Accountant

Job Description

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTING (45%)
Performs specialized financial management and accounting operations in support of all Program-funded activities for USAID/Philippines, the Office of the Inspector General Regional Asia Region Manila Sub-Office-Office (OIG/Asia), the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), and client Operating Units countries/missions serviced by USAID/Philippines, namely: Fiji, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Mongolia, Japan, Korea, and Australia.

Project Accounting

• Reviews, processes, and provides clearance of all project/program financial transactions and related activities to ensure compliance with USAID accounting regulations/policies and procedures. This includes Development Objective (DO) funding document such as Strategic Objective Agreement, Development Objective Agreement, Modified Acquisition & Assistance Request Document or Requisition, Implementation Letter, requisitions for Interagency Agreement, Contract, Grant, Travel Authorization, Lease documents, and other procurement requisitions. Based on this review, the job holder provides funds availability certification to the Mission within each program budget allowance, taking into consideration applicable Congressional earmarks, if any.
• Additionally, the job holder verifies that the Congressional/Technical notification requirements are met prior to the obligation; provides input to activity implementation documents to ensure all accounting concerns are properly addressed; and ensures adequate controls over the program resources are provided in the financial descriptions annexed to the obligation documents.
• Responsible for tracking and monitoring fiscal and accounting transactions; providing certification of funds availability; budgetary and funds control administration; and requesting for additional budget allowance to make upward adjustments to existing obligations, corrections to obligations, and transfers of disbursements between appropriations. Resolves ongoing difficulties in processing commitments and obligations of project funds.

Budgeting

• Formulates and monitors budget information for program administrative support operations. This includes capturing and analyzing budgetary information that is necessary for submission of the Mission’s annual budget requests in the Performance Budget Tool (PB), a system detailing Operating Expense (OE) and Program administrative budgets, workforce planning, special operations, and reporting. Additionally, the job holder provides financial support to the implementation of the annual Program-Funded Operational Cost budget.
• Obtains, compiles, and summarizes narrative information and quantitative data for use by others within the office; analyzes and verifies the costs of line items in the budget and enters the costs in standard forms and schedules; and extracts budget and program data from computer printouts of accounting records, forms, and reports for use by Mission.
• Coordinates with the Office of Program Resources Management (PRM) to ensure accurate and timely posting of Program budget allowances by strategic objectives and Program Areas in Phoenix, the Agency automated accounting. Tracks and monitors the Program budgets once the Operating Year Budget is approved and ensures allowances are not exceeded.
• Conducts periodic budget reviews with Mission representatives, alerting them of any control weaknesses and suggests remedial measures. Performs, reviews, analyzes, and develops a detailed pipeline analysis of U.S. Personal Services Contractors and Cooperative Country National Personal Services Contractors and develops financial projections for each contract as required by the cognizant activity managers.

International Cooperative Administrative Support Services (ICASS) Analysis

• Performs the review of ICASS, workload counts and invoices. Collates and coordinates completion and approval of detailed subscription of services agreements for the fifteen USAID Agency Codes for the Philippines and its client Operating Units. Conducts detailed review, analysis and verification of workloads counts for all subscribed cost centers on the accuracy, completeness and appropriate charging against the USAID multiple funding sources or ICASS Agency codes prior to approval of the Executive Officer and the Deputy Mission Director.
• Analyzes and reconciles the Intra-governmental Payment and Collection (IPAC) charges from USAID/Washington with the ICASS invoice billing and the amount of funds obligated, and posts confirmed charges in Phoenix. Responds to ICASS queries and data calls requested by USAID/Washington and provides financial analysis and reports on ICASS cost details to Mission management.

FUNDS CONTROL AND COMPLIANCE (30%)

Resource Management and Funds Control

• Maintains the performance and integrity of the Agency automated accounting system (Phoenix) to ensure accuracy of the official accounting records for a variety of complex technical programs. Operates Agency’s automated data processing system to establish and maintain budget allowances, general ledger transactions, commitments, obligations, earmarks, and liquidation status records for activities financed from both Dollar appropriations and Local Currency Trust Funds.
• Performs on a continuing basis a comprehensive review of unliquidated obligations and prepares journal vouchers to de-obligate administrative funds as required for possible reobligation into other activities. Recommends to technical offices of possible de-obligation of program activity funds that are under the Letter of Credit (LOC) mechanism to initiate a request to the Regional Office of Acquisition and Assistance for award amendments.
• Monitors and controls funds usage to ensure the budget is not exceeded. Periodically performs an analysis of past expenditure rates, current and projected pipelines, and future burn rates to ensure that adequate funding is always maintained, and accurate accruals are prepared.

Compliance

• Ensures compliance with Agency policies and procedures regarding standard operating accounting processes. These include developing, verifying, recording and reporting accruals; following-up and recording 1311 reviews; identifying, reporting, and coordinating with the Regional Acquisition and Assistance Office in following up on instruments requiring closeouts; developing and reporting planned expenditures; performing cash reconciliation and addressing/posting all open cash reconciliation items under Trust Fund and Dollar appropriated funds; identifying and recording Advice of Budget Allowances for Trust Fund; and developing pipeline analyses. Responds to the annual audit of all Trust Fund financial transactions as required by the host country counterpart agency. Contributes to documentation requirements for the conduct of periodic audits and assessments as mandated by the Government Management and Reform Act and Office of Management and Budget circulars. Applies the first-in-first-out (FIFO) accounting method in utilizing the appropriated funds.
• Develops and implements proper procedures and controls in accounting operations during the fiscal monthly, quarterly, and annual closures; and ensures proper, timely, and accurate reporting of cut-off financial information and data reports to the Mission Management, the Bureau, and USAID/Washington.
• Advises mission personnel on current changes in USAID financial management procedures and policies. Responsible for assuring that effective controls are in place for the efficient processing of funds to a wide range of complicated grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and other implementing mechanisms which require long-term professional knowledge of USAID technical procedures.

REPORTING AND ANALYSIS (15%)

• Responsible for assessing the consistency and soundness of project and administrative financial transactions, interpreting financial data and creating useful information and reports that support recommendations made to senior management.
• Prepares timely periodic accounting reports such as detailed quarterly and summarized pipeline reports, expiring funds and funds to be canceled reports, and budget status reports. Based on data generated, develops expected burn rates for the upcoming six-month period and discusses corrective actions leading to more timely expenditure of Program funds.
• Develops internal ad hoc reports with graphical presentation of the financial data to illustrate management efficiency of Mission programs. Consults with various technical offices on the program/sector reporting needs and analyzes the information required in order to design and generate tailored financial reports from official accounting data.
• Coordinates with the Executive Office on the compilation and submission of quantitative data and analysis to respond to periodic reporting of USAID Financial Data Collection on Property, Plant and Equipment; Operating Leases; Expendable Property; Payroll-related accruals for the Foreign Service National Employees’ Severance Liability Pay Trust Fund.
• Prepares the quarterly report on program disbursements to the Host Government Agency and, Bangkok Sentral ng Pilipinas. Prepares monthly cash reconciliation reports between the U.S. Treasury account and USAID’s automated financial system.

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND PROCESSES (10%)

• Calculates recurring obligations, prepares Journal Vouchers and enters in Phoenix after approval. Reconciles the accounting entries against the financial documents, bank statement, USD0 and U.S. Treasury records; and adjusts the Statement of Difference(s) in the accounting system or through IPAC to make the reconciling items current. Analyzes reconciling items, prepares necessary transaction documents (e.g. journal vouchers and SF1081’s), and coordinates with the U.S. Disbursing Office (USDO) for immediate closure.
• Records and reconciles disbursements and advances received from USAID/Washington and other Operating Units through the IPAC system. Generates the U.S. Treasury Disbursing Office’s checklist and reconciles against the Mission’s records. Reviews and monitors account receivables maintained in the automated system. Coordinates with the Department of State Financial Management Center on the appropriate fiscal data for USAID’s administrative vouchers.
• In coordination with the Chief Accountant, documents policies and procedures governing the project accounting function of the Regional Financial Services Center. Responds to audit and other financial data call requests from USAID/Washington. Considers areas of possible enhancement of project accounting operations and recommends improvements in efficiency and internal control. Review vouchers to ensure cash and credit card charges are posted to the correct funding documents. Serves as a liaison in the issuance of the Department of State travel debit cards to Cooperating Country Nationals Personal Services Contract (CCNPSC)/PSC employees. Also, helps to calculate and verify the allowances and entitlements for local and offshore U.S. Personal Services Contract employees. Serves as backup to the Chief Accountant and other Accountants or Budget Analysts in performing the duties of those positions in the absence of one of the incumbents.
• Periodically accompanies technical staff to the implementing partner visits. Reviews financial management processes and provides advice on transaction recording and maintaining project expenditures. Reviews and makes recommendations on utilization of electronic financial management systems.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

To be considered for this position, offerors must meet the following minimum qualifications:

Education (PASS/FAIL)
Note: Additional education may NOT be substituted for experience.

• Completion of a bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, or Business Administration major in Accounting is required.

Prior Work Experience (PASS/FAIL)
Note: Additional experience may NOT be substituted for education.

• Minimum of three (3) years progressively responsible experience in professional accounting, budgeting, financial management, or auditing is required.

CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: December 27, 2024 / 11:59PM, Philippine Standard Time (PST)