Chief Finance Officer

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer, JaRco Consulting

About JaRco Consulting

JaRco Consulting PLC is a leading international consulting firm based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, specializing in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL). Our work focuses on key technical areas including livelihoods and economic security, WASH, health and nutrition, with cross-cutting themes of gender and capacity building in M&E. JaRco implements large-scale evaluations, baseline assessments, and data quality assurance activities across Ethiopia and throughout Africa. For more information, please visit www.jarco.info.

 

Position Overview

The Chief Finance Officer (CFO) is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing all financial operations of JaRco Consulting PLC. The CFO will lead the finance team, develop financial strategies, manage donor compliance, and ensure strong internal financial controls. This role is especially important as JaRco manages complex donor-funded contracts, including those with international organizations such as WFP and Mastercard.

The ideal candidate should have a strong track record in NGO finance and grants management, combined with experience working in a Private Limited Company (PLC) environment. The candidate will bring both strategic leadership and hands-on expertise in financial management, Grant Management, budgeting, compliance, and donor reporting.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Financial Leadership

• Lead the development and implementation of JaRco’s financial strategy in alignment with its growth and operational goals.
• Advise the CEO and senior management on financial planning, sustainability, and risk mitigation.
• Contribute to strategic decision-making and long-term financial forecasting.

Financial Management & Reporting

• Oversee preparation of timely and accurate financial reports for management, donors, and government bodies.
• Manage multicounty consortium financial report and accounting
• Manage cash flow and banking relationships.
• Supervise budgeting processes and variance analyses across all projects.

Donor Compliance & Contract Management

• Ensure full compliance with donor-specific financial regulations and reporting requirements (especially WFP, Mastercard Foundation, and similar).
• Review and monitor financial terms of donor contracts and sub-agreements.
• Coordinate project audits and financial reviews by donors or external auditors.

Internal Controls & Risk Management

• Strengthen and maintain robust internal controls, financial policies, and procedures.
• Ensure timely tax filings, regulatory compliance, and proper use of company resources.
• Identify and mitigate financial risks related to project implementation or contractual obligations.

5. Team Leadership & Capacity Building

• Lead and mentor the finance team, promoting a high-performance culture.
• Build staff capacity in budgeting, compliance, and financial systems.
• Coordinate with HR, Logistics, and Program teams to ensure financial integration across departments.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Master’s degree in finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive financial management experience, with at least:
  • 7 years in a senior finance role within an NGO or donor-funded project environment
  • Experience working with or in a Private Limited Company (PLC) in Ethiopia
• Proven experience managing donor-funded contracts, especially with WFP, Mastercard, or similar international donors.
• Strong knowledge of Ethiopian tax law, financial reporting standards and NGO financial regulations.
• Demonstrated success in leading finance teams and working cross-functionally.
• Excellent command of English and Amharic, both written and spoken.
• Proficiency in accounting software’s

Preferred qualifications

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or ACCA qualification is an asset.
• Experience with project-based accounting and grant budgeting.
• Familiarity with financial aspects of research/consulting environments.