CST Ethiopia represents the overseas development and humanitarian agencies of the Catholic Church from England and Wales (CAFOD), Scotland (SCIAF), and Ireland (Trócaire) in Ethiopia. The three agencies have over 40 years’ of experience in international development and humanitarian response and are each members of worldwide networks, including Caritas Internationalis. Currently, the three agencies jointly operate a single, integrated country programme in Ethiopia through the legal entity CST Ethiopia.

CST Ethiopia is implementing a country strategic plan focused on two programs – Women’s Empowerment and Resilient Communities, which integrates sustainable livelihoods, humanitarian and other (e.g. peacebuilding) programming.

As part of the CST Ethiopia Programme, CST Ethiopia/Trócaire has secured a grant from EU under the EUTF for a project entitled “Stability and socio-economic development for vulnerable and marginalized communities in the Tigray region of Ethiopia (T05-EUTF-HOA-ET-76)”. The overall objective of the project is to promote stability and socio economic development in vulnerable and marginalised areas of the Tigray region, in Ethiopia. The project has two components namely; i) Promotion of peace building and conflict prevention among local populations living in peripheral areas of Tigray at regional, zonal, woreda and at community levels and ii) Improvement of socio-economic opportunities for the most vulnerable and marginalized populations of the Tigray region. The project is going to be implemented in partnership with 7 implementing partners for 42 months with a total budget of €5.89 million, starting in April 2021. As the lead organization, CST Ethiopia/Trócaire is planning to open a satellite office in Tigray for proper coordination and management of the project.

CST Ethiopia/Trócaire is seeking to hire a Program Accountant with relevant experiences on managing consortium projects who is familiar to the area of operation.

For the candidate with the required experience and passion for the role, CST Ethiopia/Trócaire offers a competitive package of salary and benefits.

Scope of Role

The Program Accountant reports to Consortium Manager and functionally reported to Finance & Administration Manager of CST Ethiopia. The Program Accountant is an important role in the satellite office in Mekelle and will coordinate and manage the EU funded project to deliver the intended results in collaboration with other EUTF team.

The position holder is not a budget holder. However, it works closely with consortium manager and other program staff & Partners staff to provide technical support on other EUTF projects implemented by the Partners who are working in Tigray Regional State.

Reporting to

CST Ethiopia –Consortium Manager of EUTF-functionally report to Finance & Administration manager

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

(a) Financial Control and Bookkeeping (20%)

• In collaboration with the Consortium Manager, CST Ethiopia Finance Team and partners, as well as other program staff, ensure timely transfers of funds are made to partners.
• Prepare all the necessary financial documents pertaining to the Project;
• Ensure all the costs incurred are as per the approved budget of the Project and in compliance with the financial guidelines of the donor and CST;
• Make sure that all payments are accompanied with the necessary supporting documents and are coded accordingly;
• Work with the Financial Accountant to ensure all the floats taken from CST for the Project are settled in a timely manner and are as per the guidelines of the donor and the Office, providing guidance to partners on the same;
• Follow up the tax exemption or reimbursement process of items purchased under the Project when applicable;
• Work with the Financial Accountant to ensure all the internal transactions into Agresso in a timely manner.
• Ensure all the grants to partner’s transactions are entered into Agresso in a timely manner and that a report is generated at end of each month.

b) Financial Monitoring and Capacity building (30 %)

Ø Undertake financial monitoring visits with the Project Coordinator on a regular basis, including visits to the Project field locations, so as to check partners’ compliance with the donor’s financial management guidelines at field and head office levels;

• Provide technical support on financial management to the partners whenever the need arises;
• Be actively involved in procurement processes and ensure they are carried out in compliance with the donor’s as well as the Joint Office procurement policies and highlight any deviation from EC procedures to the Project Coordinator for immediate action.
• Assess, maintain, monitor and evaluate an awareness creation training / briefing on Financial and Procurement compliance of partners to the back donor requirements.
• Lead on reviewing partner Financial Reports (including other projects implemented by partners) alongside program team members and ensure that CST and donor requirements are being met
• Lead with, external and internal control audits as required and in the implementation of recommendations both internally and with partners.
• Assist with investigations into alleged fraud or irregularities at partner organizations
• Support Program team in the project program budget monitoring, review and reporting process
• In collaboration with the technical staff-provide comprehensive reports on major financial monitoring visits to Finance & Administration Manager and Program Manager on quarterly bases

Reporting and budget monitoring (30%)

• Compile financial reports received from each partner into a monthly consolidated report to be submitted to the FAM, Business Development & Compliance Advisor(BDCA) and Consortium Manager (CM), and consolidated quarterly and annual reports to be submitted to the EC, in the EC format (see JD for details

Job Requirements

Person Specification – Essential Requirements

 Qualification

•  University Degree in Accounting or Business Administration

Experience

• Significant familiar experience in EC/EU grant Projects
• Sound experience of budgetary and financial management
• In-depth understanding of financial management inn a partnership model, working in a partnership-based INGO-
• Experience with EU rules, systems and procedures
• Experience of working with management information system

Skills

• Committed to meet deadlines
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills
• Highly organized, with excellent planning, prioritization and problem-solving skills
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills
• Competent in Microsoft packages (Word, Excel)
• Fluency (written and spoken) in English

Qualities

• Strong commitment to principles of partnership, solidarity, social justice and localization
• Good interpersonal relationships and team work skills
• Proactive, participatory and result oriented approach to work
• Excellent networking skills with the ability to establish good relationships, confident in engaging with colleagues, partners and stakeholders
• Culturally sensitive and diplomatic
• Willingness to travel, including independently
•  Self-motivated with proven ability to take initiative, priorities tasks and work to deadlines
• Flexible and adaptable
• Accuracy and attention to detail

Other

• Availability to work outside normal hours to meet deadlines
• Commitment to principles of safeguarding of program participants

Qualification

• ACCA Qualification is an asset
• IPSAS Citification is an asset

Experience

• Fluency in one or more local languages
• Experience in peace building and socio-economic development projects
• Experience working in partnerships with local and international NGOs
• Experience working in and coordinating consortium projects

How to Apply

Interested and qualified applicants can apply through the following link

For the candidate with the required experience and passion for the role, CST Ethiopia offers a competitive package of salary and benefits.

Commitment to Safeguarding Program Participants from Exploitation and Abuse : CST Ethiopia is committed to Safeguarding people within our programs from Exploitation and Abuse and has specific policies on the commitment (including a Global Code of Conduct) that outlines the expected behavior and responsibility of all staff, consultants and other organizational representatives. Any candidate offered a job with CST Ethiopia would be expected to sign CST Ethiopia, i.e. Trócaire’s, Safeguarding Policies, Global Code of Conduct and other integrity policies within a month of joining CST Ethiopia as appendices to their contract of employment. All employees of CST Ethiopia must agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.