FINANCE OFFICER

Department: Programmes
Place of work: Accra, Ghana
Duration: Permanent/ full time
Grade: 9
Salary: GHS 116,779- 124,078 per annum, plus transport allowance, medical cover,13 th
month bonus and life assurance
Reports to: Country Manager

About WSUP

Today, around one billion city-dwellers lack access to safe drinking water, a number the UN
estimates will nearly double by 2050 as more and more people are moving to cities for work
and other opportunities, most of them ending up living in informal settlements without basic
services. Meanwhile the changing climate is making water even more precious. Against this
backdrop, our work has never been more vital.

WSUP is a not-for-profit company, expert at improving water and sanitation services for low-
income, urban communities. We work alongside utilities, entrepreneurs, and communities to
develop and deliver solutions which are affordable for the poor, financially viable for suppliers,
and sustainable for the environment.

We were founded in 2005 in the UK, and currently work in seven countries in sub-Saharan
Africa and Asia (Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Madagascar, Ghana, Zambia, Bangladesh),
supported by a global Secretariat. We are a small organisation, but we have a big impact;
since inception we have helped over 40 million people with improved water, sanitation, and
hygiene services. And we have ambitions to reach many more www.wsup.com

WSUP’s innovative approach to creating impact is guided by our values, which are the
common fundamental beliefs and principles that guide us. All our staff are expected to
embody these values in their day to day work and interactions. To learn more about our
values, please see www.wsup.com/about/work-with-us/.

For more information about WSUP's vision and approach, see www.wsup.com.

WSUP Ghana, No. 31 Nii Lomo Tackie Street, Abelemkpe-Accra, Ghana

Borealis & Borouge | Care Int. UK | Cranfield University | Thames Water | Unilever
Company Limited by Guarantee No. 5419428 registered in England & Wales. Registered address: 124 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX
About the role

WSUP is seeking a motivated self-starter to perform a crucial role to support our Ghana
Programme at a time of exciting growth in our Ghana operations. The Finance Officer will
support the Country Manager, working closely with the Project Leads, to ensure that
financial resources are utilised as effectively as possible. They will be responsible for
reviewing and improving local processes to ensure these are consistent and in line with
WSUP’s global standards and facilitate the team’s implementation activity through providing
efficient finance services.

Application deadline

25th July 2024

Interviews- Date will be confirmed to successful candidates

The full job description can be found below.

To apply for this position, go to https://www.wsup.com/vacancies/ to upload your resume and

cover letter.

Please note: This job is based in Ghana. Applicants must have the right to work in
Ghana at the time of application. Please do not apply if this is not the case.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening
checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. WSUP also
participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.

The core of the scheme is that participating organisations will share information in the
recruitment process about safeguarding-related misconduct (i.e. sexual exploitation, sexual
abuse or sexual harassment) that a candidate has been found to have committed. This
information will be shared in the form of a “Statement of Conduct”. For more information on
the Scheme, please click on the following link: www.misconduct-disclosure-scheme.org.

In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers
about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during
employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. We will
request information from all of your employers from the last 5 years. By submitting an
application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

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Job Description

Overall purpose

The Finance Officer will work with the Country Manager to ensure effective financial
management of the WSUP country programme in Ghana. The role will be responsible for
financial administration, providing up to date financial information and budget management,
helping the Country Manager ensure financial resources are utilised as efficiently as
possible. They will also get closely involved in developing project budgets and contribute to
funding proposals.

The Finance Officer will report to the Country Manager, with a responsibility to inform and
consult with the UK-based Secretariat.

Main responsibilities & tasks

1. Accounting

− Process all disbursements relating to the programme office including proper

authorisation by the budget manager according to WSUP’s Delegation of Authority,
proper coding according to the WSUP code lists, data-capture onto the accounting
system and payments to suppliers by due dates
− Promptly calculate and process payments for all local taxes and record according to
WSUP procedures
− Process petty cash, cash advance and staff expense claim requests promptly and
according to WSUP procedures
− Reconcile petty cash; cash advances and credit card balances and ensure all
documents are saved in the correct folders
− Post cash payments and expenses into SUN (training will be provided)
− Post journals relating to credit card transactions and reconcile the Credit Card account
− Process new suppliers in line with WSUP processes and procedures.
− Process invoices through IPOS for payment, liaising with the Secretariat Finance
Officer throughout the process
− Monitoring, coordinating, and checking all contracts and ensure that their execution is
in line with the agreed contracts
− Set up all payments on the ABSA online Bank Account for payment
− Prepare the monthly balance sheet and other reconciliations
− Process the monthly payroll, ensuring that any salary changes or deductions have
been applied correctly
− Maintain an up-to-date asset register for all assets and liabilities held >GBP1,000,
computer & office equipment and vehicles, and ensure appropriate management of
vehicles
− Maintaining a good relationship with the bank ensuring all relevant documentation is
received by WSUP and all the personnel changes are reflected in bank mandates

2. Balance sheet & control accounts reconciliations

− Monthly reconciliation of bank accounts according to the monthly timetable deadlines.

− Monthly reconciliation of Petty Cash Accounts according to the monthly timetable
deadlines.
− Monthly reconciliation of supplier accounts according to the monthly timetable
deadlines.

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 − Monthly reconciliation of all other balance sheet accounts such as debtors, creditors,
etc, resolving any issues according to the monthly timetable deadlines.
− Monthly reconcile withholding tax (WHT) account and ensuring that payments are
made promptly to relevant tax authorities, with relevant supporting documentation
− Deal with all bank-related payment queries such as returned payments
− Reconciling retention balances periodically at least once every quarter.

3. Project Reporting

− Prepare and check project budgets, ensuring accuracy to inform the wider teams.
− Collaborate with the Country Manager and the Secretariat to prepare financial
reports for funding requirements.
− Analyse and monitor internal financial reports and produce for internal review as
required by the Country Manager.
− Work with the Country Manager and the funding team to deliver funding applications
to both local and international agencies

4. Compliance

− Monitor and stay up to date on compliance for tax or other national financial
requirements.
− Assess the impact of compliance changes to WSUP and communicate these to the
Country Manager and Financial Controller.
− Monitor and manage the cycle for all statutory tax payments and filing requirements,
ensuring they are completed on time and compliant with local legislation.

5. Other

− Provide support to the Country and WSUP Secretariat Finance team in financial
audits
− Adhere and comply with all policies and procedures of WSUP
− Facilitate and conduct training of Ghana staff in finance procedures where required
− Any other duties as assigned by the Country Manager

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Person specification

Evidence that applicants meet the essential criteria will be assessed by the following
methods: Application (A) Interview (I), Test (T), as indicated below.

Essential

− Accounting qualification or studying towards an accounting qualification

Qualifications (A)
and − Experience of working with accounting software such as SUN
experience accounts, Sage, QuickBooks, etc. (A)
− Experience of establishing and improving processes (A, I)

− Strong understanding of fundamental accounting principles and ability

to apply them in practice (A, I)
Knowledge − Good understanding of overseas currencies management (A, I)
− Good understanding of online banking management (A)

− Professional and discreet, with the ability to judge when information

must be treated confidentially (I)
− Excellent planning, organisational and time management skills, able to
work well under pressure and prioritise a challenging workload (A, I)
− Meticulous attention to detail whilst meeting strict deadlines (A,I)
− Ability to work collaboratively with all departments across the
organisation, building strong working relationships & credibility at all
levels (I)
Skills and − Enthusiastic and proactive approach to problem solving (I)
abilities − Able to communicate clearly and confidently both in writing and
verbally and to provide advice with confidence and tact (I)
− Minimum intermediate level of Excel, able to use complex formulae and
functions (A, T)
− Proficient user of Microsoft Office suite, including Outlook, Word and
PowerPoint (A)
− Able to work well under pressure (I)
− Have a hands-on approach and be a team player (I)
− Excellent written and verbal English communication skills (A)
Other − Commitment to the mission, vision and values of WSUP (I)
− Demonstrable enthusiasm for continuous learning (I)

Desirable

Qualifications, − Accounting experience in charity or not-for-profit sector

experience, − Experience in SUN accounting software and using Vision Q&A
knowledge,
skills