Chemonics seeks a Finance Assistant for USAID/Tanzania

Chemonics seeks a Finance Assistant for the USAID/Tanzania Heshimu Bahari Activity. The USAID Heshimu Bahari Activity is part of the U.S. government’s biodiversity and climate change conservation portfolio in Tanzania. This will incorporate a series of interventions that support and strengthen the capacity for biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation in a manner that i) reduces the use of illegal and unsustainable fishing; ii) improves the governance and management of coastal land and seascapes; and iii) improves policy development and capacity to implement policies. These interventions together will reduce threats to marine and coastal biodiversity in Tanzania while moving Tanzanian institutions further on their journey to self-reliance. The Activity has four integrated objectives:

• Strengthening the enabling framework for a network of Marine Management Areas (MMAs) and Fishery Replenishment Zones (FRZs) to support biodiversity conservation, climate resilient communities, and sustainable wild-caught fisheries.
• Community co-management of MMAs/wild-caught fisheries and climate resilience strengthened.
• Private sector investment in MMAs and wild-caught fisheries expanded.
• Integration of relevant science to MMA and fisheries policy and management improved

The finance assistant is primarily responsible for preparing, recording, storing and reporting Heshimu Bahari financial transactions. The position will be entrusted with access to ABACUS, a financial and accounting system used by Chemonics International. The position is based in Dar es Salaam with local and regional travel as needed.

Responsibilities

• Review charges and cost allocations, ensuring that all back-up documentation and approvals are available
• Processes payments for all invoices related to procurement of goods and services, ensuring all necessary back-up documentation is verified, collected, and filed according to established operating principles and procedures
• Processes payments for monthly payroll and benefits in a timely manner, ensuring all necessary back-up documentation is verified, collected, and filed in accordance with established operating principles and procedures
• Processes and ensures payment of income tax, social security, and value-added taxes to the relevant Tanzanian authorities
• Maintains the project bank account, including monitoring the account balance, outstanding checks and other transactions, and providing regular updates to the project’s accountant regarding the status of the account
• Maintains the project’s petty cash account
• Processes and reconciles expense reports for project staff in a timely and efficient manner, in accordance with established operating principles and procedures of both USAID and Chemonics
• Maintains project equipment and updates inventory tracker
• Updates project financial records using web-based software and submits monthly reports to the Chemonics’ Washington office within the established timeline
• Assists with occasional auditing of expenses, bank deposits, issuing payments to vendors, as well as ensuring proper stewardship and accounting of funds for grants, other program activities, and program operations
• Performs other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field required
• Minimum of three years’ experience; a background working with USAID or other international donors desirable
• Previous experience working in Tanzania
• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills
• Demonstrated leadership, versatility, and integrity
• Strong analytical skills with attention to detail
• Computer literacy in Microsoft Office software (including Word, Excel and PowerPoint), as well as experience preparing spreadsheets, graphs and tables
• Fluency in English required; fluency in Kiswahili preferred

Period of Performance: On/about August 31, 2023, through the life of project.

Application Instructions:

Please apply here. Applications will be reviewed through August 11th, 2023. Early applications strongly encouraged. No telephone inquiries, please.

Chemonics is an equal opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, age, or other legally protected characteristics. Military veterans, AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alumni are encouraged to apply.