The Brooke is a leading UK equine welfare charity which has been working in Ethiopia since 2006 with a country office in Addis Ababa. The Brooke aims to improve the welfare of working equines, together with the livelihoods of people dependant on these animals. Brooke Ethiopia (B-Eth) is entering a new Strategic phase and by the year 2020, the Brooke Ethiopia will sustainably improve the equine welfare of some of the neediest rural and urban equines in Ethiopia. In order to achieve this, the role of Finance & Administration Assistant is crucial.

Purpose of the Role 

To provide financial and administrative support to the Woreda team including: processing payment and inputting transactions onto excel system, maintaining records, facilitating procurement of goods and services, assisting the Woreda team in administrative duties and being responsible for general housekeeping and maintaining office supplies.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

The Finance and Administration Assistant will play a key role and be responsible for all financial, procurement, administration and human resources activities within the Field Office.

As well as undertaking general admin tasks under the guidance of the team leaders, the Finance and Administration Assistant has particular responsibility for four key areas: Finance Procurement, HR and General Administrations. 

Finance Administration

·         Properly codes and records field office expenditure and any other related transactions.

·         Receives payment requests, checks supporting documents and coding for completeness and proper authorization; and prepares cheques and corresponding payment vouchers.

·         Handles and properly keeps chequebooks in safe custody

·         Effects payment of cheques against receipts/invoices and proper signature of the recipient

·         Ensures valid cash receipts/invoices are received for all cheques issued to Payees.

·         Follows-up and ensure working advances at the Field Offices are settled timely

·         Ensures that monthly stock count is carried out.

·         Records all transactions incurred in the field office are included in the excel based system (template to be uploaded to SUN) and send summary of monthly transactions with supporting documents to the Finance Officer within the set deadline.

·         Prepares monthly bank reconciliation for the Field Office

·         Ensure that government taxes and fees are timely paid

·         Perform review of long outstanding advances and follow up for settlement.

·         Checks all receipt, invoices and petty cash payments

·         Keeps up to date and orderly controlling records of receipts and issuance of goods

·         Participate in the annual physical count of stock and fixed assets

·         Ensure maintenance of memorandum records for long-term assets

·         Arrange files and financial records in easily retrievable manner

·         Assist the team leader and Field Office team in the preparation and revision of budgeting, forecast including following-up timely transfer of budget requests from Addis Ababa office.

·         Monitors the field office budget

·         Advise field office team on Brooke’s MFS, BE’S financial policies and procedures as well as procurement rules and regulations.

·         Maintain fixed asset register and Asset movement register and keep a custodian sheet signed by users for property under staff custody

·         Record newly received fixed assets and updates the record regularly

·         Ensure that all financial and procurement transactions at the field offices are conducted per Brooke’s Minimum Financial Standard and Brooke Ethiopia financial policies and procedures and procurement regulations

Procurement Administration

·         Manage procurement activities at the field office level and lead the field office procurement committee.

·         Prepare and review specifications and other necessary documents related to local purchasing of materials, supplies, and equipment

·         Raise purchase requisitions and orders for purchases at the field office level

·         Ensure that purchases are made in the best interest of the Brooke taking into account best value for money

·         Establish and administer contracts and purchase orders to ensure compliance with specifications and requirements such as quality of materials and services, payment scheduling, vendor performance

·         Files all procurement documents in an orderly manner for control and reference purposes.

HR Administration

·         Ensure the timely renewal/termination of staff contracts and Liaise with Addis Ababa Office HR & Administration Coordinator to ensure proper follow up on HR issues.

·         Prepare annual leave plan and ensure that all team members have submitted their leave plan each year and follow up the implementation of the plan accordingly.

·         Update and maintain all records of team members leave, in their personal files and ensure that leave is taken as per the plan and reported to the Addis Ababa HR & Administration Coordinator Update and keep files of team members’ history and prepare monthly HR statistical report and liaise the report with Addis Ababa HR & Administration Coordinator Maintain personnel records at the field office level

General Administration

·         Ensure that proper safety and security mechanisms are in place at the Field Office

·         Makes sure that the office is always clean and avoids any risks of injury and damages.

·         Maintain records of stock movement and consumptions of supplies

·         Facilitate the stock/supplies replenishment process in consultation with  relevant budget holders and team leader

·         Check completeness and accuracy  of vehicle log books and sign off

·         Check and follow up the timely fuelling, maintenance and servicing of vehicles

·         Implement efficient vehicle booking, planning and utilisation systems in consultation with team leader

·         In consultation with the team leader, assigns vehicles and ensures that Brooke’s vehicle management and driving policies are adhered to

·         As requested to perform additional tasks from time to time by your line Manager. 

Qualification and Experience Required 

- First Degree in Accounting or Finance or Business Administration or Management with 2 years relevant experience or

- Diploma in Accounting or Finance or Business Administration or Management with 4 years relevant experience

- Accounting and/or bookkeeping training or professional qualifications

- Experience of accounting and/or bookkeeping

- Good level of competence in Excel, Word and Outlook 

- Direct hands-on experience of finance, office administration and/or secretarial roles

- Excellent communications skills, both written and verbal

- Ability to work under pressure and keep to deadlines

- Organised and able to manage various project simultaneously

- Ability to work independently but also as part of a small team

- Experience of similar work in a charity / voluntary sector setting

- Experience of using SUN systems (or other accounting packages)