Mercy Cherono Rotich

Streamlined accounts payable operations by designing Excel-based automation templates to track, verify, and post supplier invoices, reducing processing time by 30% and eliminating over 90% of manual errors.
Spearheaded the month and year-end closing process, posting accruals and unrealised transactions in accordance with IFRS.
Reconciled full fair value performance reports to statutory financials, improving reporting accuracy and transparency.
Ensured full tax compliance by preparing VAT and withholding tax returns in line with KRA guidelines using structured accounting workflows, which helped the company avoid late penalties for 3 consecutive years.
Collaborated with cross-functional teams (marketing, IT, Procurement, Sales) to develop financial models aligning with business transactions, optimize financial processes, driving business performance and operational efficiency.
Coordinated with auditors during statutory audit cycles, facilitating a seamless process through timely provision of accurate schedules and documentation.
Prepared accurate and timely Financial Statements for the company, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

Capturing all Financial data in SAP system with 100% accuracy and maintaining up-to-date, accurate and complete records for all payables transactions.
Reconciliation of vendor accounts on a monthly basis or on a need basis and preparing aging analysis reports.
Supporting a flawless month-end close by ensuring all costs incurred in the specific period are accounted for in the same period.
Computing taxes owed, withholding tax, withholding VAT, statutory returns ensuring compliance with all stipulated deadline dates of submission.
Preparing audit schedules, responding to audit queries on a timely basis and ensuring that there are adequate controls in place to ensure good audit rating.

Supported project budgeting by mapping financial plans to project milestones using Excel-based forecasts, enabling department heads to track performance against budget with over 95% accuracy.
Analyzed cash flows and provided variance insights that led to performance improvement in three major projects.
Participated in project status meetings, offering analytical insights based on forecasted cash flows, financial variance trends, which led to corrective actions on 3 underperforming projects.
Delivered timely and accurate financial data, providing supportive insights to stakeholders and driving business growth.

Analyzed Projects expenses with Project Managers to review coding, align activities with costs and identify actions required for potential over or under expenditure.
Prepared and submitted statutory reports and tax returns related to the project in a timely manner.
External audit coordination of the project/fund Accountability statement, including preparation relevant audit schedules or as may be assigned.
Maintained safe custody of project-related expenditure – receipts, vouchers, contracts, and all project records in a neatly filed and easily retrievable manner.
Managed the reporting timetable for the program and ensured reports are produced in a timely manner.

Reduced overdue accounts by 50% by proactively engaging clients, negotiating realistic payment plans, and implementing daily aging reports to monitor collection.
Resolved billing disputes by investigating account discrepancies, reconciling records, and communicating resolutions clearly to stakeholders, achieving a customer satisfaction score increase in quarterly surveys.
Collaborated with cross-functional teams to drive internationalization efforts, improving quality standards, technical knowledge, focusing on financial planning and execution.
Managed financial accounting processes, ensuring accurate VAT calculations and compliance with tax regulations leveraging on the economics and Finance knowledge.

Management of the credit agreements between Maersk Line and the clients to ensure adherence to the credit terms.
Effectively managed account/invoice disputes, both internally and externally and ensured that disputes were resolved without undue delay.
Maintained adequate and effective internal control processes which improved month-end close and reporting cycles, ensured timely and accurate reporting.
Monitored monthly receivables activity while making sure that billing, collection, and reporting activities were carried out per specified dates to ensure accurate financial collections.