Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER) is the aid organization of the Protestant Churches of Switzerland and has its headquarters in Zurich/Switzerland. Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER) works towards a more humane and more equitable world, assisting people and communities to overcome economic, social or humanitarian disparities in order to gain autonomy and to live with dignity both in Switzerland and abroad. Therefore, Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER) engages in development cooperation, humanitarian aid and church cooperation working in more than 30 countries and running around 200 projects world-wide. Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER) is a member of the ACT Alliance. Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER) - Ethiopia Country office is recruiting a Finance Coordinator for its Country Office.

The Finance Coordinator supports the Finance and Administration Manager, Programme Manager, and other country program and project teams in Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER) by ensuring the efficient and effective management of financial operations. This role is responsible for the preparation and monitoring of budgets, processing financial transactions, and ensuring compliance with both internal and external financial policies. The Finance Coordinator also plays a key role in financial reporting, managing cash flow, and supporting audits and financial reviews. 

Position: Finance Coordinator 

Subordinates: Finance Officer (1), Accountant (2) and Finance Assistant (1)

Duty Station: Addis Ababa Country office with frequent travel to field sites in different regions of Ethiopia

Required No: 1

Duration of Employment: 2 Years with possibility of extension, based on funding availability.

Salary:  As per the scale of the organization and benefit package

Responsibilities

Financial Management

Conduct monthly account reconciliations thoroughly and report any discrepancies or issues that require attention to the Finance and Administration Manager.

Ensure all payments are properly authorized, adhering to established authorization levels.

Ensure the accurate and timely processing of payroll and income tax payments for staff, maintaining compliance with local tax laws.

Follow up the timely submission of the time reporting sheet from HR and verify its reconciliation with actual expenses and the approved budget. 

Prepare monthly summary of financial reports and budget versus actual reports for the Finance and Administration Manager for tracking expenditure against the approved budget.

Identify and report key financial risk 

Identify and update cost recovery target for each project and submit for review 

Ensure compliance with HEKS/EPER’s financial policies.

Budget Development

Coordinate and support the proposal budgeting among team members. Collaborate with the program and finance team during the budget development and budget revision processes

Support the program team in proposal development by providing accurate estimated costs as needed, based on the CO cost recovery strategy

Cash Management 

Ensure that sufficient cash is consistently available to support activities by maintaining an accurate cash flow forecasting system and requesting transfers from HQ promptly.

Verify that all financial transactions are accurately recorded in the Business Central (BC) accounting system, while providing necessary training and support to staff members utilizing the system.

Ensure timely and secure processing of payments across all country operations, including payroll, tax payments, payments to suppliers, and partners.

Grants Management 

Review of financial reports prepared for submission to the donors to ensure its accurate and complete, in line with donor contract requirements

Monitor and update the Grant Tracking Sheet with the necessary information as required.

Ensure proper filing of grant agreements and related documents for effective tracking and future reference.

Update SharePoint by uploading relevant documents linked to each grant under the respective project numbers.

Monitor monthly budget forecasts for all projects and provide regular updates to the program team.

Audit 

Perform pre-audit tasks in coordination with the finance team to ensure all necessary documentation and records are prepared and compliant with audit requirements.

Ensure that the project audit is conducted in accordance with the donor contract agreement.

Ensure the full implementation of audit recommendations and findings.

Follow up on audit issues and provide appropriate responses, with support from the Finance and Program teams.

Oversee the preparation of annual statutory accounts, ensuring compliance with all statutory and accounting regulations. Manage the relationship with external auditor to guarantee the audit process and the final accounts are completed efficiently and within the required timelines.

Ensure that the audited accounts and related reports are submitted to the FDRE ACSO within the deadlines.

Partners (partner organizations)

Conduct on-site financial monitoring of POs on a regular basis. Analyse the information in the POs’ record-keeping and reporting system and report key findings. Produce financial monitoring report and list of recommendations to be sent to the partners. 

Provide ongoing technical assistance to the POs in the development of effective and reliable financial management systems.

Provide finance and compliance training for partners, as and when necessary and approved by Finance and Administration Manager. 

Ensure that POs’ financial reports are checked, problems identified and communicated back to POs for correction/clarification and reported to Finance and Administration Manager. 

Staffing

Oversee the finance team to ensure the effective management and successful execution of all finance and accounting operations.
Conduct performance evaluations for all assigned staff, establish individual performance objectives, and provide well-informed recommendations for personnel decisions.
Assist in developing a capacity-building plan for the finance team.

Job Requirements

BA degree in Accounting and Finance or any other similar relevant field

A minimum of 7 years work experience in similar position in an INGO with strong financial management.

Advanced use of MS Excel required, experience with Business Central desired

Experience with SharePoint desirable

Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines

Excellent organization skills, including time management & prioritization

Excellent command of English and reporting skills

Command of other local Ethiopian languages is a plus

Good computer skills

Diligent and trustworthy personality

Analytical skills

Willingness to adhere to HEKS/EPER’s values, guiding principles and governance framework

Desirable

Demonstrable experience with large institutional donors desirable

Experience in capacity building of local institutions desirable

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates can apply by sending

• Apply using THIS LINK

• An updated Curriculum Vitae (make sure to include contact details of three professional referees)

• Current and expected remuneration

Only shortlisted applications will be contacted.

 Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply

 Deadline for application: December 27, 2024