Senior Finance Officer - Partnership

Job Purpose:

OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THE POSITION

• This position has the responsibility to ensure that programmes and their partners follow proper financial policies, procedures and systems to enable reporting and effective utilization of funds.  In addition, the Senior Finance Officer focuses on the management of the audit requirements for partners. This includes the development and implementation of systems to ensure the proper monitoring of the funds and grants to partners.. The incumbent will have responsibility to prepare and monitors budget for partners. The senior finance officer will also be an essential part of the month end process and will focus on working with the teams to ensure that all of the deliverables are met in an accurate and timely manner.
• The position holder will adhere to the standards of conduct outlined in the Concern Code of Conduct.

Main duties & Responsibilities:

The Senior Finance Officer will work under the supervision of Finance Manager - Donor Budgeting and Reports and carrying out the following tasks:

Budgeting

• Prepare donor proposals budgets as per the donor and Concern guidelines and templates
• Participate in Concern annual  budget and budget revisions
• Assist partners in preparing and submission of new budgets and or revisions
• Work closing with Concern program and partners to review expenditure trends and advise if extension are required
• Regularly update the grant portfolio trackers.
• Ensure
• Ensure the donors, partners’ agreement documents, Budgets, reports, modifications and correspondences are properly filed.
• Ensure the grant files match with GMS files and records. Work with grants team

Partner Selection and Assessment

• Carry out initial financial management assessment of new partners and annual review of existing partners.
• Participate in the conduction of the Concern Integrated Local Partner Assessment Tool -CILPAT
• Ensure identified financial  capacity gaps of partner organizations are addressed
• Participate in prospective partnership proposal review that will include review of the proposed budget and provide comments as necessary.
• Liaise with the Programme teams to prepare financial partnership agreements and amendments and make sure Concern worldwide and the Partners’ responsibilities are clarified in the terms and conditions.

Monitoring and Reporting

• Review and discuss budget utilization with partners on a quarterly basis and at the year end
• Conduct quarterly field visit to each partner and develop feedback report
• Follow up the implementation of agreed recommendations during monitoring visits
• Review management accounts on a monthly basis and advise programme managers on budget utilization trends
• Prepare partners expenditure journal for Concern Finance department
• Prepare the partners account reconciliation per month
• On quarterly basis compile all transfers and expenditures and develop schedule for financial closing
• Follow up on implementation of recommendations highlighted in Audit reports and subsequent action plans
• Follow up on implementation of Financial Capacity Assessment Plans
• Prepare Partner documents for Audit purposes
• Review partners’ advance payment requests and expenditure reports to ensure timely and accurate liquidation of partners’ grants
• Facilitate audit or review works request by concern audit team or RA as it relates to partners

Accounting and Financial Management

• Assist the Finance Department with the month end processes
• Produce journals and adjustments each month relating to programme costs and other areas of responsibility.
• Participate in reviewing the cash books of the field offices which will be assigned by the managers in order to meet reporting deadlines.
• Prepare donor reports in line with donor requirements
• Carry out monthly/quarterly reconciliations of partner advances, donor fund balances and any other assigned balance sheet items.

• Preparation and participation in donor audits

Team Management & Capacity Building:

• Identify training needs of partners and programme staff from visit assessments and audit reports.
• Organize and conduct financial trainings to partners and programme staff to ensure transparency, compliance and accountability in the financial procedures
• Build the capacity of finance staff supervised to ensure good standards of financial management is maintained.
• Provide finance orientation to budget-holders, to assist them in enforcing financial controls, donor compliance and assisting them in making informed decisions based on financial reports.
• Liaise with the Finance Team in organizing necessary trainings/ workshops to Partner team such as on organizational procedures, donor rules and CSA proclamation and directives.

Other Duties:

• 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 Finance Manager Donor budgeting and Reports or CFC.
• Work closely with the Senior Compliance Officer during donor, internal and external annual audits. Ensure adequate preparation and participation, with his/her team, during these audits.

Gender Equity         

• 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 behaviour is disseminated among programme participants and communities.

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 Ethiopian 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.

Safeguarding

• Able to seek appropriate advice and report concerns, and feel confident that they have been understood.
• Understands local safeguarding structures and arrangements.
• Practises 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.

Personal specification

Essential:

• BA Degree in accounting, finance or related field of studies with minimum of five years or five years relevant finance experience.
• Knowledge of Concern’s major donors’ rules and regulations such as USAID, EU/ECHO, Irish Aid, and DFID.
• Good communication skills.
• More than 5 years of experience in related role with INGO.
• Computer literate with a comprehensive knowledge of MS Excel.

• Fluency in English.
• Ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines.
• Honesty and Integrity.
• Cross cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• 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 work with less supervision
• Report writing

Competencies:

• Communicating and working with others
• Delivering results
• Managing self
• Planning 
• Creativity and innovation

• Adaptability
• Interpersonal skills
• Time management and organization skills

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