expenditure.
• Support in mid-term/periodic review and preparation of revised project budgets. In case of any changes, review the proposed changes to project budget and ensure that they are in line with donor expectations.
Other Tasks
• Comply with WaterAid’s policies and practice with respect to safeguarding, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.
• Other duties as assigned.

JOB REQUIREMENTS/PERSON PROFILE:
Essential
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with a business-related degree, and a minimum of 8 years relevant experience.
• Demonstrable and significant experience of project finance management and donor reporting within and NGO environment.
• Experience on management reporting and generating value-added analysis that contributes to enhanced decision-making processes.
• Proven experience in leading and coordinating budgeting processes for complex proposals to institutional donors with complex rules and regulations and demonstrated experience in ensuring full cost coverage for the organization.
• Proven experience in grants management; ensuring start-up processes are adequate and appropriate, accurate and timely donor reporting, compliance with donor terms and conditions and leading donor audit processes.
• Proven experience in preparing, analysing and synthesizing complex financial data using advance excel or any financial information systems to present, discuss and communicate financial performance to senior managers and non-finance staff.
• Proven experience in developing empowering and streamlined accounting processes to support partnerships and the ability to deliver finance training and coaching of partner staff on financial management.
• Proficient in the use of financial software programs and Microsoft Office applications.
• Proven experience in effective communication through the production of high-quality narrative reports in innovative and informative ways for senior managers and nonfinance staff.
• Adept at presenting complex financial information in a clear manner to senior management, staff members and others.
• Excellent planning, management, and coordination skills, with the ability to organise a demanding workload comprised of diverse and challenging tasks and responsibilities.
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and balance day-to-day tasks with strategic, long-term goals and timelines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate diplomatically in a diverse, multi-cultural environment.
• Good attention to detail and analytical skills.
• Patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and remain responsive and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure.
• Commitment to WaterAid’s values and a working style that reflects these.