Background:

Coalition Health Zambia (CHZ) is a leading Zambian non-governmental organisation established in 2019 that is dedicated to strengthening health systems and advancing public health outcomes through innovative, evidence-driven, and sustainable solutions. CHZ works in partnership with the Government of the Republic of Zambia, development agencies, civil society, the private sector, and communities in the implementation of health programmes.

1. JOB PURPOSE

The Accountant – Finance & Grants is responsible for maintaining accurate, complete and timely financial records of the organization and supporting the Finance Manager in the effective management of the organization’s financial operations.

The position will oversee day-to-day accounting functions including accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, bank and balance sheet reconciliations, journals, accruals, prepayments, month-end and year-end closing, statutory compliance, financial reporting and cash management.

In addition, the Accountant will be responsible for the financial oversight of sub-granted partners and implementing organizations undertaking programmes on behalf of the organization. This includes monitoring grant disbursements, reviewing partner financial reports, tracking expenditure against approved budgets, monitoring outstanding advances, reviewing and clearing liquidations, facilitating eligible reimbursements and ensuring that partner grant accounts remain accurate, current and audit-ready.

The Accountant will ensure that financial transactions and grant expenditure are properly authorized, accurately recorded, adequately supported and compliant with organizational policies, grant agreements, donor requirements and applicable accounting standards and statutory requirements.

2. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

A. General Accounting

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date accounting records and the general ledger.
• Process and review accounting transactions, including journals, accruals, prepayments, provisions and adjustments.
• Ensure transactions are correctly coded to the appropriate accounts, projects, programmes and cost centres.
• Prepare and post month-end and year-end journals.
• Maintain complete supporting documentation for all financial transactions.
• Assist the Finance Manager in the preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports.
• Ensure that financial transactions are recorded in the correct accounting period.
• Identify and investigate unusual or incorrect transactions and recommend appropriate corrective action.

B. Accounts Payable

• Review supplier invoices for completeness, accuracy, appropriate approval and supporting documentation.
• Perform three-way matching of purchase orders, goods/service receipts and supplier invoices where applicable.
• Ensure supplier invoices are processed accurately and within agreed payment terms.
• Prepare supplier payment schedules and payment runs for review and approval by the Finance Manager.
• Conduct regular supplier statement reconciliations.
• Investigate and resolve supplier account discrepancies.
• Monitor outstanding invoices, disputed invoices and supplier balances.
• Ensure that unsupported, duplicate or disputed invoices are appropriately placed on hold.
• Maintain accurate supplier records and support appropriate controls over supplier master data and bank-detail changes.

C. Accounts Receivable

• Prepare and issue customer invoices where applicable.
• Maintain accurate customer accounts and receivable records.
• Record and allocate customer receipts accurately.
• Perform customer statement reconciliations.
• Monitor outstanding receivables and follow up overdue balances.
• Prepare aged receivables reports for management review.
• Escalate long-outstanding balances to the Finance Manager.

H. Cash & Treasury Management

• Monitor daily cash balances and cash requirements.
• Assist in the preparation of cash-flow forecasts.
• Prepare payment schedules for management review and approval.
• Ensure payments are supported by appropriate documentation and approvals.
• Monitor cash commitments and upcoming payment obligations.
• Assist with banking administration and bank-related documentation.
• Ensure compliance with organizational controls over cash and bank transactions.

3. KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

The Accountant – Finance & Grants will be assessed against the following key performance areas:

Financial Accounting

• Accuracy and completeness of accounting records.
• Timely completion of month-end close.
• Timely and accurate bank and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Accuracy of journals, accruals and prepayments.
• Timely preparation of financial reports.

Accounts Payable & Receivable

• Timely processing of supplier invoices.
• Accuracy of payment runs.
• Timely supplier reconciliations.
• Effective management of outstanding receivables.

Grants Management

• 100% of partner grant accounts maintained accurately and up to date.
• Timely review of partner financial reports.
• Timely liquidation and retirement of partner advances.
• Reduction of aged/unliquidated partner balances.
• Timely processing of eligible reimbursements.
• Accurate tracking of grant disbursements and expenditure.
• Timely identification and escalation of unsupported/ineligible expenditure.
• Compliance with grant agreements and approved budgets.
• Audit readiness of partner grant documentation.

Compliance & Controls

• Timely statutory filings and payments.
• Compliance with internal financial controls.
• Timely resolution of audit queries.
• Reduction of outstanding reconciliation items.
• Effective identification and escalation of financial risks.

4. QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, Commerce or a related field.
• Professional accounting qualification such as ZICA, ACCA, CIMA, CA Zambia or equivalent is highly desirable.
• Full Grade 12 Certificate.

Experience

• Minimum 3–5 years' relevant accounting experience.
• Experience in general accounting, AP, AR and financial reporting.
• Experience with bank and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Experience in PAYE, NAPSA, NHIMA, WHT and statutory compliance.
• Experience with accounting/ERP systems.
• Experience in grants/sub-grants financial management and partner financial monitoring is highly desirable.
• Experience working with donor-funded programmes would be an advantage.
• Experience in preparing donor financial reports would be an advantage.
• Audit experience is desirable.

5. TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

• The successful candidate should demonstrate:
• Strong knowledge of accounting principles and double-entry bookkeeping.
• Strong understanding of AP, AR and general ledger accounting.
• Strong reconciliation skills.
• Good knowledge of PAYE, NAPSA, NHIMA, WHT and statutory compliance.
• Understanding of grant and partner financial management.
• Ability to review and analyze partner financial reports.
• Ability to monitor budgets and expenditure.
• Strong Excel skills.
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with ERP/accounting systems.
• Knowledge of internal controls and segregation of duties.
• Ability to prepare accurate financial reports and management schedules.

8. REPORTING STRUCTURE

The Accountant reports directly to the Finance & Admin Manager and works closely with Programme and Operations teams to ensure that organizational and partner financial transactions are accurately recorded, properly supported and compliant with approved requirements.

9. OVERALL ACCOUNTABILITY

The Accountant – Finance & Grants is accountable for the accuracy, completeness and integrity of the organization’s financial records and for ensuring effective financial oversight of all sub-granted funds. The position is responsible for timely accounting, reconciliations, financial reporting, statutory compliance, partner financial monitoring, grant liquidation and reimbursement processes, and ensuring that all organizational and partner financial records remain accurate, current, properly supported and audit-ready.

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date accounting records and the general ledger.
• Process and review accounting transactions, including journals, accruals, prepayments, provisions and adjustments.
• Ensure transactions are correctly coded to the appropriate accounts, projects, programmes and cost centres.
• Prepare and post month-end and year-end journals.
• Maintain complete supporting documentation for all financial transactions.
• Assist the Finance Manager in the preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports.
• Ensure that financial transactions are recorded in the correct accounting period.
• Identify and investigate unusual or incorrect transactions and recommend appropriate corrective action.
• Review supplier invoices for completeness, accuracy, appropriate approval and supporting documentation.
• Perform three-way matching of purchase orders, goods/service receipts and supplier invoices where applicable.
• Ensure supplier invoices are processed accurately and within agreed payment terms.
• Prepare supplier payment schedules and payment runs for review and approval by the Finance Manager.
• Conduct regular supplier statement reconciliations.
• Investigate and resolve supplier account discrepancies.
• Monitor outstanding invoices, disputed invoices and supplier balances.
• Ensure that unsupported, duplicate or disputed invoices are appropriately placed on hold.
• Maintain accurate supplier records and support appropriate controls over supplier master data and bank-detail changes.
• Prepare and issue customer invoices where applicable.
• Maintain accurate customer accounts and receivable records.
• Record and allocate customer receipts accurately.
• Perform customer statement reconciliations.
• Monitor outstanding receivables and follow up overdue balances.
• Prepare aged receivables reports for management review.
• Escalate long-outstanding balances to the Finance Manager.
• Monitor daily cash balances and cash requirements.
• Assist in the preparation of cash-flow forecasts.
• Prepare payment schedules for management review and approval.
• Ensure payments are supported by appropriate documentation and approvals.
• Monitor cash commitments and upcoming payment obligations.
• Assist with banking administration and bank-related documentation.
• Ensure compliance with organizational controls over cash and bank transactions.

• Strong knowledge of accounting principles and double-entry bookkeeping.
• Strong understanding of AP, AR and general ledger accounting.
• Strong reconciliation skills.
• Good knowledge of PAYE, NAPSA, NHIMA, WHT and statutory compliance.
• Understanding of grant and partner financial management.
• Ability to review and analyze partner financial reports.
• Ability to monitor budgets and expenditure.
• Strong Excel skills.
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with ERP/accounting systems.
• Knowledge of internal controls and segregation of duties.
• Ability to prepare accurate financial reports and management schedules.

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, Commerce or a related field.
• Professional accounting qualification such as ZICA, ACCA, CIMA, CA Zambia or equivalent is highly desirable.
• Full Grade 12 Certificate.
• Minimum 3–5 years' relevant accounting experience.
• Experience in general accounting, AP, AR and financial reporting.
• Experience with bank and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Experience in PAYE, NAPSA, NHIMA, WHT and statutory compliance.
• Experience with accounting/ERP systems.
• Experience in grants/sub-grants financial management and partner financial monitoring is highly desirable.
• Experience working with donor-funded programmes would be an advantage.
• Experience in preparing donor financial reports would be an advantage.
• Audit experience is desirable.