Senior Finance Officer

Employment type: Definite period

Salary: USD 807 (it is to be paid in ETB as per an exchange rate of the month)

Job purpose 

OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THE POSITION

The Senior Finance Officer reports directly to the Area Coordinator and receives technical guidance from the Head Office finance team (CFC/ACFC/FM/SFO). The Senior Finance Officer is responsible for reviewing payment request documents to ensure that all procurement procedures are followed, relevant documentation is properly raised, and it complies with Concern policies and procedures, as well as the donor's rules and regulations are strictly adhered to.

The Senior Finance Officer is responsible for reviewing the coordination and project office bank books and cash books, preparing monthly bank account reconciliations, and conducting regular/surprise cash counts and is also Officer responsible for the timely settlements of all government statutory liabilities (i.e. Income tax, Pension Contributions and Withholding tax).

The Senior Finance Officer is expected to actively participate in month-end activities and is also responsible for sending month-end reports with reconciliations to the Head Office by the agreed deadlines. Additionally, He/she should build the capacity of the finance teams in both the coordination office and the project offices. The post holder may also be requested by their line manager to perform other related financial activities

Main duties &  Responsibilities:

Financial System:

• Work closely with the Coordination team and HO finance team to ensure that the country’s financial management systems & recordings are adequate to identify and protect the assets & interests of the organization.

• In compliance with Concern’s policies and procedures, ensure implementation of country-specific policies at the coordination office level, such as authorization limits, cash holding limits, cash movements, advance payments, use of bank payment instruments, etc.

• Review procurement paperwork, payment request forms, and other financial documents for the coordination office and project offices, to ensure that they comply with Concern policies and procedures, as well as the donor's rules and regulations.

• Participate in the procurement process of the region, including potential supplier selection and engaging in the process of negotiating contracts.

• Review and verify that all advance requests adhere to the organization's policies and procedures and ensure that settling advances are reconciled with the original advance amount. Any remaining balance should also be reconciled and cleared within the same month.

• Provide clear guidance and support to staff for advances, settlements, and required documentation maintenance.

Financial Reporting: Cash/Bank Books and Journals

• Ensure accurate and up-to-date records of the Coordination Office's bank and cash books.

• Ensure the daily cash count is performed and keep the signed count report.

• Perform regular and surprise cash counts both in the coordination and project offices.

• Review both the coordination and project offices’ cash and bank books before they send them to HO for accuracy of coding, completeness, approvals, and eligibility of costs…etc.

• Provide on-time feedback on key findings from the coordination office and project office cash and bank books you get during review and track progress on recommended actions; keep the Area Coordinator and HO finance team informed of any major issues necessitating high-level involvement.

• Prepare monthly bank reconciliations for both the coordination office and project office bank accounts to ensure accuracy and identify any discrepancies.

• Responsible for preparing monthly, periodic, and yearly journals including, advance settlement journals, accruals journals, and adjustment journals resulting from DMAs, schedules, miscoding, etc.

• Carry out activities in line with month-end and year-end task plans.

Finance Documentation: 

• Ensure that the Coordination Office and project offices’ monthly financial documents are properly labelled, completed, and reviewed promptly.

•  Maintain the monthly signed Coordination and filed office financial reports in hard copy (i.e. Cashbook, Bankbook, Cash reconciliation, and Bank reconciliation).

• Maintain the final soft copy versions of both the coordination and project Offices’ monthly cash and Bank Books in the finance folder.

• Ensure all financial documents ate stamped with paid stamp.

Treasury

• Ensure that monthly cash forecasts are based on the availability of the budget and aligned with project activities.

• Ensure timely cash transfer requests are sent to HO based on the forecast and closely follow the requested cash transferred to the right bank accounts.

• Work with the administration team for bank signatory changes.

• Ensure there are no long outstanding floats from staff.

Audits and Compliance:

• Provide support in his/her respective role during donor, internal, & external annual audits. 

• Responsible for clearing all prepayments and accruals within their liquidation period. Observe donor rules on the expected liquidation period of each prepaid transaction as some donors allow a lesser liquidation period compared to internal policy. 

• Ensure monthly settlements of all government statutory liabilities (i.e. Income tax, Pension Contributions and Withholding tax).

Risk Management and Controls:

• Work closely with the HO finance team to ensure that Concern’s financial systems and controls are implemented both in the coordination office and field offices.

• Request advice from HO finance teams in monitoring the financial status and advise line manager/s on all situations that have the potential for a negative impact on internal controls or financial management performance.

• Liaise with the head office finance department to provide necessary financial information and reports.

Team Management & Capacity Building:

• Build the capacity of the finance teams in both the coordination office and the project offices.

• Conduct field trips to project offices as per the annual coordination office field visit plan and make follow-ups to address all outstanding activities from the issues log/tracker within the agreed deadline.

Other Duties:

• Temporary gap-filling role for a similar/lower position, when necessary.

• Representative in special task forces and committees.

• Adhere to the standards of conduct outlined in the Program Participant Protection Policy and Concern Code of Conduct. 

• Undertake any other duties as may reasonably be assigned by the line manager.

Emergency response

Concern is committed to responding to emergencies efficiently and effectively in order to help affected people meet their basic needs, alleviate suffering and maintain their dignity. To this end, when emergencies strike and the Ethiopia Programme is to respond, all staff are required to actively participate in the response, regardless of location and contribute to the efforts aimed at achieving the humanitarian objective of the organization.

Gender Equality

• Demonstrate understanding of Concern Ethiopia’s Gender Equality Strategy
• Contribute to ensuring that Concern Ethiopia is a place where men and women are treated equally and with  dignity and respect 
• Demonstrate gender equality awareness and gender sensitivity and an ability to integrate a gender equality perspective into tasks and activities.

Accountability

In line with Concern’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS): 

• actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all stages of the project cycle (planning, implementation, M&E); 

• work with relevant colleagues  to ensure that the Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed; 

• Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about CRM, safeguarding and expected staff behavior is disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Safeguarding

• Able to seek appropriate advice and report concerns, and feel confident that they have been understood.

• Understands local safeguarding structures and arrangements.

• Practice in a manner that seeks to reduce the risk of abuse, harm or neglect.

• Identifies and refers to appropriate services any other associated persons including carers, family members and children at risk.

• Able to document safeguarding concerns, and maintain appropriate record keeping, recording the wishes and views of the adult or child at risk, differentiating between fact and opinion.

What we offer

• A competitive salary and benefit package
• Excellent medical benefits (100% cover including dependents)
• 20 days annual leave
• 26 weeks (paid) maternity leave, 18 weeks (unpaid) parental leave

Person Specification:

Essential:

• BA/MA Degree in Accounting, finance or a related field of studies.
• Knowledge of Concern’s major donors’ rules and regulations such as USAID, EU/ECHO, 
• 5 yearsof relevant experience with the first degree.
• 3 years of relevant experience plus post graduate degree.
• 1 year supervisory skill 
•  NGO experience is a plus. Skills Required
• Basic managerial skills. 
• Technical and report writing skills
• Computer literate. 
• Fluent spoken and written English. 
• Good communication and interpersonal skills

Special Skills, Aptitude or Personality Requirements:     

Essential: 

• Strong management skills and ability to motivate others.
• Skills in time management and prioritizing.
• Able to travel to project areas, partners’ offices in Addis Ababa and regions.
• Self-motivated and works with less supervision

Report writing

How To Apply

Interested applicants should send non-returnable C.V., application letter outlining how their experience and education fit this vacancy to register through https://forms.gle/38xzyFkyuVpQas8i6; Please note that no need to submit your supporting documents at this stage:   

Only short listed candidates will be contacted

Safeguarding at Concern: Code of Conduct and its Associated Policies

Concern has an organisational Code of Conduct (CCoC) with three Associated Policies; the Programme Participant Protection Policy (P4), the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organisation, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organisation to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies. Additionally, Concern is committed to the safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults and children in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work or volunteer with vulnerable adults and children are recruited by us for such roles. Subsequently, working or volunteering with Concern is subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking. 

Female and person with disability are highly encouraged to apply.