Light for the World is a global development organisation. We empower people with disabilities and enable eye health services in low-income countries. Over the last three decades we improved health systems, enabled education for all, and amplified the voices of people with disabilities. We focus on the poorest and hardest to reach because that’s where we will have the biggest impact. 

Our programmes include:

• Eye Health – preventing blindness and promoting eye health for all.

• Inclusive Education – ensuring children with disabilities receive quality, inclusive education.

• Inclusive Economic Empowerment – ensuring that barriers are removed for men and women with disabilities to access decent work. 

In Ethiopia, our country strategy for the year 2021-2025 focuses on Eye Health, Inclusive Economic Empowerment, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), Inclusive Education and Humanitarian Action. Advocacy and disability inclusion are cross cutting theme. Currently, Light for the World Ethiopia is supporting projects in Addis Ababa City Administration, Amhara, Tigray, Oromia, Sidama, and SNNP regions. 

Light for the world therefore seeks the services of an experienced and self-driven person to lead this innovative and ambitious project hence the vacancy below.

Job Title: Grant &Controlling Specialist

Contract length: up to 31 Dec 2025 with the possibility of extension

Reports to: Head of Finance and Operation

Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Number of Posts- 2 (Two)

The Grant Specialist is responsible for overseeing project grants, ensuring compliance with donor and organizational requirements, and providing financial and administrative support to field activities. The role involves financial planning, monitoring, reporting, and capacity strengthening for partners. Additionally, the specialist will support field staff in facilitating payments for data collectors and other participants involved in field surveys across Oromia and Benishangul regions in Ethiopia. The role also includes field monitoring, financial document collection, and ensuring adherence to compliance standards

Key Roles and Responsibilities: 

Implementation of agreed financial processes and systems

• Ensure in-country implementation of financial processes for programs and specific projects.

• Align controlling processes with accounting standards and organizational systems.

• Support field teams in financial processes related to surveys and data collection

Ensures collaboration with accounting & programmes

• In alignment with the programme department, feed activity planning into financial planning.

• Provide feedback to programme team on the performance on project, contribute to steering grants and projects; and ensure good information flow between the programme team and the finance team.

• Support the accounting team with the organizational financial audits and other cross-cutting topics between accounting and controlling.

Conducts financial planning, monitoring and analysis

• Maintain overview of the financial situation of the country (e.g. current and planned activities).

• Ensure that financial planning is conducted according to agreed processes.

• Ensure monitoring of programme budget v actuals.

• Monitor the liquidity situation of specific grants under their area of responsibility.

• Ensure data of the financial transactions is of high quality.

• Review partner reports and provide feedback.

Financial reporting

• Prepare donor reporting, in compliance with donor requirements.

• Implement, monitor, and manage RMLF OV and LF surveys budget in collaboration with finance teams.

• Provide through progress reporting, a continuous analysis of the achievements, facilitate project reviews, evaluation and audits;

• Work with project finance and program staff to maintain accurate, timely reports

Supporting Field Operations 

• Facilitate payments for data collectors and participants in field surveys across Oromia and Benishangul regions.

• Collect and verify payment documents (attendance sheets, representation letters, etc.) and prepare payment sheets.

• Submit and follow up on payments for field participants and partners.

• Conduct field monitoring visits to ensure compliance with financial and operational guidelines.

• Collect and review financial documents (receipts, invoices, attendance records) from field staff.

Ensuring internal & external compliance on financial aspects

• Manages administration of the grant cycle from application to closing; ensures that grant requirements are met and payments are appropriate

• Ensure financial compliance of the donor contracts, incl. sub-grants for partners.

• Responsible for the financial aspect of the partner assessment.

• Responsible for capacity strengthening of partners on financial aspects.

• Ensure financial compliance with donor regulations and international standards for reporting - for both country office programmes and implementing partners.

• contributes to Risk Management and will update programmes and the organization on any kind of risks that we might encounter.

• Reconciles detailed grant accounting system activity to the general ledger accounts

• Perform other activities as assigned by the line manager 

Job Requirements

Required Skills and Qualifications 

• BA/MA degree in accounting, finance or related field of or with commensurate work experience

•  4/6 years of professional work experience respectively for BA and master’s degree, knowledge or background in nonprofits or grant making and/or project management systems.

• Interest to abide by Light for the world’s values- Together, with Respect, Accountability, Inclusion & Learning

• Strong knowledge of and understanding of financial statements of nonprofit organizations, and has performed financial due diligence reviews of grantees

• Experience in budget management

• Financial or business management and analysis skills Experience managing large scale projects

• Computer literacy with a high level of knowledge and practice using Microsoft Office, notably Word, Excel and PowerPoint and financial software packages. 

• Knowledge of post-award compliance best practices.

• Good interpersonal skills.

• Ability to explain policies and procedures/rules and regulations in a clear way

• Knowledge and experience of in Grant management.

• Ability to travel and work under pressure, meet deadlines and show initiative

How To Apply

Please send non-returnable CV and a cover letter mentioning how your experiences match with the job advertisement until July 23,2025. Please mention your expected salary in your application letter and include 3 professional references into your CV. Applications should be sent to THIS LINK

Note: We only accept applications from qualified persons. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for assessment. People with Disablities and Female candidates are highly encouraged to Apply

More information about Lighjt for the Wold can be found on light-for-the-world.org