Business Support Manager Job Vacancy - Nairobi, Kenya

Position Title: Business Support Manager

Nairobi, Kenya 

About Bridge International Academies

Bridge International Academies is a for-profit startup company revolutionizing education across Africa with a unique business model. The company runs a large-scale network of low-cost primary schools in Kenya that significantly outperforms other primary schools in the same areas because of our “school in a box” systems.

Our schools profitably deliver this high-quality education for less than $4 per child per month, which enable the schools to cover all their costs and create a profitable central organization at scale. We have launched 37 schools in Kenya, will double in size in the next 6 months, and plan to rapidly scale the company to serve more than 1 million students across the continent.

About this position

This is a key role within the finance department and working very closely with all heads of department.

The finance department vision is to always be a valued business partner providing high quality and timely financial services. Reporting to the Head of Finance and Administration, the job holder will play a major role in building effective and value adding budgeting, business planning and models, analytical and reporting systems and tools that provide scheduled and on demand information, trends and business reports and ratios that help to plan and interpret business results and decision impacts on a continuous basis.

Working closely with finance and business team leaders, the individual should be a hands on and strategic player who is able to identify and deal with issues at the micro and macro business unit levels.

Key Areas of Responsibilities:

• Development of tailor made reports and analysis within the Navision account schedules and dimensions in line with standard and non routine demands of the finance and non finance team leaders
• Constant monitoring of profitability and balance sheet ratios and trends and offer insights that assist decisions to help achieve anticipated results and returns on investment.
• Build appropriate tools to ensure quick feedback to operations department even with high growth of business projects and activities
• Initiate, train staff and implement ABC budgeting systems and budgetary control and reporting across the business
• Develop short to long term business planning and synchronize this within the business reporting and activity cycles with high engagement of operations team leaders. User friendly planning and reporting will be a key requirement
• Analyse costs and revenue drivers and support business leaders in their day to day decisions
• Train managers on financial aspects
• Enhance technology based systems within Microsoft Dynamics ERP to anchor business information and decision support
• Champion continuous improvement projects in a structured way and seek opportunities to increase efficiency of the finance and administrative operations
• Provide leadership to a small team in the business support function to ensure best in class systems and value adding outputs form the team.

About you

• Qualified accountant with ACCA/ CIMA or CPA, business degree from a reputable university and excellent academic and professional record
• Minimum of 5 years work experience in a manufacturing, supply chain or other environments that has provided excellent skills in building and managing enduring and value adding business support functions with ability to supervise and develop a small team of professional staff
• Experience of financial reporting and consolidation in a complex multinational organization, or of the internal or statutory audit of such organizations
• Experience of working with medium to high exposure of business analysis, communication and support for large and fast growing profit oriented organizations.
• High integrity, IT literacy and excellent attention to detail
• People skills and superior presentation abilities is a major requirement
• Excellent awareness of current technical accounting and reporting requirements and the ability to apply these requirements in a pragmatic and commercial manner
• Ability to plan and manage own workload and coach/mentor team members in order to harmonize work flows and meet tight deadlines
• Excellent spreadsheet skills and proficiency with Microsoft Dynamics (Navision) version 2009
• Ability to use initiative and creative thinking to anticipate issues and develop common sense and practical solutions
• Proactive and self motivated with excellent communication skills
• Confident and flexible team player with great ability to work closely with non finance team members within a multicultural environment
• A “finisher” with the genuine drive and commitment to produce the highest quality work and to deliver technical expertise at all times
• Passionate about children and education in Africa.

The closing date to submit applications will is Thursday 20th October 2011.

CVs and applications must be uploaded via the Careers page atwww.bridgeinternationalacademies.com where detailed profiles are available

Assistant Accountant Job Vacancy - Nairobi, Kenya

Position Title: Assistant Accountant

Nairobi, Kenya 

2 Positions

About Bridge International Academies

Bridge International Academies is a for-profit startup company revolutionizing education across Africa with a unique business model. The company runs a large-scale network of low-cost primary schools in Kenya that significantly outperforms other primary schools in the same areas because of our “school in a box” systems.

Our schools profitably deliver this high-quality education for less than $4 per child per month, which enable the schools to cover all their costs and create a profitable central organization at scale. We have launched 37 schools in Kenya, we will double in size in the next 6 months, and plan to rapidly scale the company to serve more than 1 million students across the continent.

About this position

This is a key role within the finance department whose vision is always to be a valued business supporter providing high quality and timely financial services. Reporting to the Payables Accountant, the job holder will be part of young but professional finance team to achieve excellence within a few months.

Working closely with finance and business team leaders, the main purpose of this role is to perform day to day processing of accounts payables transactions in the Navision system, undertaking timely reconciliations of payables and enhancing internal controls pertaining to purchase ledger and accounts payables process of the company, identify, review and record financial transactions into Microsoft Dynamics (Navision), measure, classify and verify the financial information and then summarize, interpret and communicate the Accounts Payable information to the Payables Accountant for review.

Key Areas of Responsibilities:

• Assist to implement procedure in the business to ensure all supplier invoices received are delivered to Accounts Payable upon receipt in the company and maintain an updated register to track movement of all the invoices received in the business until paid and properly filed.
• Receive and verify invoices and requisitions for goods and services
• Prepare batches of invoices for data entry into the system.
• Assist to streamline the purchase to pay process including scheduling of payments as per payment cycles.
• Prepare all supplier reconciliations and ensuring that reconciling items are resolved within one month.
• Prepare and maintain a register of all payments made outside the purchasing system.
• Review, check all invoices and ensure receipt of goods/services is acknowledged by the user departments before invoice processing.
• Maintain a log of all disputed invoices and report monthly on action taken to resolve them
• Assist to spearhead automation of payment processes.
• Assist manage supplier payments by among other things ensuring payments are done as per agreed terms, supplier relations are maintained and improved.
• Participate in the monthly physical stock take as instructed by the Management.
• Assist to prepare monthly accrual and prepayment schedules for the purpose of monthly reporting in line with IFRS.
• Prepare Accounts Payables schedules and other balance sheet schedules for internal, interim and annual audits and timely resolution of any issues raised from internal review or audit.
• Maintain filing system for all Accounts Payables transactions and ensure there is ease to retrieve them.

About You

• Intermediate to advanced levels of ACCA/ CIMA or CPA with excellent academic record with a minimum of 2 years work experience in a busy environment.
• Understanding and use of a well run purchasing and Accounts payable process.
• Understanding of the International Financial Reporting Standards and their application;
• Understanding of the tax requirements for payments made;
• Ability to relate well with both internal and external customers and work in teams;
• Have a positive approach to ensuring complete customer satisfaction;
• Highly innovative, with excellent analytical skills and ability to meet strict deadlines
• Experience of working with medium to high exposure of business analysis, communication and support for large and fast growing profit oriented organizations.
• High integrity, IT literacy and excellent attention to details.
• Ability to plan and manage own workload in order to harmonize work flows and meet tight deadlines.
• Excellent spreadsheet skills and proficiency with Microsoft Dynamics (Navision) version 2009
• Ability to use initiative and creative thinking to anticipate issues and develop common sense and practical solutions.
• Proactive and self motivated with excellent communication skills
• Confident and flexible team player with great ability to work closely with non finance team members within a multicultural environment.
• A “finisher” with the genuine drive and commitment to produce the highest quality work and to deliver technical expertise at all times.
• Passionate about children and education in Africa.

The deadline for submission of applications is Thursday 21 October 2011

CVs and applications must be uploaded via the Careers page at www.bridgeinternationalacademies.com where detailed profiles are available

MPESA / Finance Data Clerks Job Vacancies - Nairobi, Kenya

Position Title: MPESA / Finance Data Clerks

Nairobi, Kenya 

2 Positions

About Bridge International Academies

Bridge International Academies is a for-profit startup company revolutionizing education across Africa with a unique business model. The company runs a large-scale network of low-cost primary schools in Kenya that significantly outperforms other primary schools in the same areas because of our “school in a box” systems.

Our schools profitably deliver this high-quality education for less than $4 per child per month, which enable the schools to cover all their costs and create a profitable central organization at scale. We have launched 37 schools in Kenya, we will double in size in the next 6 months, and plan to rapidly scale the company to serve more than 1 million students across the continent.

About this position

This is a key role within the finance department whose vision is always to be a valued business supporter providing high quality and timely financial services. Reporting to the Finance and Data Analyst, the job holder will be part of young but professional finance team to achieve excellence within a few months.

Working closely with finance and business team leaders, the main purpose of this role is to perform day to day processing of bulk MPESA transactions and financial data analysis in the company CRM and Navision system, undertaking timely reconciliations of payments and enhancing internal controls pertaining to MPESA accounts payables process of the company, identify, review and record financial transactions into Microsoft Dynamics (Navision), measure, classify and verify the financial information and then summarize, interpret and communicate MPESA activities to the team leader for review.

Key Areas of Responsibilities:

• Day to day accounting duties/activities for the head office and the schools
• MPESA payment preparations (ensuring payments are for Bridge International Academies business purposes and comply with all standard guidelines and procedures including approval by the department head)
• Handling issues and enquiries from school managers concerning student payment status
• Regularly updating accounting information in Navision or other financial package
• Vendor data gathering for schools through head of school operations
• Assist in gathering data and information for budget preparation and control for construction, schools, and head office functions
• Assist in the development and maintenance of costing data arising from MPESA transactions
• Tracking and preparing monthly MPESA charges trend analysis for review with the supervisor and Chief Accountant
• Participate actively in the improvement of filing, documentation and accounting systems, processes and tools
• Preparation of regular reports including daily payments reports for MPESA accounts.
• Daily review and reporting of bank transactions and performing daily bank reconciliation for the MPESA accounts.
• Scan and organize all receipts electronically
• Support the development of high quality and reliable finance services to all users of financial information in the organization.
• Assist the finance team in any other day to day and periodic tasks
• Prepare Accounts Payables schedules and other balance sheet schedules for internal, interim and annual audits and timely resolution of any issues raised from internal review or audit.
• Maintain filing system for all Accounts Payables transactions and ensure there is ease to retrieve them.

About You

• Intermediate level ACCA/ CIMA or CPA with excellent academic record with a minimum of 2 years work experience in a busy bulk MPESA payment environment.
• Understanding and use of a well run purchasing and Accounts payable process.
• Understanding of the tax requirements for payments made;
• Ability to relate well with both internal and external customers and work in teams;
• Have a positive approach to ensuring complete customer satisfaction;
• Highly innovative, with excellent analytical skills and ability to meet strict deadlines
• Experience of working with medium to high exposure of business analysis, communication and support for large and fast growing profit oriented organizations.
• High integrity, IT literacy and excellent attention to details.
• Ability to plan and manage own workload in order to harmonize work flows and meet tight deadlines.
• Excellent spreadsheet skills and proficiency with Microsoft Dynamics (Navision) version 2009
• Ability to use initiative and creative thinking to anticipate issues and develop common sense and practical solutions.
• Proactive and self motivated with excellent communication skills
• Confident and flexible team player with great ability to work closely with non finance team members within a multicultural environment.
• A “finisher” with the genuine drive and commitment to produce the highest quality work and to deliver technical expertise at all times.
• Able to provide a current certificate of good conduct
• Passionate about children and education in Africa.

The deadline for submission of applications is Thursday 21 October 2011

CVs and applications must be uploaded via the Careers page at www.bridgeinternationalacademies.com where detailed profiles are available

Payables Accountant Job Vacancy - Nairobi, Kenya

Position Title: Payables Accountant, Nairobi, Kenya 

2 Positions

About Bridge International Academies

Bridge International Academies is a for-profit startup company revolutionizing education across Africa with a unique business model. The company runs a large-scale network of low-cost primary schools in Kenya that significantly outperforms other primary schools in the same areas because of our “school in a box” systems.

Our schools profitably deliver this high-quality education for less than $4 per child per month, which enable the schools to cover all their costs and create a profitable central organization at scale. We have launched 37 schools in Kenya, we will double in size in the next 6 months, and plan to rapidly scale the company to serve more than 1 million students across the continent.

About this position

This is a key role within the finance department. The department vision is to always be a valued business supporter providing high quality and timely financial services. Reporting to the Chief Accountant, the job holder will be part of young but professional finance team to achieve excellence within a few months.

Working closely with finance and business team leaders, the main purpose of this role is to improve and take a lead role in processing of suppliers’ accounts in the Navision system, undertaking timely reconciliations of payables and enhancing internal controls pertaining to purchase ledger and accounts payables process of the company, identify, review and record financial transactions into Microsoft Dynamics (Navision), measure, classify and verify the financial information and summarize, interpret and communicate the Accounts Payable information to the Chief Accountant for review.

Key Areas of Responsibilities:

• Implement procedures in the business to ensure all invoices received are delivered to Accounts Payable upon receipt in the company and maintain an updated register to track movement of all the invoices received in the business until paid and filed.
• Streamline the “purchase to pay” process including scheduling of payments as per payment cycles.
• Reviewing of all supplier reconciliations and ensuring that reconciling items are resolved within one month.
• Prepare and maintain a register of all payments made outside the purchasing system.
• Review, check all invoices and ensure receipt of goods/services is acknowledged by the user departments before processing.
• Maintain a log of all disputed invoices and report monthly on actions taken to resolve them
• Spearhead automation of payment processes.
• Provide weekly and monthly payables projections for input into the business cashflow planning
• Manage supplier payments by among other things ensuring payments are done as per agreed terms, supplier relations are maintained and improved.
• Participate in the monthly physical stock take as instructed by the Management.
• Prepare monthly accrual and prepayment schedules for the purpose of monthly reporting in line with IFRS.
• Prepare Accounts Payables schedules and other balance sheet schedules for internal, interim and annual audits and timely resolution of any issues raised from internal review or audit.
• Manage the performance of direct reports including setting individual KPIS, tracking and measuring the performance of staff against the Key Performance Indicators on a regular basis.
• Developing the accounts payable team through on the job coaching and evaluating the training needs/proposing action to address the needs.

About you

• Intermediate to advanced levels of ACCA/ CIMA or CPA with excellent academic record with a minimum of 3 years work experience in a large payables section with ability to supervise and develop a small team of professional staff.
• Understanding and use of a well run purchasing and Accounts payable process.
• Understanding of the International Financial Reporting Standards and their application;
• Understanding of the tax requirements for payments made
• Ability to relate well with both internal and external customers and work in teams;
• Have a positive approach to ensuring complete customer satisfaction;
• Highly innovative, with excellent analytical skills and ability to meet strict deadlines
• Experience of working with medium to high exposure of business analysis, communication and support for large and fast growing profit oriented organizations.
• High integrity, IT literacy and excellent attention to details
• People skills and superior presentation abilities is a major requirement
• Ability to plan and manage own workload and coach/mentor team members in order to harmonize work flows and meet tight deadlines
• Excellent spreadsheet skills and proficiency with Microsoft Dynamics (Navision) version 2009
• Ability to use initiative and creative thinking to anticipate issues and develop common sense and practical solutions
• Proactive and self motivated with excellent communication skills
• Confident and flexible team player with great ability to work closely with non finance team members within a multicultural environment
• A “finisher” with the genuine drive and commitment to produce the highest quality work and to deliver technical expertise at all times
• Passionate about children and education in Africa.

The deadline for submitting applications is Thursday 21st October 2011

CVs and applications must be uploaded via the Careers page at www.bridgeinternationalacademies.com where detailed profiles are available