Mercy Corps
Position Title: Finance Intern
About Mercy Corps: Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.
In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions
into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Now, and for the future.
General Program Summary: The challenges in agriculture in Africa, particularly for the smallholder farmers producing 80% of it’s’ food for consumption, are complex, and no single solution exists to reverse age-old issues around markets, infrastructure, poverty and exclusion.
Digital solutions can provide relatively low-cost solutions that reach scale quickly, open new markets, and surpass the traditional brick-and-mortar approach to customer acquisition and the distribution and sales of products and services.
Over the past six years, AgriFin has worked both to build capacity of fintech and agtech innovators to scale and worked to broker partnerships for them onto larger digital platforms, typically hosted by banks, mobile network operators, large agricultural enterprises and government.
Digital platforms are evolving as drivers for impact and viability in delivery of key services for agriculture and also for scale up of young, breakthrough technology providers.
Digital platforms can host multiple service providers, working to offer “end to end” services to drive transformation in agricultural markets and impact for smallholders, while decreasing risks and increasing revenue models for fintechs, agtechs and other market actors.
Mercy Corps’ AgriFin Digital Farmer( ADF II) program will work to reach five million smallholder farmers across Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Nigeria – 40% of whom are women – living on less than $2.00 per day, who will utilize DFS and/or DIS as a result of this project.
In partnership with Bill and Melinda Gates and Bayer Foundations, ADF 2 seeks to support the expansion of digitally enabled services to 5 million smallholder farmers, delivered by growing ecosystems of diverse service providers and building farmer income, productivity and resilience across by 50% while reaching 40% women.
ADF II will continue to target farmers who work across a wide variety of crop, livestock and fish value chains, most of whom have diversified production systems growing multiple crops for both home consumption and sale.
The program is expected to have positive impacts for farmers and direct partners providing services to farmers and ecosystem actors adopting learnings from program activities.
Results and learning from this body of work can be found on the www.mercycorpsagrifin.org website.
We are presently looking for a committed and dynamic graduate trainee to take up the position of an
Finance Intern.
General Position Summary
The Finance intern will support the work of Finance functions of the AgriFin Program Office in Nairobi.
Working closely with Program, Operations and Finance, the Finance intern is instrumental in supporting program activities through his/her services.
The intern will work under the supervision of the Deputy Finance Director.
Internship Assignment Responsibilities:
- Assist in developing and maintaining an effective filing, archiving and record keeping systems both (hard copy & electronically) according to MC procedures
- Prepare photocopies and scans of vouchers and other supporting documents required for HQ and donor reporting
- Assist in ensuring proper documentation of payment vouchers and all other supporting documents
- Assist in ensuring efficient, timely and accurate recording, payment and tracking of accounts payable
- Assist in management of the office cash and office cash levels as per the office Cash Management Policy
- Maintain the cash advance tracking sheet, follow up on un-cleared advances and ensure advances are reconciling with general ledger records
- Assist in preparing and processing bank payments via checks.
- Assist in preparing payment vouchers ensuring proper documentation and recording to accounting system on daily basis
- Assist in monthly amortization entries of prepaid accounts, account maintenance and reconciliations as part of month end closeout process
- Assist with audit related requirements
- Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
- Other duties as assigned.
Reports Directly To: Deputy Finance Director.
Supervisory Responsibility: None
Works Directly With: Program, Operations and Finance.
Knowledge and Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting or any related field
- CPA (II) qualification will be an added advantage
- 0 – 1 Years of relevant experience will be an added advantage
- Tech savvy (Microsoft Office and Google suite) Any specialized training will be an added advantage
- A detail-oriented individual who can spot and identify errors with the ability to provide solutions
- A good team player with a positive attitude toward problem-solving and conflict resolution
- Highly pro-active and self-disciplined
- Ability to take feedback constructively for continuous growth.
- Excellent inter-personal skills.
- Excellent attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
Success Factors:
The ideal candidate will have a strong curiosity for understanding. S/he will be an excellent communicator, multi-tasker, and able to work in ambiguous situations.
S/he will be a tolerant and flexible individual able to work in difficult and stressful environments and follow procedures.
S/he will be a team-player with a positive attitude toward problem solving and conflict resolution.
The successful candidate will be focused on team-building; be a strategic thinker, have strong skills in project management and maintain a sense of humor.
Mercy Corps interns and volunteers represent the agency both during and outside of work hours and are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges.
We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all.
We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our stakeholders and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venue.
Interested candidates who meet the above required qualifications and experience should submit a cover letter, detailed curriculum vitae (CV) listing three professional referees (including a recent supervisor) to afa-hr@mercycorps.org on or before Friday 16th September 2022 by 5.00pm.
The email subject line must clearly show the job title. Applications without the right subject heading will be automatically disqualified.
Please do not attach any certificates.
(Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
We will only get in touch with shortlisted candidates)
NB: Mercy Corps AgriFin Program does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process