Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
References
Affiliations
Additional Information
Timeline
Generic

Joan Kimani

Finance And Budget Professional
Nairobi

Summary

Dedicated finance professional with over 12 years of experience in international, regional, and private sectors, including significant contributions at the United Nations. Expertise in prioritizing assignments and making informed decisions, with a strong commitment to accuracy and consistency in all tasks. Proficient in Oracle ERP, Power BI, and Umoja Enterprise Resource Planning, demonstrating exceptional interpersonal skills to foster collaboration and drive organizational growth. Recognized for a self-driven approach, punctuality, and a positive attitude that consistently aligns with team and organizational objectives.

Overview

13
13
years of professional experience
2
2
Certifications

Work History

Finance Assistant

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
09.2022 - 06.2024
  • Monitoring reporting requirements by donors.
  • Preparing data input and budgets for project documents.
  • Assisting in monitoring expenditure based on approved work plan and project budget.
  • Reconciling and requisitioning Petty Cash in Umoja ERP.
  • Liaising with implementing partners for Financial Reports and carrying out financial reviews with the partners ensuring compliance with UN Financial Rules and Regulations.
  • Assisting in timely procurement of goods and services by raising Purchase Orders through Umoja, analyzing quotations received from various vendors prior to submission.
  • Verifying and preparing payments to third parties, commercial entities, and partners.
  • Supporting coordination of Daily Subsistence Allowance and travel for staff and partners.
  • Providing administrative support to meetings and workshops for various projects.
  • Offering administrative support in terms of developing key tools to assist in tracking of Expenditures, Travel schedules and Purchase orders.
  • Providing support in the leave administration process for all employees, including tracking, maintaining leave records, and following up on approval of time off requests in a timely manner.


Achievements


  • Successfully developed and maintained a Purchase Order and an expense report which has been useful in keeping track on Purchase orders raised under the different funding and projects thus inform resource planning for the organization.
  • Successfully developed a Project Financial reporting Template for Implementing Partners that has been ideal in keeping track of spending by the Partners and for budget monitoring by partners.
  • Supported year-end closing activities, ensuring all transactions were properly recorded before the start of the new fiscal year.
  • Assisted with preparation of monthly financial statements and reports to inform management.
  • Streamlined vendor payment processes, ensuring timely disbursements to maintain strong relationships.
  • Proactively identified potential risks within the organization''s finances, alerting management to concerns as needed.
  • Optimized cash flow management by closely monitoring incoming and outgoing funds.

Finance and Budget Assistant

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
06.2024 - Current
  • Support the Finance & Budget Officer in extracting information and generating expenditure reports from ERP Database and preliminary analyses of the extracted information and reports highlighting areas of concern for the attention of the Finance & Budget Officer.
  • Prepare fund commitments in Umoja and reviews them to ensure funds are available, and the correct account has been used.
  • Assist in drafting the initial versions of the Financial Reports for submission to Scientific Technical Advisory Panel (STAP)
  • Review of UNOPS Consultancies documentation to ensure completeness and accuracy prior to submitting to Finance and Budget officer for certification.
  • Monitor Outstanding Commitments and follow up to ensure with appropriate personnel to ensure they are settled in a timely manner.
  • Administration of allotments by funding source, including redeployment of funds where necessary as per donor agreements.
  • Verify and prepare payment to Implementing partners and UNOPS Consultancies including Calculating, inputting and checking payments for correctness as well as accuracy in the payment details.
  • Draft routine correspondence with respect to inquiries related to relevant financial and budget matters of Scientific Technical Advisory Panel (STAP)
  • Creation of Purchase Orders for UNOPS for STAP Panel members, timely recording of expenditures and monitoring downpayments to ensure proper tracking of funds disbursed to UNOPS.
  • Review open General Ledger entry items on closing grants and action appropriately on a timely manner for purposes of grant closure.
  • Creation of grants, grant funds application upon funds receipt as per donor agreements.
  • Recording of Expenditures in Umoja UE2 for Implementing Partners.
  • Verifying and updating bank and contact details for new and existing partners in Umoja ensuring consistency, accuracy and completeness of supporting documents as submitted.
  • Maintain an organized filing system for efficient retrieval of budget documents and records.
  • Actively participate in regular meetings with stakeholders, presenting relevant financial information and addressing any questions or concerns related to their respective budgets.


Achievements

  • Timely closure and reporting to donors.
  • Trained new Budget Assistants, ensuring seamless integration into the team and consistent work quality.
  • Contributed to the successful completion of audits by providing essential documentation as requested by auditors.

Finance and Budget Assistant

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
11.2019 - 08.2022
  • Reviewed the progress of closing grants, highlighted unresolved issues for follow up.
  • Follow up with Project Managers on Project Completion Reports for successfully closed projects which I would update the relevant financial data on the project documents and submit for further review and Approval.
  • Raised requests for closing of Project Structures (WBSE’s), Grants and Issuance of Final Financial Reports for closing/Closed Grants.
  • Identified unutilized cash/budget on grants marked for closure and reprogram cash or refund to donor as appropriate.
  • Created Project structures (WBSE’s) in Umoja prior to budget distribution.
  • Assisted in modification of existing project structures (WBSE’s) upon approval.
  • Performed preliminary review and analysis of Financial Reports for closed grants prior to approval and attach certified reports on the respective grants for future Audit trail purposes.
  • Performed Budget Allotments including budget transfers, sub-allotments, and allocation of budget to appropriate project structures.
  • Conducted Preliminary review of expenditure reports vis-à-vis available budget to ensure availability and sufficiency, offer advice on financial rules and Regulations.

Achievements

  • Successfully closed 171 grants and 11 completed and aging projects that was achieved with the support of the Finance team hence ensuring Final Reports are received and evaluated.
  • Successfully maintained and developed an updated Grants/Projects closure progress update register which has been a useful resource for keeping track of the various actual ongoing projects /grants across the division as it provides easily accessible updated information.

Project Accountant

Hope Restoration South Sudan (HRSS)
01.2019 - 11.2019
  • Verified project expenditures ensuring they followed the Organization policies and within the Project Budget.
  • Assisted in preparation of the budget for various projects.
  • Drafted routine correspondence with donors and auditors with respect to inquiries related to relevant financial and budget matters.
  • Developed Accounting Templates for purposes of proper reporting and Accountability by the Project officers in the field.
  • Prepared Financial Reports for various donors such as UNDP,FAO and UNHCR.
  • Verified and prepared supporting documents for vouchers and/or journals.
  • Prepared Monthly schedules /routine reports for Financial and Management reports.
  • Maintained an up-to-date record of transactions within the ledger.
  • Liaised with Auditors for the timely conduct of the external Audit.


Achievements

  • Successfully set up a proper Accounting and filing system for the Organization thus enhance better financial management of resources.
  • Developed and implemented financial internal controls.

Accounts/Sales Manager

UNID Global Corporation (Formerly OCI Corporation)
12.2015 - 12.2018
  • Developed customers across borders (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and Congo) and increased the sales of the company.
  • Verified and prepared supporting documents of vouchers and/or journals.
  • Prepared monthly schedules/routine reports for financial and management reports.
  • Maintained an up-to-date record of transactions within the ledger.
  • Responded to queries from staff members and third parties.
  • Verified and prepared payments to 3rd parties, vendors, staff, and commercial entities ensuring these were processed on a timely basis.
  • Supported the onboarding and orientation of foreign directors and local staff.


Achievements

  • Successfully set up a proper accounting system for the company with the introduction of the use of QuickBooks to ease Accounting for the company thus better resource management for the company as well as proper documentation for transactions.
  • Increased the sales and customer base for the company covering not only customers in Kenya but also beyond Kenyan borders such as Uganda,Tanzania,SouthAfrica Africa, Congo, Nigeria and Zimbabwe.

General Administrator

Korean Airlines Company Limited
10.2013 - 10.2015
  • Verified and prepared supporting documents of vouchers and/or journals.
  • Prepared monthly schedules/routine reports for financial and management reports.
  • Verified and processed payments to commercial entities, staff and to Vendors through the ERP.
  • Recorded and reconciled Accounting Transaction on ERP.
  • Revenue Accounting-Daily revenue transaction reporting on ERP and managing operation fund and transfer of funds.
  • Maintained an up-to-date record of transactions within the ledger.
  • Assisted in sourcing reputable suppliers for the company.


Achievements

  • Successfully set up proper controls for monitoring supplies resulting in better management and efficient use of supplies in the Company.

Accounts Assistant

Crowe Horwath EA
08.2012 - 10.2013
  • Prepared the Payroll.
  • Posted accounting entries and prepared the financials for the company.
  • Prepared bank reconciliations.
  • Prepared management reports for the company.
  • Ensured the company was compliant with tax laws in the country.
  • Established the setting up of the Organization to support the operations of the Organization.


Achievements

  • Successfully implemented a petty cash system.
  • Successfully developed policies as necessary that were useful in execution of key duties necessary in ensuring compliance with laws operational in the country.

Education

Bachelor of Commerce - Finance Option

Catholic University of Eastern Africa
10.2010

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education - undefined

Chania Girls High School
11.2005

Skills

Financial analysis and reporting

Cash flow analysis and management

Attention to detail

Proficient in Microsoft Office

Effective organizational skills

Effective communication

Teamwork and collaboration

Effective time management

Demonstrated professional conduct

Analytical problem-solving

Experienced with financial software applications

Data analysis proficiency

Certification

July 2021 (Current): PRINCE 2/Project Management, Learnovate Technologies

References

Anirudhan Nisha

Finance and Accounts Manager, Korean Air

+971 552939600

nanirudhan@koreanair.com


Angelina Nyajima

Director, Hope Restoration South Sudan

+211 920182822

nyajima1985@gmail.com


Joseph Magembe

Director, Audit Benson Recruitment

+254 722899548

josephmagembe@gmail.com

Affiliations

Member of Association Women Accountants in Kenya (AWAK)

Additional Information

Participation

  • 2015 to 2018: Volunteer mentor with Spur Afrika Mentors
  • 2009: Organized a finance series talk in campus
  • 2008: Took part in SIFE Kenya National Competition


Position of Responsibility

  • Secretary, Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), University

Timeline

Finance and Budget Assistant

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
06.2024 - Current

Finance Assistant

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
09.2022 - 06.2024

Finance and Budget Assistant

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
11.2019 - 08.2022

Project Accountant

Hope Restoration South Sudan (HRSS)
01.2019 - 11.2019

Accounts/Sales Manager

UNID Global Corporation (Formerly OCI Corporation)
12.2015 - 12.2018

General Administrator

Korean Airlines Company Limited
10.2013 - 10.2015

Accounts Assistant

Crowe Horwath EA
08.2012 - 10.2013

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education - undefined

Chania Girls High School

Bachelor of Commerce - Finance Option

Catholic University of Eastern Africa
Joan KimaniFinance And Budget Professional