Organisation Overview

The Pharo Foundation (the ‘’Foundation”) is a privately funded entrepreneurial organisation 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, the Foundation has been implementing numerous programmes in Ethiopia and Somaliland and is in the process of expanding into Rwanda and Kenya. The strategic pillars of the Foundation are education, health, water, and agriculture. One such example is the ongoing implementation of a large-scale water project in Somaliland with the aim of bringing water to 6,000 households and their livestock. In 2020, the Foundation also established Pharo Ventures, its wholly owned social enterprise arm, with the objectives of economic value and job creation in East Africa.

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

Headquartered in London, the Foundation has an operational head office in Nairobi, Kenya with Country Offices in Ethiopia (Addis Ababa and Assosa), Somaliland (Hargeisa), and Rwanda (Kigali) with further expansion plans in Africa. 

Position Summary

The Senior 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 compliance, budgeting, reporting, and contributing to the overall financial management of the Assosa Programme Office. The Foundation is interested in hiring a competent and dedicated Senior 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.

• Generate monthly transactions and ensure expenses are recorded to the correct budget codes.

• Produce monthly detailed Budget Variance Analysis (BVA) of the programme and operating costs, obtain variance explanation from budget holders, and submit to the Country Office Finance team. 

• Review purchase documents critically, and consult the Programme Manager/Finance and Admin Manager on contentious issues. 

• Maintain strong internal control systems in financial and property management. 

• Assist the Country Office Finance team during management account report preparation.  

• Ensure internal controls are strictly adhered to.

• 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 team, Regional/Head-quarter Finance team

Job Requirements

Qualification Requirements

• BA degree with a major in accounting from a reputable university.

• Minimum 9 years of relevant work experience. 

• Non-for-profit experience is a plus.

• Experience in handling financial management and budget monitoring software.

• Excellent computer skills, and ability to work on accounting software. 

• Very good planning & organisational skills.

• Strong analytical skills and good knowledge of financial techniques.

• 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

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.

Please send the information listed below, as a single PDF file, to the following email address: recruiting.et@pharofoundation.org. Please indicate “Senior Finance Officer- Assosa” in the email subject line.   

1. A detailed CV and Covering Letter. In your cover letter, please state where you heard about this position or saw it advertised e.g. through our website, jobs board, etc.

2. A 1000-word essay on the below:

   1. What experience have you gained that makes you the most qualified candidate for the role?

   2. What major challenges would you envisage in Finance and Accounting in Ethiopia and how would you contribute to resolving these using your experience?

3. A one-page list of five references with current addresses, phone numbers, and email contacts.