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FARA is the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, an umbrella organization bringing together and forming coalitions of major stakeholders in agricultural research and development in Africa. FARA complements the innovative activities of national, international and sub-regional research institutions to deliver more responsive and effective services to its stakeholders. It plays advocacy and coordination roles for agricultural research for development, while the national agricultural research systems (NARS), advanced research institutions (ARIs) and international agricultural research centres (IARCs) develop and promote the adoption of improved technologies and policies along the research-to-development continuum in their respective countries and jurisdictions. Since it was established in 2002 FARA has been able to develop several African-wide initiatives through consultation with stakeholders.

Job Description

Management Accountant: Ref: FARA/adv./03/MACCT/2016

FARA is the apex organization for agricultural research-for-development in Africa. The FARA Secretariat serves as the technical arm of the African Union Commission (AUC) and the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA) on matters concerning agricultural research-for-development and has been mandate to coordinate the implementation of the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa.

FARA works closely with sub-regional agricultural research organizations (SROs) and national agricultural research and extension systems to advance the implementation of the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) dimensions of Pan-African agriculture and food security policy frameworks and initiatives. The Science for Agriculture Consortium (S4AC) comprises the principal supra-national agriculture research-for-development institutions responsible for championing and coordinating the implementation of the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa at country level.

The Finance Division supports the delivery of FARA’s financial management using financial systems and procedures that are in conformity with international accounting and auditing standards.

In view of the foregoing, FARA is seeking to recruit a highly qualified individual for the position of Management Accountant.

Purpose
The Management Accountant will maintain planning, performance management, and financial reporting and control systems to assist management in the formulation and implementation of overall FARA strategy

Reporting to the Finance Manager, the Management Accountant shall perform inter-alia the following duties and responsibilities:

• Coordinates and consolidates the preparation of FARA Secretariat budgets and forecasts which includes program and project budgets.
• Provides leadership in the preparation of timely and appropriate financial reports to FARA Secretariat Management, Development Partners and the Executive Board.
• Sunsystem administration
• Review of budget against actual expenditure quarterly
• Plays lead role in developing and maintaining sound and up to date system of evaluating and monitoring all donor contracts ensuring strict compliance with donor financial contractual obligations.
• Maintains and updates a database of all funding agreements and overall budgets in multi-currencies for FARA.
• Monitors the level of secured and unsecured funding for FARA Secretariat, FARA programmes as well as hosted programmes, and provides regular summary updates on fund balance position to management.
• Assists FARA Secretariat Management team and FARA Programme Managers with timely budget revisions relating to the donor contracts as may be necessary from time to time.
• Prepares audit schedules as may be required for year-end external audit. Provides support for implementation of agreed audit recommendations.
• Ensures the maintenance of a sound Cost Recovery System for FARA and advises Head of Finance if there is need for its review.
• Maintains records and develops procedures that will permit the generation of quantitative reports on FARA’s operations to satisfy the needs of Stakeholders, Donors, Executive Board,
• Secretariat Management and staff.
• Initiates the development and maintenance of a system of monitoring and reconciling advances issued by FARA Secretariat to both staff and collaborating institutions.
• Performs any other duties which may be assigned by the immediate supervisor.

Compensation/Location

• FARA offers competitive salaries according to experience and qualifications.
• The position is based at the FARA Secretariat in Accra.

Required Skills or Experience

• Interested applicants must have full professional accounting qualification i.e. CPA, ACCA and or its equivalent or a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting with part professional qualification.
• At least 5 years of overall post-qualification experience. Working experience in the use of Sun Accounting systems is a must.
• The successful candidate must be an organised, focused and analytical minded individual with an eye for detail.