A world leading steel producer with large Iron Ore operations in West Africa are currently looking to hire a Project Senior Accountant for their project in Liberia.
Nature of Role:
- Full-time permanent position for duration of Expansion Project based in Liberia.
- The position will be responsible for Accounting activities.
Requirement:
- Qualified Accountant with a professionally recognized accounting qualification and experience in finance and audit roles, strong knowledge of internal controls and of SOx program requirements, gained within a major organization or public accounting firms. Liberian National required.
Reporting Line:
- Direct Reporting Line to the Project Finance Manager - Liberia
Duties include, but are not limited to:
Reporting, Finance, Accounting & Cash Management
- Assist in the monthly financial closing process that ensures sound controls over financial reporting and the provision of all reporting on a timely basis
- Ensure all expansion related transactions are valid, authorized and booked in the right account in the proper period
- Ensure all necessary reconciliations are performed on a timely basis, including monthly vendor reconciliations, advances, holdbacks, etc.
- Liaise with Project Controls to ensure the EPCM system is reconciled with SAP each month and variances investigated and corrected
- Ensure accruals are accurate; and along with advances, are appropriately reflected and recorded in the financial statements, and are recorded in the proper period
- Costs are appropriately capitalized in the right account and the right period and fixed assets are appropriately reflected in the financial statements
- Assist in the preparation of quarterly cash forecast in conjunction with Project Controls
- Ensure payments are made timely and as per the contract and PO payment terms
- Provide an automated weekly cash paid report and unprocessed invoice report
- Ensure controls over advances are adequate and that advances are only used in exceptional circumstances and with the appropriate approvals; ensure appropriate securities are provided by the contractor. Provide a monthly advances report that shows the advances given and progress of recovery
- Provide a report of all Operations warehouse issues to the Project and ensure all issues to contractors are back-charged
Governance
- Ensure adequate system of internal controls including, compliance to approved D of A, appropriate system access controls & segregation of duties, compliance to policies, etc. and appropriate fraud awareness
- Ensure satisfactory compliance to the IC & SOx requirements for the Project in liaison with the Operations on the Annual SOx Compliance Program.
- Prepare Project SOx documentation and narratives; identify key controls ensuring they are appropriately designed and are operating effectively with accountabilities assigned.
- Assist in the Contract Compliance Cell work for the Project & Operations as performed by the Financial Analyst (until such work is transitioned to Operations in 2015)
- Monitor and remediate SOx deficiencies and agreed upon internal audit findings and prepare a monthly summary report showing the remediation and implementation status
- Participate in the combined Operations & Project SOX Steering Committee meetings
- Maintain an appropriate 'audit file' to meet the needs of the external auditors
Systems & Process Improvement
- On-going review of systems and processes; streamline and automate
- Ensure accounts payable processes are effective and efficient with sound controls
- Remove dependency on spreadsheets for financial reporting. If required, ensure adequate controls for spreadsheets or applications affecting financial reporting
Finance in liaison with Contract Administration
- Ensuring contracts and purchase orders performed by contractors are properly authorized in advance of work commencing and accurately recorded and reported
- Monitor and ensure the contract and invoice matching process is being appropriately performed and executed on a timely basis
- Regularly review with project management any potential 'problem' contracts and perform contract cost-recovery audits if or as required
- For significant cost-reimbursable contracts perform periodic compliance-to-terms audits
- Ensure all back-charges are being applied accurately and in a timely manner
- Participation in Contract Close-out proposals and process; and the administration, accounting and reconciliations thereof, and ensuring appropriate controls exist
- Monitor and ensure the closure of all Purchase Orders as part of closure process
Staff - Development and Competencies
- Prepare comprehensive job descriptions for direct reporting finance staff
- Ensure finance staff have appropriate competencies - provide training as necessary
Other duties:
- Provide special reports or ad hoc work as required by the Finance Manager.
- Assist the Financial Analyst with Contract Compliance Cell work as necessary.
