Title: Finance Officer

Location: Addis Ababa

Employment Category:  H1

Reporting To: Country Deputy Finance Manager

Direct Reports: N/A

Start of Contract & Duration:  12 Months

Posting date: March 16, 2022

INTRODUCTION

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC), an international non-governmental organization (NGO), has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997. DRC promotes and supports solutions to the problems faced by refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs), and migrants. The organization has offices across the region and has been operational in Ethiopia since 2009. With funding from bilateral and multilateral donors, DRC is currently implementing a range of activities across Ethiopia and Djibouti, including WASH and shelter provision, child and youth protection, Gender-based violence response, awareness-raising of migration risks, protection monitoring of migration routes, and livelihoods support for returning migrants or those at-risk of migration.

OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE ROLE:

The Country Finance Officer will be responsible for several critical tasks related to financial compliance and maintenance of DRC’s ERP system, Microsoft Dynamics, with regards to employee resource scheduling, payment, and timesheets. 

The Finance Officer prepares and posts time sheet for all staff across DRC Ethiopia and Djibouti, utilizing DRC’s ERP system, Microsoft Dynamics; Reviews payroll for approval & payment; completes all employee resource scheduling to projects on a monthly basis based on expense forecasts in liaison with Budget Holders and Area Managers; Reviews all project TDLs and rebooks country office costs and/or inter office transactions, if required in liaison with Area Manager and/or Budget Holders on a monthly basis.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Finance and cash management

• Manage day-to-day accounting functions, including regular cash verification, cash/bank reconciliation, monthly cashbooks closing, and advances’ reconciliation.
• Ensure payment request/documents are reviewed to ensure DRC/Donor documentation guidelines (Including checking of project code/budget line, availability of funds) are adhered; payments are finalized within three working days.
• To ensure that advances and deposits are settled within 2 weeks after an outlay is taken.
• Ensure that payment documents comply with DRC internal financial procedures and donor regulations and are entered into the DRC accounting system in a timely and high-quality manner
• Review and sign off cash counts weekly together with the cashier/finance assistant. This also requires review of the reconciliations for petty cash done by the finance assistant.
• Review Bank Transfer requests from Field Offices before they are submitted through DRC Dynamics for HQ approval.
• Review Delegation scheme and update the bank signatories, as and when required.
• Maintain an archiving system for transaction vouchers for all transactions booked on Dynamics, with proper referencing and ensure they are attached on system journals and TDL.
• Ensure all documents are scanned and uploaded in Dynamics
• Ensure all cashbooks are uploaded into Dynamics accounting system
• Prepare the bank reconciliation on Monthly basis and submit to the Finance Controller on 7th Every Month
• Monitor and ensure rents and insurances are amortized on a monthly base.
• Support on donor and financial audits by retrieving requested vouchers and liaison with Country Finance Controller for missing files.
• Maintains overview of balance sheet items and ensure there is no outstanding item older than a month. Responsible for banking activities and ensure the safeguarding of all available funds.

Time sheet, Staff Resource Scheduling & Payroll

• Maintain the staff resource scheduling for all country & field staff as per the budget allocation table and update on monthly basis DRC’s ERP system, Microsoft Dynamics, on a monthly base.
• Ensure that all staff time sheets are posted as per the Month End checklist deadlines and coordinate with all line managers in country and area offices when manual posting of timesheets is required. Liaise with Finance Manager for any errors encountered.
• Update the monthly staff salary and benefits allocation table monthly and ensure that all resource scheduling and timesheets are posted correctly, by the 05th of each month
• Produce timesheets for all DRC Ethiopia staff in Microsoft Dynamics by the 05th of each month
• Review all payroll requests received from HR and ensure accuracy prior to submission to the Finance Manager for approval
• Prepare the payroll in Microsoft Dynamics Journal format for monthly posting
• Review unallocated salary expenses on the interim accounts, on monthly basis and submit the salary allocations to the Finance Manager

Local Tax management

• Coordinate with Area Finance, HR/Admin staff and/or with NGO Liaison bodies to obtain relevant local tax laws/requirements and ensure DRC/DDG is following same. This includes obtaining tax exemptions (i.e., Value Added Tax [VAT]) letters on yearly basis.
• Ensure compliance with relevant country statutory and other financial obligations such as tax, levies, and statutory returns
• Review Addis and Field Office Xes accounts and prepare monthly reconciled schedules for payroll tax (PT), Withholding Tax (WHT), and Pension fund (PF), including Liaise with Field Offices and ensure that all field-related PT, WHT, and PF are paid to local tax offices appropriately; and report on and ensure that all tax and pension obligations are settled regularly and per legal requirements.

Microsoft Dynamics Specific tasks

• Work closely with HR to ensure that Employee Setup is complete, including reporting, open positions, and compensation and benefits are completed to avoid errors with financial processing of resource allocations and salary journals in Microsoft Dynamics.
• Ensure offline local payroll is imported to Dynamics via the salary expense journal process, in collaboration with Finance team, and as per the month end closure timeline/checklist.
• Work with Finance Manager to ensure required data for run distribution is correctly mapped and posted as per Shared Cost Allocation policy.
• Support in roll out of DRC Dynamics including training of new staff and the existing light users.

Others

• Support the development and implementation of financial management capacity building of staff, both finance and non-finance professionals.
• Provide technical support and advice to the Area finance teams (Officers and Assistants)
• Minimize financial risks by ensuring that DRC/DDG financial policies and procedures as set in Operations Handbook and any other CO/RO/HQ instructions are strictly adhered to through predefined effective internal control system.
• Check on the completeness, accuracy, and validity of information regarding payment documents during field visits & during review of scanned vouchers.
• Support in the implementation of recommendations raised through internal & external audits, compliance audits etc.,
• Participate in conducting trainings for staff in the field offices and develop their technical skills by ensuring all processes related to organizational policies, donor guidelines and governmental requirements are adhered to.
• Support Finance Controller in internal and external audit processes
• The responsibilities listed in the JD are not exhaustive and may be readjusted according to operational needs but will remain in line with the overall purpose of the role.

Job Requirements

Experience and Technical Competencies: (include years of experience)

Essential:

• Minimum 3 years of relevant work experience in field of finance/accounting/book keeping in an NGO, UN or the commercial sector.
• Excellent proficient user of MS Excel, able to perform complex formulas, PivotTables, and conduct financial analysis utilizing Excel tools
• Experience in preparation of Donor budget and reporting for Danida/SIDA/USAID/EU/UN donors.

Desirable:

• Experience with Microsoft Dynamics or other ERP systems for financial operations
• Experience with on-the-job training or coaching of colleagues
• Ability to prepare basic training modules on accounting management and conduct training.

Education (include certificates, licenses, etc.):

• University degree in Finance/Accounting/Commerce/Business Administration

Languages: (indicate fluency level)

• Fluency in written and spoken English. Fluency in local spoken languages.

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master DRC’s core competencies:

• Striving for Excellence: Focusing on reaching results while ensuring efficient processes.
• Collaborating: Involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.
• Taking the lead: Taking ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: Listening and speaking effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: Acting in line with DRC's vision and values

How to Apply

CLICK HERE

Interested candidates who meet the required qualifications and experience are invited to submit an updated CV and cover letter explaining their motivation and why they are suited for the post.

We only accept applications sent via our online-application form on www.drc.ngo under Vacancies. 

Please forward the application and CV, in English through the stated website no later than March 29, 2022.

For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult www.drc.ngo

Gender Equality: DRC is committed to achieving gender parity in staffing at all levels. In light of this, women candidates are particularly encouraged to apply to bridge the gender gap.

Equal Opportunities: DRC is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment based on mutual respect for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, disability status, religion, ethnic origin, colour, race, marital status or other protected characteristics

We encourage only qualified Ethiopian Nationals to apply. DRC considers all applicants based on merit.