Accountant 1 (4 months Maternity cover)

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence and to provide them with assistance. For more information, visit website: https://www.icrc.org/ 

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Delegation in Ethiopia is looking to hire an experienced, highly motivated and qualified person for the position of Accountant 1 based in Addis Ababa.

Terms of Employment: 4 months fixed term contract for maternity cover

PURPOSE

The Accountant 1 oversees preparing, reconciling, and analyzing the accounting records and financial reports of the delegation/other structure under his/her responsibility.

GENERAL DUTIES

• Understands and adheres to the seven Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
• Understands and adheres to the ICRC Code of Conduct
• Understands the roles of the components of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
• Respects and observes staff regulations and security rules at all times
• Represents the ICRC in a professional manner at all times
• Develops and maintains a pleasant and conducive working environment with colleagues and line managers
• Performs all duties with the highest level of confidentiality in the interest of the employees and the ICRC
• May be asked to perform tasks not covered in this job description and to provide support to other departments when necessary

RELATIONSHIPS 

• Internally, interacts with the Accounting Manager/Head of Finance or Finance and Administration Manager of the delegation/structure and with “clients” from other departments. 
• Externally, may interact with suppliers.

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

General activities: 

• Assists in handling the bookkeeping of medium operation in various currencies.
• Knows, applies, and comply with all administrative and financial procedures and deadlines linked to his/her work.
• Maintains and develops contacts with various interlocutors under supervision.
• Explains financial procedures to the "clients".
• Ensures respect of financial procedures and guidelines.
• Processes financial data on computer.
• Provides end of month closing reports with the support of Accountant II.
• Report any irregularities immediately to direct supervisor.

Specific Activities: 

Cash accounts

• Always keeps files up to date and guarantees proper filing of relevant supporting documents for future reference.
• Receives, records and cross checks cash payments and financial documents handed over by the cashier daily.
• Enters vouchers into accounting application (IRIS) daily, respecting the cash hour set.
• Performs daily cash control and produces daily cash statement using the accounting software.
• Ensures proper entries of expenditure, income, and transfer, respecting the ICRC chart of account.
• Establishes complete accounting documents, including invoice and voucher, duly stamped, approved, and signed.
• Applies the ICRC financial procedures for eventual discrepancies and reports them immediately to the Finance Head.
• Takes part in the cash flow management and maintains enough cash for daily use in the delegation.
• Charges or records the expatriates' account for private expenses, like telephone, fax, internet, duty free, etc. on monthly basis, and files copies for future reference.
• Files all cash related vouchers and makes them ready for final signature and dispatch to Manila.
• Provides the relevant inputs for Manila's comment and facilitates timely reply.
• Conduct quality check of the transaction recorded and amend if it requires before submitted for posting.

Bank accounts 

• Prepares check/Letter payments after verification of the necessary documents and follow-up the regular update of the bank balance on the database.
• Enters bank related transactions into the accounting application the same day they occurred.
• Prepare bank reconciliation on a weekly basis.
• Organizes fund transfers to the sub-delegations and reconciles external transfer accounts on monthly basis.
• Collects bank statements and bank advises and follows up the recording.
• Finalizes the payment of monthly credit bills for clients before closing, respecting the time frame of agreement.

Field accounts 

• Supervises the timely closing of field accounts respecting the closing time frame of the delegation.
• Coordinates the replies for all field account requests in collaboration with the Finance Head.
• Coaches, assists, and supervises Administrative Assistants in the field, for finance issues and replaces them as needed.

Managing partner file

• Settles Partner organization, Ethiopian Red cross society (ERCS) advances after checking their document and corresponding with the MoU.
• Follows up the budget utilization and reports the status to the head of finance.
• Liaises with, coaches and assist the ERCS accountant in consultation with his/her supervisor.

Accounts closing

• Supervises and reduces the number of working advances and pending invoices by ensuring and enforcing early settlement before monthly closing.
• Checks the completeness of all necessary documents for the monthly closing (specimen signatures, list of expatriates, list of premises, monthly local staff recapitulation, number of copiers, number of daily workers, etc.)
• Assists the Finance Head with the preparation of the monthly and yearly accounting closure and reports when required.
• Compiles all financial documents for dispatch to Manila on monthly basis respecting the time frame.
• Reviews accounts with accounting application for possible corrections. 
• Assists in the preparation of monthly VAT refund requests and follow up the balance.
• Identify anomalies and other issues and immediately report to direct supervisor.

Filing and dispatching of accounting documents 

• Keeping files of correspondence letters, financial reports, and original utility bills by month and by type (residences/offices).
• Organizes office activities according to priorities.

• BA in Accounting, management, Economics, and other related fields of study 
• Minimum two years’ experience in similar function
• Experience working with accounting or ERP software.
• Good command of written and spoken English
• Good computer skills, good knowledge of MS Excel and its functions
• Experience of working in international organizations an asset.

How To Apply

Applicants shall submit their electronic CVs and cover letter through the ethiojobs.net website. 

Women applicants and persons with disabilities are highly encouraged to apply.

The ICRC has zero tolerance for fraud, sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment and discrimination. Therefore, ICRC Ethiopia will maintain the right to conduct background and reference checks on the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer to this position. All ICRC staff should uphold the standards of ICRC’s Code of Conduct.

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted at all stages of the selection process.