Finance Officer

Country Office: Ethiopia

Work Base: Gambella

Availability: As Soon As Possible

Number of positions: One

 Salary Scale: EMS06

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply for this position

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger-USA is a global humanitarian organization that takes decisive action against the causes and effects of hunger. We save the lives of malnourished children and we enable entire communities to be free from hunger. With more than 8,000 staff in over 50 countries, our programs reached 17 million people in 2019.

About the Country Program in Ethiopia

Action Against Hunger has been operational in Ethiopia since 1984 responding to both chronic and acute needs through a multi-sectoral strategy where nutrition, Food Security and Livelihoods, WASH, and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support activities are integrated to have a meaningful impact on people’s resilience.

Action Against Hunger currently operates in 5 different regions (Oromia, Somali, Amhara, Benishangul Gumuz, and Gambella) with a portfolio of 20m USD/year of emergency, resilience building, research, and innovation programs. We have a country team of around 600 staff in 17 regional and satellite offices. Our main donors in Ethiopia in 2020/2021 are BHA, ECHO, Europaid, UNHCR, UNICEF, GFFO, BPRM, SIDA, EHF, WFP, CIAA, and others.

Summary of position

• Manage the compliance Review of transaction supporting Documentation and Management of the Financial Documentation Aspects of the field office.  

The Finance Officer role’s purpose, engagement, and delivery are: 

Purpose (The substantive focus of the job encompassing scope, depth, and difficulty of work both conceptual and applied) 

Objective 1: Compliance Review of transaction supporting Documentation and Management of the financial documentation aspects of the field office.

• Review all Payment documents submitted for payment to perform the review process
• Check the completeness of supporting documents for all transactions as per the standard compliance checklist before payment is effected by the field accountant
• Ensure all supporting documents have the minimum required information and validation
• Pass the reviewed and complete document to the field accountant for payment
• Reconcile each proof of payments with transaction type and the amount reported in the monthly accountancy
• Prepare the monthly financial document compliance to follow up tool on monthly basis before sending the financial document to the head office
• Ensure Final review of hardcopy financial documents is done at field level before sending to the head office
• Ensure financial documents are delivered to the capital office in respect of the deadline
• Facilitating the preparation of monthly accountancy bundle and sending
• Act responsibly for feedback in terms of financial supporting documentation from head office
• Ensure the transaction is posted in the accountancy with the right data

Engagement: (The focus of interaction both internally and externally needed to deliver a service seek collaboration and build effective partnerships)

Objective 2: Supplementary Tasks

• Perform an additional task assigned by the direct line manager ;(N+1) in line with the job description and plan of action
• Mandatory to report in case of hear or encounter of any case of immorality to the field coordinator,
• Ensure good relations with a financial partner (bank, tax, office, another financial service provider, etc..)
• Provide out base support upon request of coordination office.
• Manage the field office cash and Bank Transaction
• Manage the petty cash and bank transaction of the field office
• Effect payments in cash, by cheque, or through bank transfer letter in respect of the cash management policy
• Check the completeness and compliance of supporting documents before processing the payments
• Prepare check payments and present them to signatories for signature based on the level of signatories in the cash management policy.
• Prepare withholding tax receipt for suppliers in case of transaction above the minimum WHT exempted amount
• Make the payments voucher signed by the payee
• Pay pension and tax to authorities within the same month of the transaction

Delivery: (The focus on the execution of the work and the role on the team for supporting business/operational functions in terms of timeliness and quality)

• Release advance requested upon validation and in respect to the advance policy
• Ensure the advance is recorded on the advance book and the recipient signed while collecting the advance
• Ensure all advances collected are settled before the end of the week either in cash or complete and appropriate transaction supporting documents
• Translate transaction supporting documents as needed
• Post-transaction in cash books and bank books based on the source of the transaction on a daily basis
• Ensure standard descriptions are used while posting the transactions
• Charge transaction on the appropriate budget and budget line
• Perform bank reconciliation every month
• Perform reconciliation of book balance against cash balance in safe
• Execute weekly cash count with line manager
• Ensure there is no outstanding advance at the end of the month
• Close the monthly accountancy latest on the last working day of the month
• Archiving of supporting documents for all transactions of the month
• Perform cash withdrawal from bank for replenishment of safe /cash boxes
• Keep updated information on the bank balance and provide information to the senior field finance officer for treasury forecast purposes and other staff upon request. 

Supervisory Responsibilities 

• Not Applicable 

Gender Equality Commitments  

• Foster an environment that supports the values of women and men, and equal access to information.
• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion. race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status. 
• Value and respect all cultures.  

Fiscal Responsibility

• Pitty Cash and Safe box management

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Working Conditions, Travel, and Environment

• The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required.
• Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business purposes. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high-security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases. 

Job Requirements

Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

• A bachelor's degree in Accounting or a related subject, as well as 2+ years of related job experience.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Good command of the English language,
• Accounting software and good computer skills
• Strong planning skill
• Ability to forecast
• Problem-solving skills
• Ability to work to deadlines
• Professionalism,
• Team Work and motivation
• Autonomy
• Analytical thinking skills
• Financial management skills
• Attention to detail

How to Apply

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

If you are interested, please send your application composed of none returnable CV, Covering Letter with “ Finance Officer” written in the subject line, and three references, applicants to the following addresses:

Through CLICK HERE

Or Directly In-Person to Action Against Hunger- Gambella Coordination Office

NB: Only short listed applicants will be, communicated on and selection process includes technical test and an interview. Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply for this position.