•  Jul 31, 2024

•  Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

•  Full-time

•  CIFOR-ICRAF

The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) Ethiopia Country Office seeks to recruit a Finance Officer III to provide finance and accounting support to projects registered under CIFOR in the CIFOR-ICRAF Ethiopia Office ensuring compliance to CIFOR-ICRAF policies and procedures and liaise with HQ on matters requiring immediate attention.

The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) is a non-profit, scientific institution that conducts research on the most pressing challenges of forest and landscape management around the world. CIFOR-ICRAF envisions a more equitable world where forestry and landscapes enhance the environment and well-being of all. Its aim to improve human well-being, protect the environment, and increase equity is based on innovative research that help inform decision makers and develop partners’ capacity. To do so CIFOR-ICRAF actively engages in dialogue with all stakeholders to inform policies and practices that affect forests and people. Before its merger with ICRAF, CIFOR has been operating in Ethiopia since 2005 and is expanding its activities to better support its national partners, notably the Ethiopian Forestry Development (EFD). It has been actively working with EFD in the co-design and implementation of various forestry projects in Ethiopia.

Key Responsibilities:

• Managing country office project budget as per the CIFOR-ICRAF grant guidelines and donor’s requirement;

• Ensure the country office is operating in compliance with CIFOR-ICRAF financial systems and policies;

• Facilitate and manage travel for staff, consultants and staff from partner institutions, in Preparing Travel Authorization (TAs) and follow-up on timely payments with CIFOR-ICRAF finance;

• Contribute to the development of CIFOR-ICRAF country office work plans, annual budgets, and proposal development for program/project activities;

• Manage financial systems, files, and maintain CIFOR-ICRAF online accounting system;

• Provide financial oversight, including the maintenance and monitoring of the project budget;

• Ensure monthly & annual closing process and the preparation of schedules and relevant reports for the CIFOR-ICRAF country office;

• Provide budget holders/PI with project’s current financial status;

• Represent the country office’s financial functions to internal and external stakeholders by sharing; information, organizing, and holding meetings as necessary and seeking feedbacks from customers and taking actions accordingly;

• Ensure preparation and timely submission of complete and accurate donor financial reports for grants implemented in the country office;

• Track the transfer of funds from CIFOR-ICRAF headquarters and manage accounting and finance records of in-country expenses, including developing tracking and monitoring all financial project activities, and maintaining current project expense data;

• Ensure sufficient cash is maintained with CIFOR-ICRAF bank account for project activity implementation, forecast budget, and liaise with Head Quarters for the transfer of the fund;

• Ensuring sufficient cash is available for recurring costs with ILRI, as per the signed host institute agreement;

• Review, reconcile and monitor all accounts, including major project operating accounts and petty cash operations involving cash advances;

• Advise project staffs on CIFOR-ICRAF financial requirements & policies and provide OCS and MyTree trainings;

• Ensure payments are processed within predetermined time after verifying the requests received do have sufficient/appropriate supporting evidence and are mathematically correct, compliance to policy and procedures and proper authorization;

• Ensure transactions are recorded accurately in the system;

• Ensure the travel advance requested from CIFOR-ICRAF staff, national partner staff, graduate students (PhD & MSc.), Post-doctoral fellows and consultants are processed timely after confirming the previous advances are cleared;

• Ensure CIFOR-ICRAF country office staffs accounts are analyzed & communicated;

• Ensure advance liquidation or expense recording are processed on time, facilitate and support auditing of projects by availing all necessary and requested documents by auditor/s; 

• Ascertain supporting documents presented for advance settlement/expense recording are appropriate, sufficient and in line with CIFOR-ICRAF’s travel policy;

• Performs other duties assigned by the supervisors, Country Director and other staffs as appropriate and needed.

Job Requirements:

Education

• Bachelors’ Degree (Finance/Accounting/Economics preferable)

• Be a Certified Public Accountant in Ethiopia recognized by the relevant body

Experience:

• Seven years of relevant experience in international organizations or NGO sector

• Experience in payables accounting

• Experience in handling audits

• Experience in proposal budget formulation and financial management of projects/grants including donor reporting

Skills:

• Proficiency in MS office, accounting software – UNIT4 Business World (Agresso)would be an added advantage

• Fluent in English

• Attention to detail and accuracy in verification of documents

• Excellent Microsoft Excel skills 

• Excellent administrative and organizational skills

• Excellent analytical skills

• Able to prioritize workload and maintain confidentiality

• Excellent interpersonal skills, demonstrated ability to work effectively in a multicultural team

• Have initiative and be capable of working independently as well as in a team

• Good verbal and written communication skills

• Ability to organize and manage multiple priorities, work under pressure, and meet tight deadlines

• Strong self-starter with initiative to identify opportunities and take appropriate action Strong team player with ability to work in virtual teams

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work and communicate effectively with a broad spectrum of individuals in a multicultural team

• Ability to train others on policies, procedures, and processes

• Ability to think through problems and come up with proposed solutions

• Good understanding of financial management, reporting and accounting and related controls.

Duty Station:  Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Job Grade:   HG 15

Monthly Base Salary: Birr 71,122 (Negotiable depending on the salary history of the candidate).

Terms of appointment:  This is a National Staff (NS) position, initial appointment is fixed term for two years with the possibility of renewal, contingent upon individual performance and the availability of funding. The ILRI remuneration package for nationally recruited staff in Ethiopia includes very competitive salary and benefits such as life and medical insurance, offshore pension plan, etc. The ILRI campus is set in a secure, attractive campus in Addis Ababa. Dining and sports facilities are located on site.

How to Apply

Applications: Applicants should provide a cover letter and curriculum vitae; names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to be included in the curriculum vitae. The position and reference number: FO/CIFOR-ICRAF/24/24 should be clearly indicated in the subject line of the cover letter.

All applications to be submitted online on our recruitment portal using THIS LINK by clicking on the "Apply Now" tab above before 30 July 2024.

ILRI does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training).