Organisational Strategy:

Self Help Africa’s Zambia programme works with local communities to help them improve their livelihoods. Our mission is to alleviate hunger, poverty, social inequality and the impact of climate change through community-led, market-based and enterprise-focused approaches.

Self Help Africa has been working in Zambia for over 35 years and has reached over 250,000 smallholder farmers. Our work has been focused on ending poverty and hunger through community-led and market-based approaches. Our experience working with rural communities and smallholder farmers during this time has honed our expertise in addressing climate change and its impact on food production and the environment.

We collaborate with companies – both large and small - seeking to create jobs, add value, and develop markets. We also seek relationships with international businesses and corporations seeking opportunities to invest, collaborate, and develop markets that contribute to economic growth in Zambia.

Project Background:

DURATION: July 2024 to June 2028

PROJECT REGION IN ZAMBIA: Nationwide, with a focus on urban areas and key economic development corridors.

IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS: Self Help Africa in consortium with:

• Imani Development (International) Ltd
• Prospero Zambia Ltd
• Tandem Circular Consulting Ltd

SUMMARY: The European Union’s Green Recycling Enterprises Engaging in New Technology for a Circular Economy in Zambia (GREEN Tech4CE) project is dedicated to fostering sustainable and inclusive economic growth in Zambia. Rapid urbanisation, increasing attention to green and circular economy, and the increasing demand for critical raw materials present concrete opportunities towards a more sustainable growth path in Zambia and beyond. The project aims to promote sustainable practices by supporting the creation and growth of start-ups and MSMEs within the green and digital sectors. Through comprehensive technical and financial support, GREEN Tech4CE will drive innovation, create employment opportunities, and facilitate economic diversification. This project operates under the broader Green Economy Promotion and Diversification (GEPD) Programme, which seeks to address Zambia’s economic vulnerabilities and environmental challenges. Together, these initiatives strive to build a resilient and sustainable future for Zambia by integrating green growth strategies and circular economy principles. The project supports the implementation of the Green Growth Strategy launched in March 2024 to generate economic growth that is also socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable.

GREEN Tech4CE will use a combination of ‘technical assistance’ and ‘financial support’ to MSMEs, BDSPs, FSPs/investors, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)-providers to increase knowledge, skills, demand, and investment in sustainable, profitable GCD activities. The project will improve the formalisation, competences, and management of MSMEs with growth potential by identifying businesses to support, conducting needs assessment of those businesses, and facilitating development of GCD value chains.

The project will increase access to finance to improve product quality and product diversification in the GCD economy by issuing grants, strengthening capacity of FSPs, and facilitating linkages between MSMEs and FSPs/investors. The project will improve and expand the support services offered to MSMEs by Zambian BDSPs and FSPs by building knowledge on the GCD economy amongst BDSPs and FSPs and by providing grant support to BDSPs and FSPs to enable them to build upon the services and products that they can offer MSMEs.

The project will promote wider public-private sector engagement through networking, and learning/dissemination events. Finally, this project will support innovation and emerging technologies by working with a TVET-provider to establish two FabLabs.

Job Purpose:

The Grants Accountant main area of responsibility relates to the financial oversight of funds disbursed to companies contracted by GREEN Tech4CE. In addition, the role supports the internal project accounting function. The Grants Accountant ensures appropriate checks and balances in accounting, reporting and disbursement of funds. S/He will provide financial management by ensuring accurate and timely recording of financial data, processing of transactions and monitoring company expenditure. This will also include assessing eligibility of costs against contracts and donor guidelines and preparing financial reports. S/He will maintain high standard of accounting and financial control to ensure compliance with EU regulations and SHA financial policies. The Grant Accountant will work closely with grant-aided companies ensuring they prepare quality financial reports and help with the required reconciliations. The Grant Accountant will be main finance contact person for the companies. The Grant Accountant will also ensure that companies comply to all financial regulations as stipulated in the contract agreement and per generally accepted accounting practices. The grant account will also provide training to the grant aided companies accountants.

Knowledge and Experience:

Essential

• A strong commitment to the aims, objectives and values of the programme in Zambia
• High level of initiative, motivation, commitment and professionalism
• A minimum of 5 years management experience in a similar environment
• The ability and resilience to cope with multiple internal and external demands together with proven experience in managing change in complex environments
• Appropriate degree level qualifications, preferably supplemented by relevant post graduate qualifications.
• Excellent verbal, analytical, organizational and written skills in English.
• Strong interpersonal and inter-cultural communication skills. This should include the ability to instil trust and confidence in partner organisations and colleagues from a variety of backgrounds
• Excellent staff management and personnel skills including a proven ability to develop the capacities of multi-disciplinary professional teams.
• Understands the legal, professional, and ethical responsibilities around information sharing.
• Experience in programme proposal and report writing with a proven ability to secure funding
• Experience in liaising with government officials and a variety of donors
• Ability to properly manage complex financial control and management systems.
• Sound and up to date knowledge of development concepts, methodologies and techniques and the ability to critique them.
• Commitment to international and humanitarian NGO codes, standards and practices

Desirable

• Expertise in rural enterprise development – value chains, credit, cooperative/farmer association development, etc
• A strong appreciation of how to use media, lobbying and mass mobilisation.
• A knowledge and experience of working in Zambia
• Able to identify where further support is needed, when to take action, and when to refer to managers, supervisors or other relevant professionals, including referral to available social services.
• ensure that all staff are familiar with the principles underpinning accountability, safeguarding and Self Help Africa's Community Feedback and Response Mechanism (CFRM) and ensure that information about Self Help Africa's commitments on accountability and safeguarding are disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Qualifications / Other Requirements:

• Must have a bachelor’s degree in accounting / finance and should have certified qualification (ZICA CA, ACCA, CIMA,)

• Financial oversight of funds disbursed to companies contracted by GREEN Tech4CE.
• Support the internal project accounting function.
• Ensure appropriate checks and balances in accounting, reporting and disbursement of funds.
• Provide financial management by ensuring accurate and timely recording of financial data, processing of transactions and monitoring company expenditure.
• Assess eligibility of costs against contracts and donor guidelines.
• Prepare financial reports.
• Maintain high standard of accounting and financial control to ensure compliance with EU regulations and SHA financial policies.
• Work closely with grant-aided companies ensuring they prepare quality financial reports.
• Help with required reconciliations.
• Act as the main finance contact person for the companies.
• Ensure that companies comply to all financial regulations as stipulated in the contract agreement and per generally accepted accounting practices.
• Provide training to the grant aided companies accountants.

• Excellent verbal, analytical, organizational and written skills in English.
• Strong interpersonal and inter-cultural communication skills.
• Excellent staff management and personnel skills.
• Ability to properly manage complex financial control and management systems.

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting / finance.
• Certified qualification (ZICA CA, ACCA, CIMA,).