Assistant Finance Manager- General Ledger at Watu Credit Limited

Role Purpose:

This role, in conjunction with the Accounting team, entails overseeing all the accounting processes and procedures, ensuring accuracy and completeness of books of accounts, reconciling balance sheet accounts including tax, overseeing both internal and external audits, and ensuring effective financial running and rigorous financial control management and process disciplines.

What you will do:
Monthly Book Closure

• Managing Watu Credit and small related entities accounting requirements in Nairobi and liaising with the Accounting team in month end close processes in accordance with timelines
• Follow up the strict adherence to EOM cut-off periods set by Group Finance
• Follow up to ensure maintenance of the General Ledger and that all balances are accurate and complete
• Take ownership of TB review, review, sign-off and completeness accuracy, including monthly/ Quarterly /Annual closure as per IAS & IFRS standards

Balance Sheet Reviews

• Drive review of Watu Credit and small related entities month-end balance sheet reconciliation files.
• Monitoring of daily/ weekly and monthly cash, Mpesa and bank reconciliations and prompt resolution of aged reconciling items
• Review of MIFOS extract of loans (principal and interest) issued to customers including aging, Identifying, formulating strategies to help drive collections and managing the Expected Credit Loss (ECL) model
• Ensure accuracy of additions, disposals and depreciation for tangible and intangible assets as well as overseeing the annual verification of company assets
• Ensure accuracy of Watu Trading motorcycles spares inventories and low-value assets including coordination of periodic stock counts to identify variances in any stock items
• Review of funding (lenders) balances including participating in regular meetings with investors/ lenders together with Head of Finance and Group Finance teams
• Oversee the completion of company assets insurance renewals every year and coordination of forwarding of insurance claims and following up on payment per SLA
• Reconciliation of other liabilities including suppliers, provisions & accruals, taxes, deferred income and RoU Lease Liability
• Responsible for ALL inter-company reconciliations

Audit Handling and Closure

• Coordinating accurate and prompt year-end financial closure and auditing for Watu Credit and small related entities with external auditors
• Review, preparation, and corporate governance compliance on Annual Audited Financial Statements for Watu Credit and small related entities
• Preparation of the Watu Credit Limited and small related entities annual audited accounts and ensure timely completion and sign-off of the audited accounts to facilitate group consolidation
• Preparation of Watu Credit and small related entities tax computations in conjunction with tax consultants

Governance and Controls
As pertains to Procedures, Processes and Quality Assurance:

• Develop and implement financial control policies and procedures around key areas like cash & receivables cycle/ petty cash, purchases and payables cycle etc.
• Identify and provide short to medium term tactical direction in ensuring financial processes are implemented
• Develop a review mechanism to ensure and measure compliance to relevant policies (Accounting policies, Shared services SLAs, Authorization matrix, etc.) 
• Continuous improvement of financial procedures and controls by ensuring processes and procedures in place are updated regularly
• Quality assurance of audit items by ensuring corrective action on any gaps on controls identified from internal audits are addressed
• Ensuring request for approvals (RFA) for Capital Expenditure are done in accordance with Procurement Authorization Matrix

ERP Systems

• Champion Financials module in MS Dynamics to ensure its 100% functional
• Identify, acquire, and implement systems and software to provide critical financial and operational information
• Evaluate departments and make suggestions for automating processes and increasing working efficiency
• Lead ERP functioning to ensure business financial and operational reporting, analyses and decision support systems are timely, accurate, error free and require minimum human input to avoid any governance risks

Team Management

• Overall collaboration with entire Kenya Finance team & Accounting team.

What we are looking for:

• Bachelor's degree in a finance or a relevant field
• Professional certification in CPA (K)/ ACCA or equivalent
• At least five (5) years of experience in Finance (preferable financial services industry) with exposure to both Audit (preferably Big4 firms) and Financial Accounting.
• ERP experience: working with MS Dynamics, SAP, Syspro, Sage etc.
• Strong people manager with a passion for career development and building high-performing teams.
• Outstanding problem solver who does not shy away from complex financial and operational issues and can think critically along with strategically.
• Personal motivation and drive exhibited through commitment to hard work, continuous improvement, and achievement of goals.
• Have the ability to form and develop relationships with a wide variety of functional roles and organizational levels in order to drive cross-functional initiatives involving teammates from across the organization.
• Possess strong communication skills and able to communicate and present both internally and externally with individuals at all levels of an organization, including senior leadership.