Finance Specialist - Gerenral Account-Maternity Cover

Title: Finance Specialist – General Accounts – Maternity Cover

Location:  Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Employment Category:  G2

Salary Range: USD 946.00 – 1,151.00 per month which specific amount will be determined up on candidates experience and educational relevancy

Reporting To:  Finance Manager

Contract Duration:  Five (5) Months

Posting date: January 19, 2024

Required Employee: 1       

INTRODUCTION

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC), an international non-governmental organization (NGO), has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997. DRC promotes and supports solutions to the problems faced by refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs), and migrants. The organization has offices across the region and has been operational in Ethiopia since 2009.  With funding from bilateral and multilateral donors, DRC is currently implementing a range of activities across Ethiopia, including WASH and shelter provision, child and youth protection, gender-based violence response, awareness-raising of migration risks, protection monitoring of migration routes, and livelihoods support for returning migrants or those at-risk of migration.

OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE ROLE:

The Finance Specialist – General accounts will be member of the Country Finance team and report to the country Finance Manager. The Finance Specialist will assist the Finance Manager in his/her role and will be responsible and accountable for coordinating the financial functions of DRC Ethiopia among other tasks. S/he will work closely with the Finance Manager on accounting managements, Dynamics system trainings, audit and tax managements and ensuring compliance is upheld at all levels.

                                                                                                                                 Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities: 

Management and Support

• Support the development and implementation of financial management capacity building of staff.
• Provide technical support and advice to the country finance teams, team leader, and finance manager.
• Participate in conducting trainings for staff in the field offices and develop their technical skills by ensuring all processes related to organizational policies, donor guidelines and governmental requirements are adhered too.

Cash Management

• Collect bi-weekly cash forecast/requirements from all field offices, Compile the different forecast, prepare the Country cash request and share with Finance Manager bi weekly for final review and submission.
• Follow up with the bank on receipt of international funds and local instalments.
• In cooperation with the Field Finance Officers, anticipate the cash need for each field office and prepare the bank and cash transfers in order to keep sufficient funds in each field offices. Inform the Finance Manager on the coming transfers.
• Ensure that the cash management policy is in place in each field office.
• Follow up monthly on the financial overview and liquidity report and take necessary actions if the bank balances are not compliant with DRC internal policy.
• Analyze the variances between cash forecast VS spending and prepare explanation on the discrepancies to be forwarded to Finance Manager.

Accountancy and financial management:

• Minimize financial risks by ensuring that DRC financial policies and procedures as set in Operations Handbook and any other CO/RO/HQ instructions are strictly adhered to through predefined effective internal control system.
• Ensure compliance with relevant country statutory and other financial obligations such as tax, levies, and statutory returns.
• Support the finance team in routine tasks to keep the books up to date and participate in cash counts, bank reconciliations, and other areas of month-end closure.
• Monitor accounts as per the assigned areas (e.g. Accounts Payable, interim accounts, etc.) and suggest improvements in accounting practices.
• Review settlement of main accounts and other interim accounts and follow up with Area Office Finance staff to ensure all nominal accounts are cleared within approved time frame.
• Follow up with field finance officer and ensure the cash advances are settled no later than one month including reporting any pending cash advance more than a month to Finance Manager, keeping head of Support copied.
• Review and monitor completion of month end tasks by all area offices and country office. Follow up and monitor monthly reconciliation overviews of balance sheet items.
• Responsible for regular quality check of payment requests/ financial documents prior to payment and providing colleagues with clear feedback / guidance on improvement of systems.
• Participate in competitive bidding process as the representative of the finance department.

Salary Management

• Perform timely and accurate financial review of the monthly payroll and coordinate with HR to improve the process as needed.
• Ensure Offline Local Payroll is imported to Dynamics Salary Expense Journal in collaboration with Finance team, and as per the month end closure timeline/checklist.
• Update the monthly staff salary and benefits allocation table monthly and ensure that all resource scheduling and timesheets are posted correctly, by the 05th of each month
• Review unallocated salary expenses on the interim accounts, on monthly basis and submit the salary allocations to the Finance Manager

Local Tax management

• Coordinate with Area Finance, HR/Admin staff and/or with NGO Liaison bodies to obtain relevant local tax laws/requirements and ensure DRC is following the same. This includes obtaining tax exemptions (i.e. Value Added Tax [VAT]) letters on yearly basis.
• Ensure compliance with relevant country statutory and other financial obligations such as tax, levies and statutory returns. Monthly Expatriate salary allocation in DRC Dynamics.
• Ensure all taxes related to staff salaries are paid on-timely manner to the relevant departments.

Audits

• Support the financial audits by coordinating inputs from the finance, procurement, and HR departments.
• Engage with auditors and DRC colleagues on HQ, the regional, and other country offices and maintain productive communication and relationships.
• Serve as the focal point for project specific external audits and follow up in coordination with the Finance Manager. Ensure all required documentation for financial audits in cooperation with CO staff and HQ is available.
• Facilitate external and / or internal audits as needed.

Others

• The responsibilities listed in the JD are not exhaustive and may be readjusted according to operational needs but will remain in line with the overall purpose of the role.

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master

DRC’s core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.  
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.  
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.  
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.  

Experience and technical competencies: (include years of experience)

• Minimum 3 years’ proven progressive experience in finance related positions
• Proven experience in working with financial management of projects funded by international donors
• Solid knowledge and understanding of financial compliance and procedures
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work under pressure 
• Excellent skills in the use of computers (MS Word, Excel, Power Point);
• Experience working with an ERP system.

EDUCATION: (include certificates, licenses, etc.)

• Master’s or Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, financial management or related field

LANGUAGE: (indicate fluency level)

• Strong command of spoken and written English.

How to Apply

Interested candidates who meet the required qualifications and experience are invited to submit updated CV and cover letter explaining their motivation and why they are suited for the post.

We only accept applications sent via our online-application form on https://candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationForm/SinglePageApplicationForm.aspx?cid=1036&departmentId=19012&ProjectId=170173 under Vacancies. 

Please forward the application and CV, in English through the stated website no later than January 25, 2024.

For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult www.drc.ngo

Gender Equality: DRC is committed to achieving gender parity in staffing at all levels. In light of this, women candidates are particularly encouraged to apply to bridge the gender gap.

Equal Opportunities: DRC is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment based on mutual respect for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, disability status, religion, ethnic origin, colour, race, marital status or other protected characteristics

We encourage only qualified Ethiopian Nationals to apply. DRC considers all applicants based on merit