Accountant - Usaid Teacher Excellence Initiative

Company Description:
Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity, with a focus on vulnerable and under-served populations. Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world.

EDC promotes equity and access to high quality education and health services and products that contribute to thriving communities where people from diverse backgrounds learn, live, and work together. We support an inclusive workplace culture that embraces many perspectives and broadens our understanding of the communities we serve, enhancing and enriching our work.

The goal of the Teacher Excellence Initiative (TEI) project is to improve the quality and relevance of teacher preparation in Egyptian public universities so that current and future primary school teachers have enhanced skills to increase student learning and advance the Ministry of Education and Technical Education’s (MOETE) reform. The activity will achieve this goal through the following results:

• 50 Government of Egypt personnel from the MOETE, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR), and the Supreme Council of Universities demonstrate improved capacity to jointly plan, manage, and adapt teacher education.

Under the supervision of the Director of Finance, Operations and Administration, the Accountant is a key member of USAID TEI field finance team. S/he will play a pivotal role in assuring adherence to EDC & USAID financial policies, project policies and procedures, regulations, controls, and reporting systems. The Accountant will lead the accounting of the TEI office and ensure compliance with all relevant accounting and financial reporting functions and local statutory requirements. S/he will be responsible for recording costs and day to day general accounting, accounts receivables/payables, payroll and assuring all backup documentation is audit ready. The Accountant may perform any other related duties in support and as assigned by the DFOA.

• Essential functions include, but not limited to the following:
• Record project transactions in QuickBooks, utilizing the correct charge codes and monitoring alignment to budgeted activities.
• Ensure that all payments adhere to EDC policies and procedures.
• Prepare and submit monthly bank reconciliation and all month-end reports for review by DFOA.
• Monitor and report on vendor payment schedules and obligations.
• Review the work of the Finance Assistant to ensure completeness, accuracy, and full compliance with EDC policies and procedures.
• Prepare weekly cash flow needs for review by the DFOA and approval by Chief of Party and follow up with U.S. Home Office for wiring.
• Provide first-level review of all invoices, advances and reimbursements, checks, wire transfer payments and VAT Purchase Orders for approval and processing, ensuring accuracy and timely execution.
• Monitor advances to employees and ensures timely liquidation.
• Preview all back-up documentation and to ensure completeness, accuracy, and full compliance with EDC policies and procedures. Ensure all supporting financial documentation is scanned and digitally archived on a monthly basis per EDC file retention policies.
• Ensure leave balances, tax withholdings, and other government contributions are recorded accurately and paid; escalate to the DFOA all unresolved matters.
• Ensure the safeguarding of checks and other office documents such as vehicle licenses, contracts, and leases in conjunction with Office and HR Manager.
• Work with the TEI procurement team to ensure that invoices are paid in a timely manner and escalate any delays of vendor payments/other issues to the DFOA immediately.
• Maintain and closely monitor accurate cashbooks for all the bank account ensuring that the project is liquid all the time, and before payments are released.
• Ensure adherence to systems and controls, make recommendations for improvements / adjustments.
• Work with the DFOA to support tracking of spending against the approved budget, as well as forecasting.
• Assist DFOA in preparing for all internal and external audits and participate in specific audit efforts as needed.
• Prepare reports for monthly journal entries to be performed by the DFOA.
• If applicable, monitor and review technical staff level of effort in line with USAID cost categories to ensure proper time allocation.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the DFOA.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance or other related degree required. Master's degree preferred.
• 6 - 7 years of progressively responsible and directly relevant experience required.
• Experience supporting large USAID or other international donor-funded projects required.
• Experience working with QuickBooks accounting system required.
• Experience working with