Louise van der Merwe

Louise Van der Merwe Curriculum Vitae 454 Theuns van Niekerk Street, Rooikhuiskraal North , Centurion Tel No. 060 - Email: - SUMMARY: I have more than 30 years working experience, ranging from Chartered Accountants, Banking, Retail, Manufacturing, the NGO sector (Promat Colleges) to the donor sector (Creative Associates International, Abt Associates and Family Health International / FHI360. Skills I have harnessed include admin/logistics, procurement, payroll (salaries, tax and other deductions), petty cash control, accounts payable, accounts receivable, cashbook & bank reconciliations, balance sheet reconciliations, VAT Returns, cash flow forecasts, budget analysis, financial reporting, asset control, putting into place financial and administrative systems , contract and grant administration and financial management, technical assistance to grantees & contractors and donor funding reporting. From 2009 to 2014, my duties included capacity building and training in Financial Systems regionally throughout the African continent, creating e-learning videos and interactive e-learning modules. To date, the majority of examinations that I have written through the University of South Africa, has resulted in distinctions(cum laude), with two merit bursaries awarded to me by the University for academic achievements rating in the top few percent of all their students in the particular subjects in that year. My computer skills include Excel, QuickBooks, Pastel, ACCPAC (Sage) and Microsoft Navigator (Navision). I speak, read and write English and Afrikaans fluently, with a smattering of Pedi, Zulu and German. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: (February 2016 – June 2018) Project and Finance OfficerKhulisa Management Services, Parktown, Johannesburg Providing financial assistance to the senior financial manager in the day to day running of the finance department, Biodata sheets, Fixed Assets, Timesheets, Project Invoicing, Budgeting, Forecasting, and Project Support incl. Budget vs. Actual, Scenario analysis and Cost Analysis. Mentoring and developing project and admin staff on financial matters as required. (August 2015 to December 2015) Dorm Mother - AERLA (Aerospaceleadershipacademy) Boarding School in Hekpoort and Part Time Teacher in Business Management - NAIS Pretoria I supervised and mentored the students at the boarding school and taught one subject part time at NAIS until the boarding school closed down in December 2015. (March 2009 – June 2014) Regional Financial Systems TrainerFHI 360 FHI360 Regional Headquarters Pretoria – Assistance to Regional Financial Director In between business trips to other FHI offices throughout Africa, assistance given with training, capacity building and month end financial closure, VAT returns, bank reconciliations and balance sheet reconciliations. FHI360 International Headquarters Durham North Carolina Training and technical assistance to FHI360 offices in Nigeria, Ethiopia,Uganda,Malawi,Mozambique,Botswana,Ghana,Zambia and other offices in Africa on new global financial systems. Compilation of interactive training modules, e-learning videos and on-line training utilising both telephonic and e-mail assistance as required. (Sep 2007 – Feb 2009) Accountant / Grant Manager Family Health International South Africa UGM Project – Umbrella Grant Management (USAID / PEPFAR Funded) Financial Management of 10 Co-operative agreements (Grants with a substantial involvement clause). Finance, admin, contracts & grant workshop was held with all sub-partners in October 2007. Duties include review of monthly recipient financial reports, quarterly finance review visits, technical assistance, mentoring and capacity building of sub-partners, and monthly tracking of sub-partners expenditure against budget line items in US dollars and local currency. Office Finance – Duties include accounts payable, bank reconciliations, monthly financial reports to Washington Headquarters using FHI global in-house accounting software and excel spreadsheets for daily updated cashbooks, tracking travel advances and liquidations. Approx. R10 Million per month cashbook. (Dec 2004 – Sep 2007) Accountant/Project ManagerSEGA II – Abt Associates Responsibilities include Financial Management of project expenses, including reporting to USAID and Abt Associates head office in the United States as well as project oversight for financial sector activities. All financial systems and procedures used in this project was designed and implemented by myself. I trained our junior administrative assistants in the basic bookkeeping duties, oversee and mentor their implementation thereof. I have also had complete control and responsibility of reviewing all subcontractors’ invoices, and providing technical assistance where required. In addition to my financial and accounting functions at the SEGA project, I have been responsible for the project management of our microfinance activities with the new National Credit Regulator. Tasks under this role include providing guidance to the client during technical evaluation and selection processes, obtaining approvals from USAID, preparing agreements for independent contractors and subcontractor, and collecting deliverables with client approval. The activities within this technical area comprise of infrastructure reform (IT, Policies and Procedures, Credit Register, Communications), research (Indebtedness indicators, credit market trends) and training (Information booklets for debt counsellors and creditors, and over 400 Magistrates trained on the new act). (Apr 1998 – Dec 2004) Accountant Creative Associates International Inc. Provide technical and financial accounting assistance to grantees funded by USAID (US Agency for International Development), Financial Management of Grants, process monthly salaries and fringe benefit payments, petty cash payments and reports, and element report for monthly vouchers to USAID. 1 Technical Assistance 2 Assist grantees with the design and implementation of basic accounting procedures and internal control measures to enable them to comply with USAID grant regulations; 3 Assist grantees with compilation of project budgets and provide guidance with regard to financial and administrative procedures to be followed; 4 Provide feedback and assist grantees in remedying financial reporting deficiencies and informing them of disallowed costs and possible problem areas. 5 Financial Accounting 6 Assist the Financial Manager with the preparation and review of the monthly and quarterly reports to USAID; 7 Prepare cash flow forecasts to facilitate fund transfers from Washington DC; 8 Work closely with the USAID unit leaders by providing detailed financial reports as requested; 9 Assist with payments, review capturing of monthly financial transactions in ACCPAC, review monthly reconciliations of supplier accounts; 10 Monitor and review all grant expenditure in both Rand and Dollar terms; 11 Administer monthly staff payments (full payroll function) and personnel records & petty cash payments & reports 12 Other 13 Liase regularly with CREA programme staff providing assistance on financial matters. 14 Work with programme staff in managing and monitoring some grant activities and deliverables; 15 Assist in compiling monthly reports to our head office in Washington, and prepare element reports for USAID. 16 Backup to Admin Officer – Purchase Orders, Travel Requisitions, etc. (Mar 1997 – Mar 1998) Assistant Accountant Promat Colleges Reported directly to the Financial Manager. Financial reporting on donor funding received from USAID. General Ledger Journals & reconciliations. Reconciling & transfers to 10 Petty Cashes at branches across the country. Cashbook processing & bank reconciliations. Monthly spreadsheet analysis of cell phone & landline expenses, stationery costs per cost centre, etc. Supervising & controlling Accounts Payable Creditors. Assisting with Salaries, Fixed Assets (Capex) Debtors & Recons, Budgets, Cashflow Forecasts & Income Statements. Implemented systems, policies & procedures. (Aug 1995 – Sep 1996) Assistant Accountant E D S South Africa Debtors, creditors, journals, accruals, pre-payments. Producing Income Statements. Assisting Account Managers & clients with queries. Forecasts & Budgets. Loan account reconciliations. Balance sheet account reconciliations. Cashbook processing & reconciliations. Debt collection forecasts, cashflow control. (Nov 1980 – Jul 1995)Various Companies Various Positions 1. BookkeeperCilliers & Co Chartered Accountants S A (Nov 1980 – Jul 1984) 2. Teller& other positionsNedbank (Aug 1984 – Feb 1988) 3. Secretary/BookkeeperCitiwood Pretoria (Pty) Ltd (Jul 1988 – Sep 1990) 4. BookkeeperGrinaker Avitronics (Mar 1991 – Jul 1995) EDUCATION: Year Institution Subjects 2006 UNISA 2nd year B-Com subjects completed; Financial Management, Electronic commerce, Small Business Management & Entrepreneurship 2000 UNISA Business Management- UNISA 1st year B-Com subjects completed; Accounting, Commercial Law, Business Management, Economics & Statistics REFERENCES: Name Position held Contact details 1. Lynette Byrne Divisional Finance Manager Cell: (--2. Kellock Hazemba FHI360 Regional Office Pretoria Regional Director Cell: - Work --3. Bella Mudau FHI360 Regional Office Pretoria Senior Accountant Cell: - Work --4. Matthew Stern DNA (previously SEGA II ) Chief of Party Cell: - Work --5. Rebecca Rishty Abt Associates (previously Khulisa Management Services) Cell --6.Ezra Muna FHI360 Kenya, HQ WashingtonDC Financial Systems Trainer --