Senior Finance Officer

26-April-2024

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger-USA is a global humanitarian organization that takes decisive action against the causes and effects of hunger. We save the lives of malnourished children and we enable entire communities to be free from hunger. With more than 8,000 staff in over 50 countries, our programs reached 17 million people in 2019.

About the Country Program in Ethiopia

Action Against Hunger has been operational in Ethiopia since 1984 responding to both chronic and acute needs through a multi-sectoral strategy where nutrition, Food Security and Livelihoods, WASH, and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support activities are integrated to have a meaningful impact on people’s resilience. Action Against Hunger currently operates in 5 different regions (Oromia, Somali, Amhara, Benishangul Gumuz, and Gambella) with a portfolio of 20m USD/year of emergency, resilience building, research, and innovation programs. We have a country team of around 600 staff in 17 regional and satellite offices. Our main donors in Ethiopia in 2020/2021 are BHA, ECHO, Europaid, UNHCR, UNICEF, GFFO, BPRM, SIDA, EHF, WFP, CIAA, and others.

Summary of position

The Senior Finance Office: Budget & Reporting will support budget and reporting aspects of the organization under the supervision of the Deputy Head of Department (HoD), Finance.

The Senior Finance Officer: Budget & Reporting role’s purpose, engagement and delivery is:

Purpose: . This position will primarily support budget and reporting for three large projects within the organization, including a multi-site nutrition research project (“Power of Nutrition”), and two multi-sectoral humanitarian projects funded by the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) and Global Affairs Canada (GAC). The projects covered by this position are subject to change depending on the needs of the organization.

Engagement:  This position will report directly to the Deputy HoD, Finance and will work closely with other members of the Finance team and members of the Grants and Reporting team. The Senior Finance Officer will also have substantial engagement with the Roving Research Project Manager, Power of Nutrition, and other project managers, as needed. 

Delivery:

Objective 1: Budget and Reporting (Government) (5 %)

• Prepare the budgets for federal  and regional government authorities based on the budget proposal approved by donor using standard templates of government authorities and requirements of the rule governing charity organizations (e.g., 80/20 rule)
• Ensure the budget is integrated in the 80/20 follow up tool once the agreement is signed with relevant authorities
• Update and analyse every month the excel 80/20 follow-up along with the expenditure occurred for the last period and share to concerned people in the organization
• Produce quarterly and project end financial reports to be submitted to relevant government authorities

Objective 2: Follow-up on donor receivables and payables (20%)

• Follow up on payments received and receivables on regular bases for relevant grants (PON, GFFO, GAC).
• Prepare payment requests and submit to the respective representatives in Grants and Reporting Department copying the HoDs in Finance and in Grants.
• Ensure the payment received in country is correct (the correct amount, correct account code and correct donor code) recorded in the accountancy
• Follow up on payables to partners according to the signed partnership agreement
• Request the regional office/HQ for payment to partners
• Update receivables follow up tool every month and share with Finance Head of Departments
• Closely monitor the completion of the receivables monitoring tool as soon payments requests are made as well as received.
• Liaise with the regional team in regards to the receivable update, provide the in country HoDs regarding the accounting treatment in the NVAI system as well as SAGA

Objective 3: Assistance on Proposal Development, Donor Reporting and Budget Management  (60%)

• Provide assistance to  relevant technical teamson subject of budget proposal development
• Provide assistance to Deputy Head of Department, Finance on subject of donor reporting
• Provide assistance to Deputy Head of Department, Finance on new BFU design/monthly BFU preparation
• Provide BFUs to regional/HQ team for setup in NAVI  for reporting and budget monitoring purposes
• Provide assistance to the Roving Research Project Manager, Power of Nutrition, to manage master PON budget
• Keep track of co-funding and cost-sharing for Power of Nutrition project
• Work with PON team to distribute and re-distribute budget across line items and different donors as needed, ensuring that all systems (LINK, Syllogist, etc.) are updated accordingly.
• Prepare regular expenditure/monitoring updates for PON team across grants
• Support with budget amendments to donor(s) as needed

Objective 4: Shared Tasks (5%)

• Take part in the training sessions of the department as mentor
• Take part in the inductions for newly recruited staffs of finance and non-finance
• Regular field visit to the bases to provide technical support
• Provide support in actions assigned by the Supervisor/Head of Department

Objective 5: Financial Plan (10%)

• Update the financial plan regularly in accordance with the changes in the funding plan and consumption rate
• Collect relevant inputs to be used for update of Financial Plan
• Check the allocations are within the objective of the project
• Report to the Country Finance Manager and the Deputy Country Finance Manager: Budget and Reporting in cases of deficit of coverages
• Send out the monthly personnel coverages for the purpose of time sheet for relevant projects

Supervisory Responsibilities

• N/A

Gender Equality Commitments 

• Foster an environment that supports values of women and men, and equal access to information.
• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion. race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
• Value and respect all cultures.

Fiscal Responsibility

• N/A

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Working Conditions, Travel and Environment

• The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required.
• Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic business purposes. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases. 

VII.        Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

• Degree in Accounting or any related field with relevant working experience
• Practical experience of working in INGOs is preferable

 VIII.      Required Skills & Competencies

• Good command of the English language, Accounting software ,Strong Analytical skills, Strong planning skill, Ability to forecast, Computer skill, Good oral and written Communication Skill, Decision making skill, Problem-solving skills, Ability to work to deadlines, good attention to detail
• Good command in working with Microsoft Excel, Serenic Microsoft Dynamics Navigator and SAGA
• Professionalism, Team Work, Proactive, Motivational, Autonomy