James K. Kamau

Experience

• 

  Canadian High Commission, Kenya

  Jan 2002 - Sept 2003

  Visa/Registry Assistant

  • Processing of Visa application by opening application file, investigate applicant through microfiche lookout reader, dispatch file to immigration officer for further processing, printing Visas, safe custody of Pass-ports and answering routine enquiries about immigration to Canada.

• 

  Save the Children UK

  Oct 2003 - Mar 2006

  Accountant

  • Responsible for all treasury functions of both Nairobi hub and Somalia field offices.• Systems data integrity management and Balance-sheet reconciliation.• Somalia Field visits to provide technical guidance and on the job training for the field staff

• 

  World Vision

  Apr 2006 - May 2008

  Senior Accountant - Head of Reporting

  • Coordinating the production of accurate and timely balance sheet and the Monthly Field Finance (FFR) report for the 63 field locations with a $40M institutional and sponsorship funding.• Settlement Advice System (SAS) Coordinator: SAS is an inter-countries transactions management system.

• 

  World Food Programme

  Jun 2008 - May 2009

  Senior Budget Assistant

  • Participate in project budgets preparation, implementation, monitoring and advise on financial status• Liaise with spending units to analyse and understand the commitments and expenditures against cumulative pots (LTSH, DSC and ODOC) and communicate any anomalies for action.

• 

  Tearfund

  May 2009 - Aug 2017

  • As a member of Global Finance Systems (GFS) project team, document end users’ business requirements, feed these into system needs and recommend solutions• Worked with IT developers to customise a generic financial software (PSF) and design reporting / data input tools• Train, implement and offer post go-live support on new system to participating countries. • Responsible for financial management of 15 multi-income stream budgets totalling over $7M per annum and implemented in 5 field locations across Darfur region. (Ed Daein, Kass, Umdukhun, Nertiti and Nyala)• Successfully Oversaw 2 statutory audits and 7 donor project audits by Hassabo Associates and PWC • Responsible for the proposal budgets development and financial reporting of 11 grants valued over $7M and funded by CFGB, CIDA, DFID, ECHO, EU, SGID ,OFDA and UN agencies.• Developed Standard Operating Procedures, evaluated internal controls and oversaw donor compliance.• Provide comprehensive analysis on project performance and financial surplus/deficit, and recommend appropriate actions to be undertaken by project management. • Responsible for the financial management of the location’s $3M budget across the Nutrition, Food Security and WASH sectors.• Capacity build finance and non finance staff on finance management through workshops and the conduct of monthly budget monitoring sessions.

  • Finance Systems Work Package Manager

    Sept 2013 - Aug 2017

  • Finance Manager

    Dec 2011 - Aug 2013

  • Donor Compliance Manager

    Jun 2010 - Nov 2011

  • Finance Officer

    May 2009 - May 2010
• 

  Humantarian Sector

  Sept 2017 - now

  Finance Consultant