Finance and Administration Officer at Interpeace, Ethiopia

Job Description

Reporting to: Regional finance and Administration Manager with a dotted line to the Country Representative

Location: Addis Ababa, with frequent travel to the field

Type of position: L4

Application closing: 29 January 2024

Contract Period: 1 year renewable based on Funding

Background

Interpeace is an international organisation for peacebuilding that strengthens the ability of societies to manage conflict themselves in sustainable and non-violent ways. Interpeace designs and delivers its work tailored to each situation in partnership with local partners and communities, based on extensive consultation and research. Interpeace also ensures that the processes of conflict management and change that it supports are integrated at all levels of society including local communities, civil society, government and the international community (we call it a ‘Track 6’ approach).

Interpeace was originally established by the United Nations and remains its strategic partner. Beyond field-based peacebuilding, Interpeace also assists the international community – particularly the UN – to be more effective in supporting peacebuilding efforts worldwide. This includes contributing innovative thought leadership on peacebuilding policies and practices.

Interpeace has been active in Ethiopia as of 2019. In 2020 Interpeace and the Ministry of Peace (MoP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to have partnership in a range of areas but particularly on the implementation of two projects. Interpeace is a registered organization in Ethiopia as of early 2021.

For more information about Interpeace, please visit www.interpeace.org

Position within the Organization

The Finance and Administration Officer is a member of the finance section of the Global Operations Unit which encompasses Finance, Administration, Internal Audit and HR. The Global Operations Unit is led from the Headquarters Office in Geneva, although team members are based in different locations around the world.

The Finance and Administration Officer oversees the finance function for Ethiopia projects in compliance with Interpeace’s policies, standards, and procedures, internationally accepted financial reporting and accounting standards, donor requirements and government rules and regulations. The Finance and Administration Officer is also responsible for the day-to-day administrative matters for the office in Addis Ababa.

Under regular supervision from the Regional Finance and Administration Manager, the Finance and Admin Officer works closely with the Country representative, other programme colleagues and partners in the Ethiopia Country Programme. In addition, the postholder will collaborate with other finance, administration officers in Nairobi to create a more efficient and effective Finance function.

Purpose and General Overview

Under the direction of the Regional Finance and Administration Manager, the Finance and administration Officer is responsible for the financial performance of the assigned partners and/or Interpeace office/programme. This includes accounting, internal controls, audits, budget management, financial reporting, monitoring and capacity building.

The Finance and administration Officer oversees the financial management of the partners and/or offices assigned, maintaining complete and accurate financial records and ensuring the required approvals (in coordination with the programme team) the different project budgets from development to inception, implementation, monitoring, reporting, auditing and close-outs.

S/He ensures that project budgets are implemented according to Interpeace policies and procedures and respecting the donor regulations. S/He also works closely with the regional Finance and Administration Manager to closely monitor the cost coverage of the programme and/or offices in the assigned areas to anticipate potential risk and financial gaps. The finance and admin officer plays an important role in monitoring and supporting the implementation of the programme, overseeing compliance with internal policies, donor regulations and local Laws (i.e. Taxes).

This position requires consulting with and/or coordinating activities with internal and external actors.

Guided by and in collaboration with the Regional Finance and Administration Manager and the Ethiopia Country Representative, the Finance and admin Officer will:

Planning and implementation: Participate in the planning and implementation of programmatic work, including planning and implementation of field activities, assist in financial risk management, and lead project audit processes.

Budgeting: Together with the team, contribute to the creation and management of activities, project and programme budgets, assist in the delivery of monthly balance vs. actual reports and help the country team to manage project expenditure to reduce the risks of under and overspends, ensuring that the financial management of the office is in line with Interpeace and donor policies and regulations.

Management of Personnel and Resources: Organizes the organizational resources and asset management and provide line-management for the office assistant.

Administration function: Provide logistical support to the country programme. This includes booking of travel and accommodation for project staff and participants, where necessary, managing office expenditures (e.g., rent, utilities) and management of petty cash and managing contact with insurance companies, health providers, etc.

Duties and responsibilities

Planning and implementation

• In coordination with the programme team, develop clear goals for the financial and administrative management of the programme in line with Interpeace policies and donor requirements.
• Assess finance management and administrative risks and plan for This includes ensuring that Interpeace’s financial practices in Ethiopia are adhere to legal requirements.
• Assist with audit processes, in collaboration with the country team and regional finance and admin manager.

Budget Management

• In coordination with the programme team and partners, develop programme, project and activity budgets, assist in budget revision processes and help the teams to manage budgets in accordance to work plans and internal policies and donor requirements.
• In coordination with the partner/s and the programme team, develop the PoWB according to available funding, distribute the approved annual budgets to partners and oversee the entry of budgets and budget revisions at QuickBooks and
• Assist the team in monthly, quarterly and yearly financial reporting. This includes BvAs, donor financial reports, expenditure reports, etc.
• Manage project cash-flow, e.g., through the review of Monthly Cash Transfer Requests.

Management of Personnel and Resources

• Supervising an office assistant on a day to day basis and whenever necessary update the line Manager/ Other relevant parties) on any relevant matters
• Performing appraisals and providing mentoring and on the job training for the staff supervised, but when and where necessary, also provide training for project partners and programme staff.

Accounting Support to partners and Monitoring

• Support project partners, where necessary, with finance training, quality assurance and oversight. This includes reviews of partner expenditure for compliance to workplans, budgets and donor and internal rules and procedures.
• Coordinate in the management of inventory database and asset management.
• Contribute to the due diligence processes for potential new partners.

Administration function

• Supervise, coordinate, and support the administrative function, which includes travel and accommodation, logistics, facilities management, management of stationery and kitchen stocks.
• Manage the office rental lease and office expenses incl. electricity, water, etc.
• Ensure that Interpeace maintains appropriate insurance coverage for the facilities and local insurance coverage for inventory in collaboration with the Global IT and HR leads.

Others

• Participate in Proposal development team meetings and contribute by providing technical guidance/suggestions to proposal development, activity planning, interpretation of donor requirements
• Maintain updated contractual documentation for grant implementation (project proposals/budgets (ProDocs) and grant agreements or relevant documentation) at SharePoint.
• Assist Headquarters in the review of existing policies and procedure and in the development of new procedures, including internal controls.

Qualifications:

Education

• Degree in Business Administration, finance, or related field from a recognized University
• Accounting certification (partial or full CPA/ACCA or equivalent)
• Have demonstrated high understanding of finance and accounting matters preferably within the not-for-profit sector
• Professional membership with a recognized body is an added advantage

Experience

• Minimum of three years of relevant and progressively responsible experience in the professional field of finance and accounting in not-for-profit
• Experience of computerized accounting software, preferably QuickBooks and ERPs, preferably High level of IT proficiency in use of all MS Office applications.
• Proven experience in budget management and internal controls
• Ability to work successfully as part of a diverse and multicultural team
• Experience of conducting capacity-building for partners and staff on financial systems and good financial Experience working in field locations.

Competencies

• Strong accounting knowledge and operating capacity. Experience in financial bookkeeping within the industry and local context
• Strong budget management skills; financial internal controls; source documentation verification; preparation of payment vouchers; and procurement processes
• Ability to perform detailed work, frequently of a confidential nature and/or to handle a large volume of work systematically, effectively and accurately
• Ability to foresee risks and allow for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time
• Ability to take ownership of all responsibilities and honor commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment successfully and to demonstrate gender-responsive and non-discriminatory behavior and
• Strong written and oral communication skills in
• Ability to travel within and outside the country on short notice. Experience with non-profit or international
• Strong commitment to supporting local peace building initiatives and to the values and working principles of Interpeace.

Interpeace Competencies

• Collaboration and Weaving
• Communication
• Driver for Results
• Adaptability and Continuous learning
• Respect for Diversity

Success factors

• Identifies with and is committed to Interpeace’s core values and working principles
• Commitment to inclusiveness
• An innovative, critical thinker with extensive problem-solving skills

Interpeace values diversity among its staff and aims at achieving greater gender parity in all levels of its work. We welcome applications from women and men, including those with disabilities.