Project Finance Officer Full Time

Vision Action (previously known as Vision Aid Overseas), is a UK-based charity, with a focus on fighting poverty by transforming access to eye care services in developing countries in Africa. The charity was established in 1985 and currently works in several countries across sub-Saharan Africa.

Vision Action is a registered charity under the Ethiopian Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Authority for Civil Society Organisation Proclamation No. 1113/2019 and accorded legal personality with Certificate No.3638 to operate in Ethiopia.

Our work focuses on the development of services for Uncorrected Refractive Error (URE), primary eye health and School Eye Health. Vision Action has been working in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Regional Health bureaus, professional associations and other stakeholders to tackle vision impairment and blindness due to URE. We develop programmes that integrate training, primary eye care, School Eye Health, and facility developments into national and regional eye care plans, seeking always to be responsive to local need.

To learn more about us visit our website at https://www.visionaction.org.uk/.

Job Purpose

The purpose of the Finance and Administration Officer role is to support the implementation programme on the ground by managing the finance function, and procurement in Ethiopia, including administration and logistics. Reporting to the Country Director – Ethiopia.

Work closely with other Vision Action’s staff both in Ethiopia and the Global Programme Finance Lead, to achieve the organisational objectives and based in our office in Addis Ababa office and may require travel locally and internationally to ensure the assignment of the work.

This role would be ideal for someone with at least 2 – 3 years’ experience of working in NGO financial management, who is looking for a new challenge, to take on more responsibility to contribute to a small but growing international development organization.

The successful candidate must have the legal right to live and work in Ethiopia.

Financial Management

• Ensure compliance with Vision Action Ethiopia and Global Finance Manuals.
• Support the UK Finance Team to enhance the administration and finance processes for the Ethiopia
• Ensure effective implementation of finance processes within Ethiopia, which will include cash advances, petty cash, expenses etc.
• Continually review processes for internal control weaknesses and recommend changes as needed.
• Manage the external audit process for Ethiopia, with support from UK Finance and Country Director.
• Maintain Vision Action Ethiopia’s accounting system, ensure transactions posting is accurate –
• Checking expenditure against donor approved budget by using the Project Finance Report (PFR).
• Provide month end information (including balance sheet reconciliations) to UK finance
• Manage the payroll of Vision Action ’s Ethiopia staff and related government tax and pension
• Prepare budget versus actual every 3 months.

Budgeting

• Support the programmes team to develop programme budgets and lead the development of the administration budget for the Ethiopia offices.
• Support the programmes team to develop budgets for donor proposals, concept notes etc. as required.

Reporting

• Review management accounts report for Ethiopia and work with programmes team to provide variance analysis.
• Work with the Programme Finance Lead to complete a Project Finance Report (PFR)
• Address any variances between actuals and donor budget lines.
• Support the preparation of financial reports to donors, working with the UK finance team.
• Ensure compliance with all reporting standards, deadlines and regulations.
• Ensure Vision Action Ethiopia complies with all external financial filing requirements.

Administration

• Manage Vision Action Addis Ababa office.
• Ensure statutory compliance e.g. legal registrations, bank accounts, insurances in Ethiopia.
• Manage inventory levels and placing orders for office supplies as required.
• Complete records management (on shared drive – Microsoft SharePoint) including, but not limited to: maintaining accurate project records, procurement documentation, other detailed spreadsheets.
• Manage travel and logistics arrangement for Ethiopian team and visiting teams
• Ensure BrightHR (HR annual leaving tracking application) is updated with all staff absences.

Other

Carry out any other reasonable duties as may assigned to

Competencies

• Self-starter who is confident, assertive, and comfortable working with a high level of autonomy.
• Excellent project finance management skills and analytical skills and attention to details.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to organize and present information
• Ability to manage a wide, varied and changing workload, to priorities effectively, and deliver to deadlines.
• Strong team player with the ability to quickly establish and build effective working relationships.
• Flexible and mature outlook with the ability to adapt to a rapidly changing organization.
• Strong sense of ownership for quality of work, deliverables, and service.
• Comfortable working in a small team and within a small, dynamic organisation.

Proficient user of MS Office programmes, particularly Word, Excel and PowerPoint

• Holder of bachelor’s degree in accounting or related finance field.
• Professional stage of internationally recognised accounting qualification e.g. ACCA (Strategic Professional exams) will have an added advantage

Essential: Experience of:

• Working within a finance function in the international development (at least 2 – 3 years)
• Monthly balance sheet and general ledger reconciliation.
• Financial accounting, including preparation of annual financial accounts. Preparing financial information for diverse audiences
• Creating and managing detailed budgets and setting up financial controls systems
• Leading or contributing to donor reporting. Managing financial reporting to ensure accuracy & transparency. Using Microsoft Excel and various accounting packages
• Results oriented focus – proven experience of working with target, deliverable
• Knowledge and experience of using accounting systems.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of QuickBooks and other accounting soft wares.
• Experience of working in an international organisation (INGO).
• Experience coordinating external auditing process
• Experience of supporting donor finance management

Knowledge of financial filing regulations and comply it in Ethiopia