Reports to: Head of  Finance
Location: New Delhi, India

Purpose of the position

The Country Office Accountant will support the effective financial management and accounting operations of ICARDA's India Country Office and ensure that financial transactions are accurately recorded, properly supported, and processed in accordance with ICARDA policies and procedures.

The position will have responsibility for local tax and statutory compliance, coordination with chartered accountants and auditors, financial reconciliations, statutory reporting, and maintaining accurate and audit-ready financial records.

The incumbent will work closely with ICARDA HQ Finance, Grant Finance, HR, Procurement, Administration, external auditors, chartered accountants, tax advisers, banks, and other relevant stakeholders.

About ICARDA                                                                                                      

The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is a treaty-based international non-profit research organization supported by CGIAR.  
ICARDA’s mission is to reduce poverty, enhance food, water, and nutritional security, as well as environmental health in the face of global challenges including climate change. We do this through innovative science, strategic partnerships, linking research to development and capacity development that take into account gender equality and the role of youth in transforming the dry areas. ICARDA works in partnership with governments, universities, civil society, national agricultural research organization, other CGIAR Research Centers, and the private sector. With its temporary Headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, ICARDA operates in regional and country offices across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. For more information: www.icarda.org.

Main responsibilities           

Finance Operations

·        Ensure accurate and timely recording of financial transactions based on appropriate supporting documentation and authorization and in compliance with ICARDA policies, procedures, and established practices.

·        Ensure that account balances are accurate, properly supported, and proactively managed.

·        Review accounts receivable and accounts payable at least twice a month and follow up on outstanding balances and unreconciled items.

·        Assist the Grant Finance Officer in preparing accurate, timely, and verifiable financial reports for donors.

·        Organize and perform monthly and annual financial closing activities in coordination with HQ Finance and in accordance with established procedures and deadlines.

·        Prepare monthly cash and bank reconciliations and ensure timely investigation and clearance of reconciling items.

·        Review and analyze General Ledger accounts and initiate necessary corrections and adjustments.

·        Support HQ Finance in monthly, quarterly, and annual closing and reporting activities, with responsibility for accounting matters relating to the India Country Office.

·        Assist HQ Finance in maintaining an accurate and up-to-date fixed asset register for assets located in India and support periodic physical verification.

·        Maintain complete, accurate, and properly organized financial records and supporting documentation.

·        Ensure effective cash management and timely and accurate processing of payments in accordance with ICARDA's internal controls and delegated authorities.

·        Regularly monitor petty cash and ICARDA India bank accounts, including local and foreign currency accounts, and coordinate banking matters as required.

·        Prepare monthly cashflow and expenditure projections for submission to HQ and monitor actual utilization against projections.

Tax and Statutory Compliance

·        Coordinate and monitor ICARDA India's compliance with applicable Indian tax, statutory, and financial reporting requirements in coordination with HQ Finance and appointed professional advisers.

·        Maintain an up-to-date compliance calendar covering applicable tax and statutory filing, payment, certification, and reporting deadlines.

·        Coordinate the preparation, review, payment, filing, reconciliation, and documentation of applicable local taxes and statutory obligations, including income tax/TDS, GST, payroll-related taxes and statutory contributions, and other applicable taxes or levies.

·        Ensure taxes deducted or collected are correctly calculated, recorded, reconciled, paid, and reported within applicable statutory deadlines.

·        Perform regular reconciliation of tax and statutory accounts against the General Ledger, tax returns, payments, certificates, and other supporting records.

·        Review transactions from a local tax-compliance perspective and identify potential implications relating to withholding tax, GST, employee taxation, vendor taxation, and other applicable requirements.

·        Coordinate with HR, Procurement, Administration, HQ Finance, and other functions to obtain information and documentation required for statutory compliance.

·        Liaise with ICARDA's chartered accountants, tax advisers, banks, and relevant statutory authorities on routine finance and compliance matters, as authorized.

·        Maintain complete documentation of tax returns, statutory filings, payment receipts, tax certificates, assessments, notices, reconciliations, and related correspondence.

·        Promptly escalate significant tax exposures, statutory notices, penalties, disputed positions, or potential non-compliance to HQ Finance and management.

Audit and Assurance

·        Coordinate the preparation of financial information, schedules, reconciliations, supporting documentation, and confirmations required for statutory, external, internal, and donor audits relating to ICARDA India.

·        Act as the local Finance focal point for chartered accountants and auditors, in coordination with HQ Finance.

·        Ensure timely and complete responses to audit queries and requests.

·        Maintain financial records in an audit-ready condition and ensure transactions can be traced from the General Ledger to supporting documentation, approvals, payments, and applicable tax records.

·        Maintain and follow up on audit findings, tax observations, management recommendations, and agreed corrective actions until closure.

·        Support implementation of recommendations arising from statutory audits, internal audits, donor audits, and tax reviews.

Contribute to strengthening financial controls and procedures where audit findings, changes in legislation, or operational developments identify compliance or control risks.

Requirements

Education, qualifications, and experience

·        Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Commerce, Business Administration, or a related discipline.

·        Professional accounting qualification or progress toward a recognized qualification such as CA, CMA, ACCA, CPA, or equivalent would be an advantage.

·        Relevant professional experience in accounting, financial management, tax compliance, and audit support, preferably within an international organization, research institution, development organization, NGO, or similar environment.

·        Practical knowledge and experience with Indian taxation and statutory compliance, particularly TDS/income tax, GST, payroll-related statutory requirements, and applicable filing and payment procedures.

·        Experience working with chartered accountants, tax advisers, statutory auditors, and external auditors.

·        Experience with General Ledger accounting, accounts payable/receivable, bank reconciliations, financial closing, and financial reporting.

·        Experience using ERP/accounting systems and strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel.

·        Experience supporting donor-funded projects and donor financial reporting would be an advantage.

Benefits

Terms of appointment, salary, and benefits

This is a nationally recruited position open to Indian nationals for which ICARDA offers an attractive compensation package including a competitive salary, medical insurance, 30 days of annual leave, five months’ maternity leave, 15 days’ paternity leave. The successful candidate will be offered an initial contract of 3 years, renewable subject to continued need for the position and satisfactory performance. The first year will be probationary period.

Please be advised that ICARDA accepts applications only in English, as per the organization's standard communication language. Applications in other languages will not be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.