Financial Accountant – Botswana Qualifications Authority

Job Description

Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) is a state enterprise organisation. It draws its mandate from the BQA Act No.24 of 2013. Its main objectives are to provide for and maintain a National Credit and Qualifications Framework (NCQF) and to coordinate the Education, Training and Skills Development Quality Assurance System.

BQA invites applications from qualified candidates to fill the following position:

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT

Job Summary:
Contributes to the development and implementation of the departmental accounting policies and procedures. Supports the department through the collection, processing, recording, reconciliation, and reporting of financial data, verifying the validity, completeness, and accuracy of source documents. Maintains complete and proper records of revenue, expenditure, assets, and liabilities and ensures the accuracy and integrity of financial information.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Organising the day-to-day activities of an accounting section and allocation of duties in accordance with accounting deadlines and schedules, procedures, and priorities.
2. Monitoring and checking performance to ensure adherence to accounting systems and procedures and timetables, and accuracy of all entries.
3. Resolving technical accounting queries and providing technical guidance through onthe-job training and instructions.
4. Checking and verifying audit reports and control accounts against original data and resolves queries.
5. Reconciling various accounts and financial summaries to external documentation and internal control accounts; identifies and resolves anomalies and queries.
6. Checking the accuracy of the account codes relating to financial documentation and resolves coding queries; recommends the establishment of additional codes and queries to facilitate accurate processing and recording of financial information and the generation of appropriate reports.
7. Reviewing and checking accounting documentation to ensure accuracy before submitting for authorisations and account reconciliations.
8. Account for, record and monitor collection of revenue.
9. Accounts for, record and monitor payments including creditors payments.
10. Ensures recovery of outstanding monies from debtors.
11. Maintain proper accounting records and ensure proper accounting procedures are in place.
12. Process and resolve unmatched reports and prepare necessary journal entries to balance and reconcile the respective accounts for reconciliation.
13. Check and authorise journal entries within delegated authority.
14. Consolidate and reconcile accounting information and submit for review, authorisation, account reconciliation and analysis.
15. Manage BQA Bank accounts, analyse and resolve outstanding or unreconciled transactions.
16. Administer monthly staff payroll and salary payment including authorised deductions such as PAYE, Pension contributions etc.
17. Liaise closely with HR on emergency salary advances and loans to employees, changes to payroll and pension matters and ensure that these are processed, authorised, and recorded.
18. Prepare consolidated annual tax returns for employees and deal with tax authorities on PAYE issues and with pension fund administrators on members’ dues and settlements.
19. Prepares and produces Annual financial Statements.
20. Undertakes any other related duties as required by management.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Good financial accounting.
• Compliance with financial and accounting standards, rules, and regulations.
• Records, reports, and statements (timely, accurate, up to date and complete).
• Minimize audit queries.
• Accurate and timely payroll processing and payments.

Position Requirements:

Education:
• Professional qualification (e.g., CPA, ACCA, CIMA, etc.) from a recognised institution or any other equivalent qualification acceptable to BQA.
• Registration with the Botswana Institute of Chartered Accountants is required.
• Membership of an additional professional accounting body will be an added advantage.

Experience:
• A minimum of 5 years accounting experience in a commercial/parastatal organization environment with sound background in financial accounting. Working with accounting systems and Excel Spreadsheet a must.

Required Competencies:

Technical competencies:
▪ Knowledge of financial and accounting standards, principles, procedures rules and regulations.
▪ Computer literate. Experience with accounting systems and applications in the specific work area.

Other competencies:

▪ Creative, innovation, flexible and analytical thinking
▪ Results oriented and performance driven
▪ Decisiveness and assertiveness
▪ Communication, influence, and client focus
▪ Team building, leadership and motivation
▪ People management and interpersonal skills
▪ Planning, organising, budgeting and resource management

The following information applies to this position:

Remuneration
BQA offers a competitive remuneration package commensurate with the responsibilities and challenges of the job.

Contract
Fixed term contract of three (3) years contract.

Applications with CVs, list of Referees and any additional certified copies of certificates and copies of Omang should be addressed to the CEO as indicated below and should be forwarded to [email protected] on or before Thursday 11th August 2022.

The Chief Executive Officer
Botswana Qualifications Authority
Private Bag BO 340
Gaborone

N.B. Preference for interviews will be given to applicants who address the main Duties/key performance indicators as part of their part of their application. Applicants should specify what experiences have equipped them to effectively perform in the role. We regret that due to an anticipated overwhelming response, BQA shall only enter correspondence with shortlisted candidates. BQA shall not return any applications and associated documentation submitted by applicants.