Deadline for the application : 17.08.2026
Availability : as soon as possible
Duty place: Nairobi (kenya) – ICU office
Supervisor: Capo progetto
Gross Salary: 200.000 – 300.000 ksh (based on the experience of the candidate)
Type: local employment contract
General Information
Position: Project Accountant
Project Title: VET4HYDROGEN – Strengthening of the Green Hydrogen value chain in Kenya by promoting opportunity-driven skills through Vocational Education and Training
Funded by: co-funded by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Contracting Partner: ICU – Istituto per la Cooperazione Universitaria
Implementing Partners: SERC – Strathmore Energy and Research Center, ECT – Eastlands College of Technology, TVET CDACC – TVET Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council
Location: Kenya (Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Naivasha, Kisumu, Eldoret, Lodwar)
Project duration: 24 months
Duration of the Contract: 12 months renewable with a 3 months probation period
Contract Type: Employment Contract
Background
ICU is an International NGO recognized by the EU and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, implementing development projects in developing countries. Established in 1966, ICU has completed over 400 projects in 40 countries across sectors like education, vocational training, healthcare, rural development, and renewable energy, benefitting rural populations, SMEs, and national institutions, with a managed budget of approximately €150M.
Current operations span MENA (Tunisia, Libya, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Kurdistan), LATAM (Guatemala, Mexico), and GLR (Burundi, Rwanda). The headquarters in Rome employs 7 staff, supported by local offices with experienced teams, totaling around 90 professionals ensuring strong local presence and expertise.
The core business of ICU is to design and implement programs that foster sustainable economic, social, and environmental progress in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This includes initiatives in poverty reduction, quality education and TVET, healthcare, climate action, access to renewable energy for productive use and community empowerment to promote long-term resilience and self-sufficiency.
The Project
The VET4HYDROGEN project, co-funded by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), implemented by the ICU, SERC, ECT and the TVET CDACC under the umbrella of DONOR’S programme (Agreement No. 81318918, Project Processing No. 22.2025.9-163.00), aims to strengthen Kenya’s green hydrogen (GH2) value chain by promoting opportunity-driven skills through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
Leveraging on the potential of the GH2 economy this project pursues three main goals:
- To build the skillset for existing, potential, and future technicians on GH2 through TVET and establish centers of excellence on GH2 in Kenya.
- Facilitate regional exchange and study visits on GH2 programs, technology transfer, capacity building and sharing of best practices with a hands-on approach.
- Raise awareness and cohesion in the private sector, especially SMEs, on the benefits of GH2, along its entire value chain and on the importance of upskilling and reskilling workers.
In the project partnership, ICU acts as the project coordinator, with ultimate responsibility for the activities, both at the operational and financial levels, as well as for the partner organizations. At the national level, the project will be implemented by ECT, a technical training institution reputable for its dual training approach, SERC, a leading university in Kenya and an expert in programs related to renewable energy, Questworks Ltd, a Kenyan fully fledged design build company with a strong profile in renewable energy in the region, and the TVET CDACC, a Kenyan corporate body established in 2013 with the mandate to undertake design and development of Curricula for the training institutions’ examination, assessment and competence certification.
General Purpose of the position
The Accountant will be responsible for the administrative and financial management of the DONOR’S-funded project implemented by a consortium lead by ICU. In this role, ICU holds overall coordination responsibilities, including the financial and accounting coordination of project partners.
The Accountant supports the Project Manager in ensuring sound financial management of the project, including the proper management of assets and human resources at coordination level.
The Accountant’s responsibilities include verifying the correct allocation of expenditures and related supporting documentation, overseeing and coordinating partners’ financial reporting, supporting human resources management, and contributing to planning and budgeting activities. He/She ensures continuous monitoring of the project’s compliance with ICU administrative, financial, and contractual procedures, as well as DONOR’S requirements.
Main Responsibilities and Task
- Ensure the accounting, financial, and budget management of ICU-Kenya:
- Ensure the recording of expenditures and other financial transactions in the ICU accounting system.
- Ensure that expenditures and financial transactions comply with donor and organizational procedures and guidelines, ICU regulations, and the national legal framework.
- Ensure the financial project reporting in compliance with donor and organizational rules and formats.
- Ensure the preparation and follow-up of donor project audits, in close coordination with ICU Headquarters.
- Ensure financial accountability towards project partners, in line with ICU coordination responsibilities.
- Ensure the control and validation of accounting management and monthly financial reporting (cash counts, bank reconciliations, etc.)
- Ensure the application of accounting and financial procedures by the ICU-Kenya team and its partners, and contribute to their continuous improvement.
- Ensure project cash flow management and plan fund transfers in coordination with ICU team at Headquarters.
- Verify and authorize expenditures based on budget availability and donor’s eligibility rules.
- Participate in the development and routine monitoring of project budget.
- Monitor and manage a dashboard of budgetary and financial indicators.
- Contribute to the preparation of budget proposals for new projects and expenditure commitments under ICU-Kenya coordination.
- Ensure the administrative and logistical management of ICU-Kenya:
- Ensure relations and accountability with relevant administrative authorities.
- Ensure legal monitoring and compliance with the national legal framework, particularly regarding taxation, importation of equipment, and labour law.
- Follow procedures to obtain all required authorizations for expatriate staff (visas, approvals, work permits) in compliance with national regulations.
- Manage, monitor, and archive contracts and agreements.
- Ensure that procurement of goods, services, and works complies with donor’s and ICU procurement procedures.
- Ensure the drafting of contracts and/or purchase orders for goods, services, and works.
- Supervise transactions to ensure that procurement complies with donor’s transparency and financial accountability requirements, ICU regulations, and the national legal framework.
- Supervise the maintenance of ICU-Kenya premises (offices, warehouses, etc.) and the proper management of equipment (vehicles, IT equipment, etc.).
- Ensure consolidation of the inventory of fixed assets and durable goods.
- Ensure proper application of inventory management procedures.
- Coordinate ICU-Kenya relations with banks and suppliers.
- Ensure coordination and management of human resources for ICU-Kenya:
- Ensure that recruitment of local staff complies with national regulations, ICU policies, and donor’s contractual requirements.
- Supervise the drafting and management of staff contracts.
- Ensure that employment contracts for local staff comply with ICU policies and the national legal framework.
- Apply and, where necessary, propose updates to existing procedures related to human resources management, and provide periodic reporting to HQ.
- Supervise the planning and monitoring of staff leave, payroll preparation, social security declarations, and payment of statutory taxes.
- Facilitate health insurance coverage for national staff.
- Organize and maintain confidential personnel files.
- Ensure timely payment of salaries to local staff in accordance with national legislation.
- Ensure payment of field mission per diems in compliance with ICU-Kenya internal regulations and donor’s rules.
- Ensure coordination and capacity support for project partners’ administrative staff:
- Provide guidance and coordination to the administrative and finance staff of project partners to ensure compliance with donor’s and ICU administrative and financial procedures.
- Support partners in the correct application of accounting, financial, procurement, and reporting tools and templates.
- Review and validate partners’ financial documentation and reporting, in line with ICU’s coordinating role.
- Identify gaps and capacity-building needs in partners’ administrative and financial management systems.
- Contribute to the design and implementation of targeted capacity-strengthening actions for partners’ administrative staff.
- Ensure that partners’ administrative staff correctly use agreed administrative, logistical, and accounting tools and reporting formats.
- Coordinate with partners’ administrative focal points to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant financial reporting.
Position requirements
Education:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Accounting or a related field.
Professional Experience:
- At least 5 years of experience in the field of international cooperation.
Professional Requirements:
- Previous experience in a similar administrative/finance role;
- Proven experience in accounting and financial management;
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and accounting software;
- Previous experience in managing procurement and purchasing procedures;
- Demonstrated experience in managing funding from public donors;
- Comprehensive knowledge of national fiscal laws and regulations;
- Proven experience in managing statutory payments.
Languages:
- English: excellent oral and written proficiency;
- Kiswahili: excellent oral and written proficiency;
Personal Requirements:
- Ability to ensure timely completion of tasks and meet deadlines;
- High standards of integrity and confidentiality;
- Excellent organizational and time-management skills;
- Strong professionalism and problem-solving abilities;
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team;
- Willingness to work in a multicultural and international environment.
Application Requirements
Please submit the following documents in PDF format:
- Updated CV in English. Rename the file as: Accountant_Kenya_Surname_CV.
- Motivation Letter in English, addressing at least the following points:
- Any prior knowledge of ICU or its collaborators;
- How your personal and professional experience can contribute to this role;
- Expected gross annual salary;
- Earliest availability;
- Reference contacts (preferably including one from your most recent collaboration).
Rename the file as: Accountant_Kenya_Surname_MotivationLetter.
