Background

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Suisse (VSF-Suisse) is a politically and religiously neutral humanitarian organization with its head office in Berne. VSF-Suisse fights hunger, poverty, destitution and illness for the benefit of those populations who depend on livestock for their livelihood. VSF-Suisse works both in humanitarian aid and in long-term development in seven countries of West and East Africa.

Together with its partners, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and Comitato Collaborazione Medica (CCM), VSF-Suisse will implement a regional One Health development project known as One Health Units for Humans, Environment, Animals and Livelihoods (HEAL) in Oromia and Somali Regions of Ethiopia, Gedo Region of Somalia and Marsabit County of Kenya. The goal of the project is to improve the wellbeing of pastoralist communities in arid and semi-arid areas of Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya by ensuring healthy people derive their livelihoods from healthy livestock in a sustainably managed environment. The HEAL project Phase 1 will be implemented for 4 years (November 2020 to October 2024) and will be followed by a subsequent 8-year implementation phase. The project is co-funded by Swiss Development Cooperation.

Job responsibilities and key tasks

VSF-Suisse seeks to hire a Regional Finance Officer who will have the overall financial responsibility of the HEAL Project to be implemented in Ethiopia, N. Kenya and Somalia. S/He will provide support to the finance staff of the consortium partners (VSF-Suisse, CCM & ILRI) in timely financial planning, monitoring, analysis and reporting as well as operations support in the implementation of the HEAL project. S/He will be responsible for supporting the Regional HEAL project manager in finance management, review of grants and ensuring the project strictly adheres to standard requirements of VSF-Suisse and specific donor requirements.

Project Accounting

• Ensuring all expenditures are supported with proper and sufficient supporting documents based on donor and VSF Suisse regulations.
• Verify partners' financial reports against supporting documents and prepare a report on any findings or irregularities.
• Maintain financial documents of partners.

Financial management of the HEAL project

• Oversee the financial management of the HEAL project.
• Work with country-level finance staff to ensure that everyone works toward the agreed standards of financial management, highlight areas of concern, make recommendations and develop plans to meet identified needs.
• Undertake budgeting and income/expenditure forecasting for the HEAL project and advice the regional HEAL project manager and his team.
• Provide support, advice and training to partner organizations’ staff on financial management control and reporting.
• Make regular visits to project sites, monitor field expenditures to ensure that project funds are utilized appropriately and timely.
• Undertake monthly country-level finance review meetings with concerned staff and relay information to the Regional HEAL Project Manager and the Consortium Partnership Board.
• Support on budget development for future phases of the project.

Cash management of the HEAL project

• Ensure timely and accurate cash management and financial disbursements to partners and maintain oversight of funding requirements.
• Arrange and follow-up bank transfers made to partner and stakeholders by following their project budgets and cash flow.

Project controlling and reporting

• Ensure that strong financial and accountability controls are in place across the countries of intervention (Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya) and that they are in line with VSF-Suisse financial procedures.
• Support country-level finance staff in the implementation of control measures.
• Ensure that each country and partner offices maintain and review the project monitoring reports and management accounts.
• Follow-up on partners' financial reports, analyze them and make recommendations to the regional HEAL project manager and VSF-Suisse Ethiopia office FAM.
• Ensure timely and accurate financial reporting to the donor.
• Ensure compliance and understanding of donor terms throughout the countries of intervention

Project audits

• Organize a periodic review of the control system through internal audits.
• Oversee and coordinate the financial audits of the project.
• Provides required documents for an auditor and ensures internal/external project audit takes place in a timely manner.

Procurement and logistics

• Ensure the project procurements and purchases are done in a timely manner.
• Ensures that all project equipment are maintained and documented properly;
• Maintain and timely update project asset list.

Administration

• Support the HEAL Project Manager follow up on settling of financial agreements relating to consultancy agreements;
• Ensure all partners maintain contracts, timesheets, for staff and vehicle logbooks are maintained
• Ensure that the HEAL project staff personal files of the employee are properly maintained;
• Support new project staff induction process to the HEAL project’s logistic and financial procedures;

Job Requirements

Essential Criteria

• A Masters’ degree in Finance and a professional accounting qualification is essential for this post. Any application not fulfilling these criteria will not be taken into consideration.
• Experience and Knowledge
• Experience in managing and supporting teams working remotely
• At least 10 years’ experience working in an INGO preferably a regional position
• Extensive experience of a wide range of donors including Swiss Development Cooperation, DFID, EU, etc
• Previous consortium financial management experience is advantageous
• Knowledge of statutory requirements for Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia

Skills and Abilities

• Proficient knowledge of English and ideally knowledge of any of the languages spoken in the intervention countries;
• Ability to work with tact and diplomacy with various stakeholders;
• Willing and able to travel extensively in the region;
• Ability to work independently and make rational strategic and routine decisions
• Performance management skills including mentoring and capacity building of finance staff

Ideally a national or a resident of Ethiopia, Somalia or Kenya.

What we offer

• A qualified, dynamic and highly motivated team of colleagues;
• A unique and relevant project for pastoral communities in the Greater Horn of Africa;
• The opportunity to actively contribute to the future design of the project implementation;
• A job with responsibilities in a demanding and challenging environment;
• A competitive salary as well as a medical and social insurance scheme.

Entry date and contract length

1 November 2020 start date, with a fixed-term contract of four-years.

How to Apply

Application procedure and deadline

We look forward to receiving your application in English. Please add:

1.   A motivation letter (maximum 1 page) stating why you are the right person for this position;

2.   A recent CV of 2 pages maximum;

3.   Scanned copies of your work certificates and relevant university diplomas;

4.   Contact details of three referees.

Send your application by e-mail with the position being applied for as the email subject to heal@vsf-suisse.org by 23^rd October 2020 (midnight)