Company Overview

The Pharo Foundation (the ‘’Foundation”) is a privately funded entrepreneurial organization that runs philanthropic programmes as well as a for-profit arm, Pharo Ventures. The Vision of the Foundation is an economically vibrant and inclusive Africa. The Mission is to achieve the Vision by investing in the human and physical capital of Africa, with a strong focus on job creation.

Established in 2011 as a UK based non-profit, the Foundation has since made a strategic shift to directly design and implement its own programmes to ensure greater engagement with communities, better results, and increased accountability. The Foundation has carried out numerous projects in East Africa, with a focus on Ethiopia and Somaliland, and is now expanding operations in Rwanda and Kenya. The key strategic pillars for the philanthropic side of the Foundation are education, health, water, and agriculture. At the end of 2019, the Foundation also started its Pharo Ventures franchise to prioritise sectors where the Foundation believes a real impact can be made by establishing self-sustaining businesses, which focus on job and economic value creation. 

The Foundation has a programme office in Assosa, the regional capital of Ethiopia's Benishangul Gumuz Regional State (BGRS), with plans to expand to the Amhara region. Since its establishment in 2016, the Foundation’s programme office has been working on an integrated livelihood development program that covers agriculture, water, health, and education.

Headquartered in the UK (London), the Foundation has an operational head office in Kenya (Nairobi) with country offices in Ethiopia (Addis Ababa and Assosa), Somaliland (Hargeisa) and Rwanda (Kigali).

Position Summary

The Finance Officer will be responsible for supporting the programme office in enhancing accounting records and providing support to the Finance and Administration Unit. The ideal candidate will be tasked with reviewing financial documents, recording financial transactions, reporting, and contributing to the financial management of the Assosa Program office, Assosa School, and Diagnostic Centre in BGRS. The Foundation is interested in hiring a competent and dedicated Finance Officer who is passionate about its work and finds fulfillment in making a real impact.           

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Review payment requests, and ensure alignment with the Foundation’s policies, approved budget, tax law, and sound financial management.
• Record bills, general vouchers, and cash receipts in Xero weekly.
• Review and sign payment vouchers in collaboration with the Finance and Administration Coordinator (FAC).
• Prepare cheque and cheque payment vouchers for approved and authorized disbursements.
• Ensure all expenses are recorded with the correct code.
• Produce monthly reconciliations in collaboration with FAC.
• Ensure staff advances, income tax, and pension payable accounts are settled on time.
• Ensure unused and used chequebooks, payment vouchers, cash receipt vouchers, and related vouchers are recorded and archived in a traceable manner. 
• Ensure Assosa Programme Office has optimum cash balance at any point in time by facilitating fund requests and following-up timely transfers.
• Monitor that cheques are used sequentially, appropriately, and completed correctly.
• Ensure vouchers are scanned and filed in both the internal database and Xero.
• Update fixed asset register regularly.
• Critically review purchase documents and contact FAC or Finance and Administration Manager (FAM) if there are any enquiries.
• Maintain strong internal control systems in financial and property managements.
• Ensure that all cash operation procedures and internal controls are strictly adhered to.
• Carry out cash count and updates at the end of every week and at any other interval as deemed necessary.
• Reconcile primary school fee collection, record management, and facilitate timely deposits to the bank.
• Support the Finance and Administration Assistant and Cashier on cash management and storekeeper on stock control as well as store management.
• Collect and file all payment-related paperwork with its supporting documents.
• Other duties as assigned by the line manager.

Location:  Assosa, BGRS

Contract Type: Permanent

Reporting to: Finance and Administration Coordinator, Assosa.

Functional Relationships: Country Office Finance Unit, Assosa Program Office, Pharo Diagnostic Centre, Pharo Boarding School Homosha , and Pharo Primary School Assosa. 

Job Requirements

Qualification Requirements

• BA degree with a major in accounting from a recognized university.
• Minimum 7 years of relevant work experience.
• Non-for-profit experience is a plus.
• Experience in handling financial management and budget monitoring software.
• Excellent computer skills, especially Xero Accounting software.
• Very good planning & organizational skills.
• Strong analytical skill and good knowledge of financial technique.
• Fluency in spoken and written Amharic and English. 

Personal Attributes

• Great attention to detail and a flexible approach to work.
• High level of commitment and self-motivation
• High professional and ethical standards.
• Positive outlook and outgoing personality with solid interpersonal and diplomatic skills.
• Structured and process-oriented.
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to balance multiple priorities.
• Motivated to learn and perform and not afraid to ask questions.
• Willing to challenge the status quo and add value by introducing positive change.
• Excellent communicator and comfortable working in a team environment.
• Demonstrate the ability of strong communication skills in English verbally and in writing.

How to Apply

Applicants should send a detailed CV and Covering Letter, a 1000-word essay on the below: What experience have you gained that makes you the most qualified candidate for the role? What major challenges would you envisage in Finance and Accounting in Ethiopia and how would you contribute to resolve these using your experience? And one-page list of five references with current addresses, phone numbers, and email contacts via email: recruiting.et@pharofoundation.org

Note: Review of complete applications will be on a rolling basis. In the event that we identify an outstanding candidate early in the search process, we reserve the right to appoint before the deadline. For this reason, we encourage interested candidates to apply at the earliest possible time. Due to the high volume of applications, we regret that we will only be able to contact shortlisted candidates. Send the information listed above, as a single PDF file. Indicate “Finance Officer- Assosa” in the email subject line.