Area Finance Officer Job at Mercy Corps Ethiopia - 2015

Internal/external Vacancy Announcements

Mercy Corps is an international humanitarian organization operating Water and Sanitation, Economic Development, Livelihoods, Capacity Building, Emergency Response, Health and Nutrition and similar sectors in the regions of Somali, Oromiya, Addis Ababa and SNNPR. Mercy Corps works with communities, public, and private sectors to implement appropriate relief, recovery and development interventions.

POSITION 1:  Area Finance Officer

OPEN POSITION:           One

DUTY STATION:           Gode, Somali Region  

 

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Mercy Corps Finance Department is responsible for all financial functions, including accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting, and grant financial management and compliance.  The Mercy Corps Finance Department ensures compliance with donor regulations as well as Mercy Corps’ internal policies and procedures.  In its role as a support to the Program Department, the Finance Department provides timely reports and assistance to the Country Director and the Program team to ensure that financial and other related resources are used efficiently and effectively.

Working in the Area Office, under the direction of the Area Manager (with dotted line to Regional Finance Coordinator) , the Area Finance Officer will be responsible on the day to day routine tasks of the finance officer role as well as monthly, quarterly and annual reporting. She/he is expected to produce reliable, accurate and timely financial report/information for all stake holders involved in. The post holder should be forward looking, self-driven, operating under minimum supervision, and critical thinker in senior management role.  Furthermore, considering the various expected systemic changes in future, the post holder should be forward looking, change oriented and able to develop/train the team capacity in the changing environment.

This job requires 15% travel to the project sites directly managed by Mercy Corps as well as by sub grantees and the nature of the travel is compliance monitoring (internal audit function) and capacity building.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

 

I.                    Compliance Monitoring (40% of Time)

II.                 Management of Financial Diary (20%)

III.               Treasury Management (20%)

IV.               Financial Accounting and Budgeting (10% of Time)

V.                  Budget Holders Capacity Management (10% of Time)

 

I.                    Compliance Monitoring [40% of Time]

 

Ensure all the budget holders and staff with signing authority in the office are familiar with donor rules and regulations and provide them the compliance checklist Ensure that budget holders and staff with signing authority are familiar with coded budget and when they are signing the documents that they are putting the right code. Perform sensibility checking for all codes put by the budget holders or people with signing authority in the office and do corrections before transactions are posted to the journals Ensure that staff in the office are familiar with Mercy Corps’s internal policies and procedures and organize periodic mini training for the new comers as well as refresher training for the existing once Ensure that all host government rules, such as withholding tax, payroll tax, provident fund, pension and e.t.c are properly deducted and deposited on time to the local government office. Prepare monthly payroll and ensure all the necessary deductions have been made and employees payroll amount is matching with the information in their personal file Based on the Authority Matrix, perform the financial review task to adequate standard. During doing the financial review, ensure that all documents presented are meeting the expected standards per donor and MC’s policies and procedures and also the documents are authorized by the appropriate person in the authority matrix. Together with the Area Manager, ensure that the monthly finance/admin/operational meeting is held consistently based on the agreed Terms of Reference for the meeting As part of the senior staff member for the area office, ensure that anything to do with the financial controls, which may be linked to HR or Logistics process, is handled to adequate standard. Serve as a focal person for all financial controls in the Area Office Ensure that all internal audit recommendations are handled to adequate standard and we are compliant with the implementation of the recommendations and it is done consistently.

 

II.                 Management of Financial Diary (20%)

 

Ensure that all the monthly financial diary is properly handled and no deadline is missed. To execute this, monitor the daily progress of accomplishments so that the end date or the set deadline is met without difficulties Produce the monthly cash flow projection and submit to the Addis based Finance Coordinator on time. During the actual cash flow request, review the current real need in relation to the projections made and make realistic cash flow request. Coordinate the need with the programme technical staff in the Area Office and logistics unit. Meet ad-hoc financial diary based on the ad-hoc request coming from the country head office or the regional finance coordinator. Ensure that all copies of key documents, such contracts, major purchases, distribution list and e.t.c are kept in the Area Office for any future need or audit queries and when requested it is sent on time. Ensure that the monthly VAT claims from USAID is compiled and sent to the Addis based Assistant Finance Officer together with the monthly accounts and vouchers.  Ensure by email that the Addis based Assistant Finance Officer has received this document.

III.               Treasury Management (20%)

Ensure that all our bank accounts in the Area Office is kept appropriately and ensure that the signatories list is up to date, and inform the Addis Office for any deletions or additions Ensure that the cash flow remittance has reached to the bank in the time expected Alert the Area Manager for any fund shortfall ahead time.  Discuss with the logistics team to ensure that the procurement planning document is appropriately handled and its impact on the available fund is discussed with the logistics team on a weekly basis. Ensure that the safe box in the office is kept in a safe place and well safeguarded. Perform the weekly and monthly cash count and get it signed by the Area Manager. As required handle surprise cash count. Perform the overall assessment of the operation and at no time the project operation is underfunded or operations are halted due to lack of adequate funding As part of the month end procedure, perform the monthly bank reconciliation and flag any key issue to the Regional Finance Coordinator or Finance Director  If cash is being advanced to project sites, ensure that appropriate level of follow up and controls are in place and the settlement is happening based on the MC’s internal procedures on such matters Ensure that all cheque books are kept in a safe place and unused cheques for closed bank accounts are discussed with the bank and either returned to the bank or destroyed by obtaining letter from the bank Ensure that all voided cheques are kept properly and attached to the cheque stub.

 VI.               Financial Accounting and Budgeting (10% of Time)

Ensure that the monthly Electronic and Manual Field return from the Area Office is sent to Addis Based General Ledger Finance Officer or to the Regional Finance Coordinator on time and the information sent is well checked against each voucher in the file. Ensure that all the assets (receivables) and liabilities in the Area Office are settled on time and quarterly note/report is sent to the Addis Ababa Office for all outstanding liabilities and receivable (debts) for more than three months. Together with the Addis based General Ledger Finance Officer and Assistant Finance Officer, perform balance sheet account reconciliation on a monthly basis. Ensure the quality of information entered in the bank and cash sub journals and make sure that the regional finance coordinator and the general ledger finance officer are not spending considerable time in verifying or checking the information submitted. Coordinate with the Regional Finance Coordinators and ensure the BVA/BVE report is understood by the relevant team members in the Area Office Coordinate the commitment tracking sheet at Area Office level and submit the information to the Regional Finance Coordinator on the agreed and scheduled date During budget development process ensure that adequate budget information is submitted Assist the Assistant Finance Officer based in Addis in coordinating CTC/CTO information Provide over all support to the Addis based General Ledger Finance Officer, for any form of queries sent to the Area Office

 

V.                 Budget Holders Capacity Management (10% of Time)

 

Perform regular review of the capacity of the budget holders and seek ways to address the gap including provision of group orientation, induction, mini training Discuss the gap on the monthly finance/admin/operations meeting, find solutions and inform the regional finance coordinator for any higher level support As required provide need based individual coaching to the budget holders in the Area Office. Provide support to the regional finance coordinator as and when large group trainings are conducted.

 

Perform any other similar tasks that may be reasonably assigned by the line manager in any one of the five components above.

                

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Four years and more progressive experience in the non-profit organization and mainly experience gained in the INGO is required. Good level of exposure in handling USAID grants at least for two years First Degree or preferably Masters degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance or related discipline. Compensating Education + Experience can be considered. Demonstrated competency with computerized general ledger software Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly in Excel Prior management experience and strong organizational skills Excellent oral and written English skills

 

SUCCESS FACTORS:

 

·         Must be confident, self-starter, an independent thinker and have strong organizational, interpersonal and communication skills; team oriented

·         Good computer skills (especially Microsoft Excel, Work, and Outlook)

·         Ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel is required; demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse group of people

·         High professional standard of administration ethics as well as willingness and ability to enforce compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures is essential.

·         Demonstrated ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities is necessary

·         Excellent communication skills, written and oral are required.

·         Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and appropriate flexibility.

·         Emotional maturity and physical stamina.

·         Demonstrated experience in managing Matrix Reporting need 

·         Willing to travel to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites (15% of time.)

Only candidates that are short listed will be acknowledged and called for interviews.

Please send non-returnable applications and credentials to one of the following address:

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