SCOPE OF WORK

Jordan Public Financial Management and Administration Activity (PFMA)

Project Background:

The Jordan Public Financial Management Activity (PFMA) aims to work in partnership with USAID/Jordan and the Government of Jordan (GOJ) to improve Jordan’s revenue system and enhance their budget management process. PFMA will build the capacity of the Jordanian Ministry of Finance and other government institutions to modernize the revenue collection system, encourage compliance—including making it easier for taxpayers to comply with tax obligations—upgrade public procurement management, and improve budget planning, preparation, and execution. Key objectives include: 1) improving the revenue raising system; 2) streamlining the budget management process; 3) optimizing public expenditure management; and 4) implementing crosscutting Public Financial Management reforms such as interventions to address COVID-19. Through a combination of technical assistance, capacity building, and facilitation, tangible and measurable results are expected during the anticipated five-year duration of the activity.

Position Description:

The Senior Accountant will play a pivotal role in assuring adherence to financial policies, project policies and procedures, regulations, controls, and reporting systems. The Senior Accountant will provide accounting and financial analysis support to the project office and will ensure submission of financial reports based on internal deadlines. This position will ensure compliance of all accounting and financial reporting functions. The Senior Accountant is responsible for recording costs and day to day general accounting, accounts receivable/payable, payroll, risk management, managing partner relationships, assuring all backup documentation is audit ready, and troubleshooting accounting issues. The individual is also responsible for cash flow analyses, and the overall financial well-being of the project.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Financial Reporting

• Develops and maintains reports of status of financial management activities (i.e. monthly and quarterly reporting).
• Prepares required documentation for submission for direct supervisor’s review and required documentation (expense cover sheets), post-payment and proceed of the data entry into DAi's Financial Accounting System.
• Review and reconcile the project's petty cash using the prescribed template and submits the reconciliation each month to the Senior Finance Manager.
• Submits relevant vendor and payroll tax payment requests to direct supervisor.
• Scans financial vouchers for submission to DAI/Washington twice a month and to be uploaded on the Box.
• Manages fuel coupons for the project's vehicles.
• Prepares Payroll sheets, considering all personnel detail and deductions according to the local labor law.
• Be the focal point at the Social Security Department and Income Tax Department for DAI/PFMA staff and prepare monthly payments as needed,
• Responsible for ensuring that any/all contractual financial reporting requirements are identified and complied in a timely and accurate manner.
• Ensures that tax reporting procedures are well documented to facilitate preparation and submission in a timely manner.
• Monitors and submits advance, commitment, and grant reports as applicable.
• Develops and submits other project reports necessary and based on registration requirements to local authorities.
• Monitors and review reports on partner/vendor payment schedules and obligations.
• Provides annual budgets of expenditure as well as quarterly forecasts against budget statements (accruals, pipelines, etc.) as applicable.

Audit

• Supports preparation of internal and external audits.
• Supports responses and actions to internal audit comments.
• Conducts daily reviews of backup documentation to ensure completeness, accuracy, and full compliance with all regulations and the Field Operations Manual (FOM).
• Performs regular spot audits on project’s files.
• Ensures adequate backup documentation is uploaded to relevant system according to set deadlines.

Policies & Procedures

• Ensures that accounting policies and practices are carried out in accordance with GAAP standards; project internal controls are established and implemented in accordance with DAI policies, USAID rules/regulations and the terms of the contract.

General Accounting

• Initiates wire requests for field project implementation.
• Verifies accuracy of expenses and project accounting codes.
• Ensures accurate and timely processing of invoices, advances and reimbursements, checks, and wire transfer payments.
• Ensures request for payments have appropriate approvals.
• Ensures the timely deposit of cash receipts.
• Responsible for recording and assigning costs based on approved budget in field accounting system (FAS).
• Performs monthly bank reconciliations and routinely monitors bank account balances.
• Verifies back up documentation for all project-related transactions, and ensures completeness and appropriate review and approvals are documented.
• Responsible for ensuring petty cash is maintained according to maximum petty cash policy, and that all petty cash procedures are followed.
• Ensures the safeguard of bank checks, and cash receipts.
• Manages periodic payments to local authorities (Income Tax, Social Security, etc) ensuring they are completed on timely and accuracy manner
• Ensures availability of bank check books and coordinates periodic updates for checking account signers.
• Prepares, reviews and submits project cost data prior to submitting Oracle data reports to DAI Washington.
• Maintains file management systems for soft and hard copy documentation.
• Maintains files on grant/procurement/subcontractor documents and modifications as applicable.
• Directs the schedule of financial activities to ensure the timely preparation of budget related reports.
• Performs periodic cash counts.
• Records non-billable expenses as appropriate and ensures they are thoroughly reviewed and are kept to a minimum.
• Ensures that foreign taxes paid, if any, are tracked, recorded, and reported to USAID in accordance with ADS guidelines.
• Analyzes and reconciles project inventory on a regular basis ensuring that the value/purchase price of project assets reflected in the inventory register agrees with the total shown in the cumulative Non-Expendable account.

Travel Advances & Reimbursements

• Reviews travel requests and expense reports for accuracy and compliance.
• Follows procedures to ensure accurate and timely payment and reconciliation of travel advances, reimbursements for staff and partner travel.

• Develops and monitors outstanding advances report by paying close attention to advances that have not been settled after 30 days of issuance.

Payroll

• Processes timely and accurate payroll payments for the office and ensures leave balance and payroll taxes and deductions are accurate.
• Tracks and monitors leave balances and liability payments.
• Ensures staff compliance with timekeeping policy and recordkeeping.

Financial Systems

• Uses field accounting system (FAS), cloud software for backup documentation, DAI’s project management system (TAMIS), etc. regularly.
• Communicates with home office system support teams on system or operations troubleshooting technical issues
• Ensures that voucher files are scanned and uploaded to DAI’s System for the Electronic Archival of Financial Documentation - SharePoint.

Qualifications:

• B.A. Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or equivalent. Advanced degree MBA, CPA or equivalent is a plus
• 6+ years of relevant experience and progressive responsibility in finance and accounting, office administration, project operations at the mid-level of an organization.
• 4+ years’ experience working in a USAID funded projects is preferred.
• Experience supporting the financial aspects of USAID projects, including a demonstrated understanding of applicable finance-related USG contracting regulations.
• Accuracy in working with large amounts of data.
• Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints.
• Experience with enterprise accounting software, and Microsoft office suite.
• Demonstrated knowledge of internal controls and audit processes (e.g. procurement, local subcontract agreements, etc.)
• Demonstrated report writing skills in English is required.
• An articulate individual who possesses excellent communications and personnel skills and who can relate to people at all levels of an organization.
• An energetic, forward-thinking and creative individual with high ethical standards and appropriate professional image.
• An extremely well organized and self-directed individual with sound technical skills, analytical ability, good judgment, and strong operational focus.
• Fluency in English is required.