Job Description

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Suisse (VSF-Suisse) is a politically and religiously neutral humanitarian organisation with its head office in Berne. VSF-Suisse fights hunger, poverty, destitution and illness to benefit those populations who depend on livestock for their livelihood. VSF-Suisse works both in humanitarian aid and 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 is implementing a regional 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 project aims to improve the well-being and resilience 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. HEAL project Phase 1 is on implementation for four years (November 2020 to October 2024) and will be followed by a subsequent 8-year implementation phase. The project is co-funded by the Swiss Development Cooperation.

Job Responsibilities and Key Tasks

VSF-Suisse seeks to hire a Regional Finance and Admin Officer with the overall financial and administrative responsibility of the HEAL Project to be implemented in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. S/He will support 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 implementing the HEAL and its co-funding projects. S/He will be responsible for supporting the Regional HEAL project manager in finance management, reviewing grants and ensuring the project strictly adheres to standard requirements of VSF-Suisse and specific donor requirements. S/he will also support the Ethiopia country office of VSF-Suisse in ensuring proper admin and Compliance procedures and practices are in place.

 Responsibility # 1: Project Accounting of HEAL and its Co-Funded Projects

•      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.

 Responsibility # 2: Financial Management of HEAL and its Co-Funded Projects

• Oversee the financial management of HEAL and its co-funding project.

•  Work with country-level finance staff to ensure everyone works toward the agreed financial management standards, 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 organisations' staff on financial management control and reporting.

• Make regular site visits, and monitor field expenditures to ensure that project funds are utilised 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.

•  Lead budget development for new co-funding projects and future phases of the project.

 Responsibility # 3: Cash Management of HEAL and its Co-Funded Projects

•   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 partners and stakeholders by following their project budgets and cash flow.

•  Ensure monthly cash forecast, review against the available budget and facilitate cash transfer for VSF – Suisse, Ethiopia country office HEAL field offices.

•  Conduct proper follow­­-up of advance settlements.

 Responsibility # 4: Project Controlling & Reporting related to HEAL & its Co-Funding Projects

•  Ensure that solid financial and accounting 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 each country and partner office maintains and reviews the project monitoring reports and management accounts.

•   Follow up on partners' financial reports, analyse them and make recommendations to the regional HEAL project manager and Head of Finance and Operations (VSF-Suisse Ethiopia office).

•   Ensure timely and accurate financial reporting to the donor.

•   Ensure compliance and understanding of donor terms throughout the countries of intervention

•  Prepare and monitor budgets to ascertain that spending occurs as planned and those variances are anticipated, noted, and corrected; ensure that the budget holder is aware of budgetary resources and can monitor timely.

•   Review and consolidate monthly financial reports to ensure accuracy and to provide regular feedback to consortium members and the regional team.

 Responsibility # 5: Project audits to HEAL and its Co-Funded Projects

•   Organise 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.

 Responsibility # 6: Administration Activities (HEAL + VSF-Suisse | Ethiopia Country Office)

•   Lead the recruitment, induction and placement of new staff.

•   Ensure that personal files of the employees are appropriately maintained;

•   Ensure all the required HRM processes are pursued and adequately managed, including staff annual leave management and performance appraisal.

•   Ensure that procurements are done in a transparent and timely manner.

•   Ensure availability of updated inventory and that all assets are maintained and appropriately documented;

•  Ensure proper management of vehicles, including utilisation of logbooks consistently.

•   Support the HEAL Project Manager's follow-up on settling financial agreements relating to consultancy agreements and general logistical arrangements.

•    Organising travel and accommodation for HEAL staff.

• Arranging HEAL project events (both internal and external).

 Responsibility # 7: Compliance (HEAL + VSF-Suisse | Ethiopia Country Office)

•   Lead the development of safeguarding framework and procedures and ensure they are consistent with VSF-Suisse’s corporate safeguarding policies and procedures, including Whistle-blowing.

•    Ensure that safer recruitment procedures are in place.

•    Promote a vigilant and transparent safeguarding culture throughout VSF-Ethiopia Country Office and the HEAL project.

•   Ensure that HEAL and VSF-Suisse projects comply with the requirements of donors and the respective implementation countries.

•   Network with the UN agencies, other donors and INGOs to receive security updates to inform safe staff movement within the project catchment.

Job Requirements

Essential Criteria

  A Master's degree in Accounting and Finance and a professional accounting qualification are essential for this post. Any application not fulfilling these criteria will not be taken into consideration.

• Experience in managing and supporting teams working remotely.

•     At least ten years of experience working in an INGO, preferably a regional position

•   Extensive experience in a wide range of donors, including Swiss Development Cooperation, DFID/FCDO, EU, etc., is an advantage.

• 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 and a medical and social insurance scheme.

Entry date and contract length

Immediate start-up, with a fixed-term contract of three years, renewable every year.

 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 3 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 e-mail subject to heal@vsf-suisse.org by 9th August 2022(midnight).