I JOB SUMMARY:

The Finance Officer is responsible to make sure that payment requests are in compliance with CARE Ethiopia’s Policy and Procedure, maintains the financial policy and regulation, assign proper Fund/Account cods for projects expense, maintain registering books, file and properly keep financial documents and reports, preparing payment vouchers, and processing disbursements. He/She is responsible for the collection of cash/check from Travel/Project advance settlement, and others. She/he makes a follow that cash receipt invoices for all collections and deposits the same in the respective bank accounts. She/he also files financial documents, stamps paid mark on all invoices and issues checks to customers, vendors and staff, registers all checks sequentially on cash register book.

She/he verifies all source documents for proper approval and documentation. She/he provides effective and efficient support and advice to the Program Mangers, Project/Initiative Managers, and other team members as required.

II RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS:

Job Responsibility #1 Financial Management and Compliance to CARE/Donor Regulations:

• Ensures that books of accounts are maintained, check receipts and other financial documents are kept properly or safely;
• Supervises/prepares Payroll for regular and temporary staffs, PF, and Severance Payments in timely manner;
• Facilitates income and withholding tax payments to the concerned government offices on time;
• Ensures that all cash collected is deposited daily in the bank;
• Develops mechanisms to ensure that financial operations of CARE are running cost- effectively
• Coordinates all other financial information/documents to be submitted to HO Finance Unit weekly before finance closing date, including the follow-up of outstanding items in the operational Office;
• Ensures sub-office compliance with CARE’s accounting policy as per CARE USA Finance and Administration policy and procedures manual as well as policy and procedure as established by the HO;
• Familiarize herself/himself with all current contractual donor obligations and the donor compliance implementation plan;

% of Time: 20%

Job Responsibility #2: Processing Disbursement:

• Verifies and ensures that required documentation and authorization is presented before effecting payment;
• Ensure payments requested for goods and services are from the right vender and the checks the presence in the approved vender list
• Check purchase, other than approved vender list, are in compliance with the procedure of procurement Manual.
• Maintain level of signatory of managers to execute payments of cheques.
• Ensure request of payments are in line with the organization policy, such as rate, legality, VAT exempted etc
• Assign the proper Project Number, Fund Codes, SAC(if any) and Account cods for every request of payments
• Prepare cheque payments.
• Issue withholding tax receipts to vendors for the collections of 2% tax withholding;
• Keep register book to record the daily withdrawn cheque for all project accounts and control/reconcile the book balance with bank record.
• Keep register book to control outstanding of project and travel advances
• Follow timely settlement of outstanding advances, check the documents and arithmetic correctness and submit for authorization
• Keep records of staff in their personal file related to finance section.
• Prepares all regular month payments such as rents and contingency allowances;
• Ensures that goods receiving note (GRN) is received for each material or services purchase payment effected;
• Ascertains that acknowledgement is received from payee and filed with cash disbursement voucher and maintains disbursement file by sequential numbers for checks sent/delivered to payees;
• Ensures collections made by CARE-Ethiopia’s cash receipt are deposited to the appropriate bank account;
• Prepares monthly payroll for all national staff assigned at the work area using Payroll man software, temporary staff as well manually.
• Prepares petty cash replenishment on a timely basis;
• Ensures that all unused official documents and vouchers of the organization are properly registered and are available in sufficient quantity;

% of Time: 70%

Job Responsibility #3: Learning:

• Keeps up to date with developments in the sector, including best practice examples and ensures ongoing personal development and learning;
• Ensures the communication of finance policies and procedures within the organization, and with other stakeholders.

% of Time: 5%

Job Responsibility #4: Perform other duties as assigned.

% of Time: 5%

III, PROBLEM SOLVING (Thinking Environment)

• The level of problem solving this position will face is level number one. What has to be done and how to do it are clearly defined in the Financial Policy and Procedures manual.

III GENDER EQUALITY

• Understanding and demonstrated commitment to the importance of gender, youth, and social inclusion issues.
• Demonstrated commitment to principles of Gender Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and PSEAH (safeguarding), as evidenced in previous positions / programming

IIV QUALIFICATIONS (KNOW HOW)

A) EDUCATION

Required:

• BA degree in Accounting.

Desired:

• Training on Computerized Accounting

B) EXPERIENCE

Required:

• 3 years of relevant experience in first degree or 2 years of relevant working plus post graduate degree experience in related position.

Desired:

• Experience in the NGO sector.

C) TECHNICAL SKILLS

Required:

• Proficiency in computer (Word, Excel & Access);
• Good knowledge of written and spoken English;
• Managerial and supervisory skill;
• Firm belief in teamwork, gender equality, sensitivity to HIV/AIDS, conceptual understanding of participatory approach and sustainable development.

Desired:

• Skill in the use of SCALA software.

D) COMPETENCIES

• Respect, accountability, courage, excellence, analytical ability, stress tolerance, building partnership, collaboration, operational decision making, planning and organizing, facilitating change, customer focus.

E) FREEDOM TO ACT

• The Finance Officer’s decisions are prime in terms of the daily functioning and operation of the Unit in planning, managing, coordinating the works of the unit. Her/his decisions are contributory in terms of the FO’s long-term development focus and organizational policies and procedures.

V CONTACTS/KEY RELATIONSHIPS

• The incumbent is required to closely work with Supervisors, Program Managers, Project/Initiative Managers, Project Officers and other staffs at the Operational Office. She/he is also required to cooperate with bank, government tax authorities etc. in the operational area.

VI WORKING CONDITIONS AND LEVEL OF TRAVEL REQUIRED.

• The incumbent is based at the Field/Project Office and is expected to travel 50% of her/his time to visit sites.