Joseph Lekalkuli
Certified Public Accountant of Kenya
Maralal,Kenya
Summary
A highly accomplished accounting and financial professional with over 20 years of experience and a proven track record of driving financial excellence and achieving outstanding results. Recognized for providing exceptional leadership and implementing strategies that propelled Samburu County Government to top rankings in financial performance and prudence. Successfully led the establishment and operation of the County Treasury Finance Department during the transition to devolution. Pioneered the adoption of Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS), resulting in streamlined transaction processing. Implemented robust internal control systems and achieved unqualified audit opinions for various funds and grants. Adept in financial reporting, audit management, and funds/grants management. Strong expertise in treasury management, budgeting, and payroll administration. Excellent leadership skills in supervising teams and ensuring staff development. Business-minded Finance Manager promoting more than 20 years of expertise overseeing transactions and reconciling monthly financial reports. Highly collaborative individual with track record of effectively training and coaching staff members. Offering confidence, team contribution and decision making skills Forward-thinking team leader skilled at operating departments efficiently to meet goals. Successful background matching employees with roles for maximum performance. Proactive and hardworking individual focused on continuous operational improvement. Diligent professional with comprehensive background in finance management. Demonstrated ability to streamline financial operations and implement cost-saving measures. Proven track record in budget forecasting and financial planning, showcasing strong analytical and strategic thinking skills. Results-driven Certified Public Accountant, experienced in financial statement review, auditing and reporting. Well-versed in producing reports, evaluating department operations and handling month- and year-end closings. Meticulous, conscientious and methodical in approach. Results-driven professional, experienced in financial statement review, auditing and reporting. Well-versed in producing reports, evaluating department operations and handling month- and year-end closings. Meticulous, conscientious and methodical in approach. Results-driven Director of Accounting Services, experienced in financial statement review, auditing and reporting. Well-versed in producing reports, evaluating department operations and handling month- and year-end closings. Meticulous, conscientious and methodical in approach.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of Treasury – Accounting Services
Samburu County Government
Maralal, Kenya
02.2014 - Current
- Successfully constituted, capacity built and operationalized Samburu County’s 17-member steering committee to spear head the migration from Cash Basis of Accounting to the Accrual basis in accordance with IPSAS 33.
- Advised and implemented strategies that propelled Samburu County Executive to be ranked as the top-performing county government in the development vs recurrent expenditure ratio analysis for FY 2022/2023.
- Provided exceptional leadership in the County Treasury, resulting in Samburu County Government being ranked among the top five counties for financial prudence in the implementation of FY 2019/20 plans, securing additional funding from the World Bank.
- Successfully established and led the County Treasury Finance Department during the transition to devolution, ensuring smooth operations and financial management.
- Pioneered the adoption of the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) in the newly devolved unit, enabling Samburu County Government to process 100% of transactions through the IFMIS system within the first two years of implementation.
- Implemented robust internal control systems, reducing risks and consistently improving external annual audit reports.
- Played a key role in formulating policies and regulations for newly established funds and donor grants, aligning them with donor regulations and relevant legislation.
- Developed the draft Samburu County Government Risk Management Policy, currently pending approval at the Cabinet and County Assembly levels.
- Consistent exemplary performance in annual financial audits, stellar achievement being scoring unqualified audit opinions for the FLoCCA Program, Bursary Fund, PLWD Fund, Conservancies Fund, and the Covid-19 Fund over implementation time.
- Facilitated significant improvement in audit opinions for the Executive Mortgage Fund and Youth & Women Enterprise Fund, progressing from initial disclaimers to qualified audit opinions.
- Demonstrated a consistent improvement in external audit reports for the County Executive, obtaining qualified audit opinions in the past seven of ten implementation years.
- Other key roles include:
- Migration from Cash basis of Accounting to Accrual Concept (IPSAS 33)
- Provision of technical insights and direction to members of the Committee
- Development of the Committee’s terms of reference
- Scheduling and invitation of members to meetings.
- Spearhead assets and liabilities verification and valuation processes.
- Payment Process:
- Overseeing the general day to day operations in payment process.
- Funds Requisition Process:
- Monitor the county’s revenue collection account to ensure fund availability.
- Prepare monthly funds requisition reports and submit them to the Office of Controller of Budget for funding consideration.
- Coordinate with the Central Bank of Kenya to initiate funds transfers based on approved requisitions.
- Disbursement of Funds:
- Verify that scheduled payments align with Office of Controller of Budget approvals.
- Ensure payment vouchers are properly approved and reviewed, with adequate support documentation.
- Facilitate final approval of transactions through the internet banking platform.
- Financial Reporting:
- Prepare timely annual, quarterly, and ad-hoc financial reports for the County Executive and County Assembly.
- Generate separate quarterly reports as recommended by the Office of Controller of Budget and National Treasury.
- Prepare annual financial reports for various grants and funds, following accrual accounting principles.
- Submit reports to relevant bodies, including the County Assembly, Office of Controller of Budget, Office of Auditor General, National Treasury, and Commission of Revenue Allocation.
- Audit Process:
- Take a lead role in annual and special audits, providing necessary materials and information to auditors.
- Compile consolidated responses to management letters and draft/final audit reports.
- Follow up on audit recommendations to ensure timely compliance.
- Senate PIC/PAC Appearance on Audit Queries:
- Prepare reports for presentation to the Senate’s Committee on Public Accounts and Investments.
- Participate in Senate appearances alongside the Governor to address unresolved audit queries.
- Monitor and ensure compliance with recommendations from the Senate’s PIC/PAC committee.
- Supervision of Staff:
- Provide leadership to a team of 46 accountants, assigning them to various government portfolios based on their capacities.
- Chair departmental meetings and conduct in-house training to enhance staff efficiency.
- Offer day-to-day technical support and recommend external training opportunities.
- Funds and Grants Management:
- Contribute to the formulation of funds and grants regulations, ensuring adherence to donor demands.
- Establish bank accounts for funds and grants and ensure proper constitution of decision-making committees.
- Prepare and submit timely financial reports and actively participate in audits and Senate processes.
- Follow up on audit and Senate recommendations and participate in funds/grants closure procedures.
- Payroll Support Duties:
- Ensure monthly payroll is closed by the 15th of each month.
- Process payroll payments accurately and promptly, prioritizing staff wages and statutory obligations.
- Reconcile payroll payments with generated reports and follow up on any discrepancies.
- Pending Bills Management:
- Vet pending bills through the Monitoring and Evaluation Department and Governor’s Delivery Unit for authenticity.
- Ensure budget provision for recommended pending bills and seek County Assembly approval if necessary.
- Verify approvals and review payment vouchers before settling pending bills.
- Perform monthly reconciliations and generate updated pending bills reports.
- Collaborated cross-functionally with other departments to support strategic decision-making related to corporate finance activities.
- Strengthened internal controls to minimize operational risks and ensure regulatory compliance.
- Negotiated favorable banking terms for various credit facilities, supporting business growth initiatives.
- Mentored junior staff members in treasury functions, fostering professional growth through training programs.
- Implemented treasury best practices, ensuring alignment with overall corporate governance standards.
- Improved working capital, managing accounts receivable and payable effectively.
- Streamlined treasury operations by implementing efficient processes and systems.
- Led the development of annual budgets for the Treasury department, outlining key goals and resource allocation.
- Optimized cash management with accurate forecasting and efficient liquidity management.
- Spearheaded the implementation of a treasury management system, improving efficiency and reducing manual workload.
- Established strong relationships with banking partners to facilitate seamless financial transactions and reporting requirements.
- Oversaw all aspects of cash flow planning, ensuring timely availability of funds for business needs while minimizing borrowing costs.
- Reconciled monthly statements, invoices and expense accounts, keeping records accurate, and current.
- Drafted treasury reports to support management decision-making needs.
- Developed and maintained internal control systems to protect organizational assets.
- Prepared and presented financial reports to inform senior management and board of directors.
- Implemented strategies to improve organizational financial performance.
- Planned and managed KES 6-9 Billion annual budgets, tracking expenses, and investigating discrepancies to maintain optimal controls.
- Increased flow of financial information throughout company by improving communication strategies.
- Reviewed contracts financially impacting company and counseled executive leaders on impact contracts would have on company operations.
- Prepared and filed tax returns and generated monthly reports in compliance with regulatory and organizational standards.
- Provided treasury and cash management by overseeing reconciliation of banking activity, credit card processing, and sales tax returns.
- Supported program managers in providing procedural training on finance and accounting.
- Reviewed processes and procedures to guide program implementation and optimize auditing.
- Directed corporate decision-making and planning by monitoring and setting policies and procedures to optimize fiscal performance.
- Mitigated risk by implementing internal controls and safeguards for revenues and expenditures.
- Followed up with delinquent accounts to obtain funds and reduce aging balances.
- Supervised accurate, efficient, and compliant completion of monthly financial reporting packages.
- Accurately completed financial statement audits and thoroughly reviewed results.
- Advised management regarding significant expenditures to keep operations in line with budget limitations.
- Completed journal entries, reconciliations, and account analysis to prepare quarterly financial documents and general account management.
Deputy Finance Manager
Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Dadaab
Dadaab, Kenya
12.2011 - 01.2014
- Treasury:
- Supervised cash management processes in Dadaab in line with the organization’s policy.
- Ensured all disbursement requests from the Dadaab office were adequately prepared, supported and approved by designated officials, and correctly charged to the valid budgets, donor sources, and projects.
- Planning & Budget Management:
- Prepared annual budget plans for the Finance office in Dadaab aligned with the Agency Finance strategy and CP priorities.
- Took a lead role in budget generation, a critical function in fundraising processes.
- Grants Management:
- Ensured accurate preparation and timely dissemination of donor-required reports within specified deadlines.
- Coordinated grant closure activities with emergency project managers and ensured timely closure of expired emergency grants within donor limits.
- Reporting:
- Prepared monthly management accounts (Budget Comparison Reports) for the Emergency project and coordinated responses from upper management and project managers.
- Prepared accurate donor reports and submitted them in accordance with the terms and conditions outlined in the grant agreements.
- Financial Management:
- Identified and addressed internal control weaknesses that impacted CRS financial resources.
- Ensured compliance with all tax requirements and other statutory deductions related to the Dadaab office.
- Technical Support and Training:
- Prepared and made available an orientation manual or basic project finance guidance for CRS staff in Dadaab.
- Developed and provided partners with financial systems assessment and review tools in Dadaab to assess partner risk levels and plan capacity building interventions.
- Staff Management:
- Provided leadership, direction, mentoring, and coaching to finance staff in Dadaab.
- Supervised and trained staff to monitor, report on, and manage the financial aspects of projects.
- Maintained a dotted-line relationship with partner accountants.
- General Management:
- Followed up on audit recommendations for the emergency project under the guidance of the Finance Manager and MQC.
- Ensured supporting documents were available for each financial transaction in Dadaab, adhering to donor and CRS procedures, and verified the allowability of expenses.
Capacity Building Accountant
Catholic Relief Services
Nairobi, Kenya
12.2009 - 11.2011
- Finance Office Setup and Innovation:
- Successfully established a finance office from scratch, implementing a pioneering mobile money platform that has become a global model within the agency.
- Achieved seamless closure of two significant grants in Dadaab, showcasing exemplary financial management and accountability.
- Introduced computerized financial systems in 90% of partner organizations that previously relied on manual systems, streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency.
- Internal Control Enhancement and Audit Accomplishments:
- Implemented rigorous capacity-building initiatives resulting in improved internal controls across various partner systems, as confirmed by the AI33 audit in 2010.
- Garnered recognition for exceptional performance, earning the 1st runners-up position in the prestigious Employee of the Year award contest in both 2010 and 2011.
- Effectively transformed a program with a previous investigative audit into an acceptable risk classification within a remarkable six-month timeframe, demonstrating remarkable turnaround expertise.
- Capacity Building and Financial Management:
- Established robust financial and reporting systems for sub grantees, improving accounting skills and ensuring efficient management of grant finances.
- Designed and implemented tailored training programs based on identified gaps from MANGO assessments, providing on-site training to partners for skill enhancement.
- Review and Support of Partner Accounting:
- Conducted thorough financial reviews of sub grantees to assess training impact and compliance with donor regulations.
- Offered financial and administrative support to sub grantees throughout program implementation, ensuring adherence to financial best practices.
- Validation:
- Reviewed partner documents and transactions to ensure compliance, accuracy, relevance, and reasonableness.
- Verified the adequacy and completeness of supporting documentation and promptly addressed any discrepancies with Project Officers.
Program Accountant
World Vision Kenya
Eldoret, Kenya
06.2005 - 11.2009
- Recorded and entered monthly expenses into the Sun Systems database.
- Generated monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports.
- Ensured proper management and protection of the organization’s fixed assets and inventory.
- Monthly Funding Requests from the Head Office
- Spear heading procurement process
- Coordinating annual audit exercises
- Training and monitoring of Community Based Organizations
- Ensuring compliance to policy guidelines of the organization
- Formulating and proposing internal control measures
- Coordinating activities of the organization’s micro finance arm.
Education
Master of Public Policy Management - Public Policy And Management
Strathmore University
Nairobi04.2027
MBA - Accounting And Finance
The University of Nairobi
Nairobi12.2016
Bachelor of Commerce - Finance
KCA University
Nairobi12.2011
Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPA-K) - Accounting
KASNEB- Strathmore University
Nairobi11.2004
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education - O-Level
Lenana School
Nairobi11.1999
Skills
GAAP
References
- Silvana, Kaparo, CEC Member Finance, ICT & Economic Planning, snlenges@gmail.com, Samburu County Government
- Robert, Babito, Audit and Compliance Manager, Robert.Babito@crs.org, Catholic Relief Services
- Mark, Koech, Chief Analyst, kipkoechm@cob.go.ke, Office of Controller of Budget
Timeline
Head of Treasury – Accounting Services
Samburu County Government
02.2014 - Current
Deputy Finance Manager
Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Dadaab
12.2011 - 01.2014
Capacity Building Accountant
Catholic Relief Services
12.2009 - 11.2011
Program Accountant
World Vision Kenya
06.2005 - 11.2009
Master of Public Policy Management - Public Policy And Management
Strathmore University
MBA - Accounting And Finance
The University of Nairobi
Bachelor of Commerce - Finance
KCA University
Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPA-K) - Accounting
KASNEB- Strathmore University
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education - O-Level
Lenana School