Finance and Administration Officer -Debark

HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation is a Swiss based organization registered with Agency for Civil Society Organizations and working in the areas of Rural Infrastructure, Natural Resources Management, Governance and Peace, Skill Development and Employment, and Emergency Responses. See also www.helvetas.org (http://www.helvetas.org/). 

Objectives: The Jobholder will support activities by establishing adequate financial, Administrative, and HR management systems and procedures for a resilience project that we intent to implement in North Gondar zone of Amhara Region.

Main Tasks

Financial Management: Ensure the set up and implementation of adequate financial management that includes financial planning and budget management.

Human Resource Management: Responsible for the HR management, planning and supervision of the support staffs who are working at Project Office.

Property and Office Administration: Responsible to ensure proper management and administration of the assets of the projects, facilities, vehicles, equipment and security of Project Office.

Compliance Management: Responsible for the proper adherence of HELVETAS projects team to the grant terms and conditions of the respective donor, internal budget monitoring and control procedure, Internal control systems, reporting and the compliance of implementing partners to yearly project implementation agreements

Procurement of Good and Services: Ensure effective and efficient procurement of goods and services as per the principles, policies and procedures.

Specific Tasks  

Financial Management

• Actively participate in the preparation of the annual plan of operations of the projects and prepare the detail financial budget and cash flow forecast/revision.
• Monitor the proper execution of the budget and maintain healthy cash flows, prepare quarterly budget Vs spending comparison report, inform the Project Manager (PM) on major deviation, and take appropriate action, in consultation with the respective Project Manager, to contain unhealthy spending trends (under or overspending).
• Responsible for the setting up, deployment, and effective implementation of internal control system within the framework of Finance Manual (FM) and related policies and procedures to make sure that the financial resources of the projects are used solely for the furtherance of the goals and objectives of the projects.
• Maintain proper accounting, bookkeeping and related documentation in compliance with HELVETAS policies and procedures. Be responsible for maintaining up to date accounts and accounting software (Banana Accounting) of the projects, close the monthly accounts in a way that meets the required quality parameters as defined in the quality assurance checklist and send the monthly report not later than the 20th day of the following month.
• Produce regular and timely financial reports as required by donors and management.

HR Management

• Ensure adherence of the project staff to the personnel regulation, HR policy and staff code of conduct.
• Prepare yearly annual leave schedule for each member of the project team, follow up the execution of the plan with the view to significantly reduce unutilized annual lave balance brought forward from previous year.
• Plan, coordinate, supervise, coach and evaluate the administration and finance support staff including Drivers & Expeditors at Debark office. Regularly review their performance, assign tasks and provide guidance.
• Supervise and control annual leave status of all staff, maintain a database of leave entitlement, leave taken and balance regarding project staff and communicate to national office monthly. Produce annual leave schedule and execute to encourage staff to take their annual leave every year.

Property and Office Administration

• Set up a system of integrated vehicles use and management scheme whereby the vehicles deployed at the project office are utilized effectively and efficiently across project.
• Set up a unified system of cost accumulation, tracking and booking vehicles running costs across project.
• Centrally manage the assignment of the vehicles to the various tasks based on daily, weekly and monthly work plans agreed with the Project Manager in a coordinated and orderly manner, supervise their proper and economical use, and monitor their cost of operation as per the vehicles pooling system in place.
• Ensure annual inspection of vehicles is done in time, timely renewal of insurance policies and claim handling with insurance companies are handled effectively.
• Maintain, update and regularly communicate fixed assets register of the project. Make sure that every fixed asset of the project is registered, secure and bears the designated tag number; conduct regular count (at least once in a year) to verify physical existence.
• Make sure that vehicles are regularly serviced and maintained, log books of each vehicle maintained, and updated. Closely monitor and control fuels consumption of each vehicle, monitor running costs and ensure adherence to the vehicle use policy of the organization.
• Ensure proper supervision of the security service providers and ensure safety and security of the office premise and project assets.
• Ensure communication facilities and office resources (internet, telephone, LAN system, printers, etc.) are used efficiently and effectively for the furtherance of project objective.  Ensure that bills for utilities are settled on time.
• Ensure appropriate protection of ICT equipment from virial damage and maintain an effective project data backup system.

Compliances Management

• Donors Requirements (external): Ensure effective compliance to donor grant conditions regarding the use, administration and reporting of project funds.
• Compliance to FM and other policies: Monitor the compliance of the project team to the established internal control procedures and to the various provisions of the Financial Manual, and policies (vehicle use, Travel & DSA, Communication, Local Security Plan and procedures, etc.) of HELVETAS.
• Government Law and rules: ensure compliance with relevant local government laws and regulations.
• Ensure compliance of project partners which receive funds for implementation of project activities as per the annual project implementation agreements.
• Check monthly accounting reports, payments, underlining supporting documents, booking maintained at the partner offices to ensure proper compliance to the terms and conditions of the annual agreement. Advise and take appropriate actions to fix errors and irregularities.
• Ensure timely submission of financial reports to HELVETAS after all expenses are checked and reviewed by the respective project manager.

Procurement of Goods and Services

• Procurement Planning: As part of the annual fiscal plan, prepare an annual procurement plan, ensure allocation of adequate budget to execute the plan and execute the procurement plan as planned.
• Deterrence, prevention, and detection of malpractices: ensure proper compliance to internal control procedures outlined in section 11 of the FM which are designed at deterrence, prevention and detection of fraud, corruption, and misuse of resources.
• Reporting: Report to the program office any instance of corruption and misuse of resources by project staff, partners, and stakeholders.

Qualification, Experience, and Skills: 

• A minimum of BA degree in accounting;
• A minimum of 8 years of highly relevant working experiences in working with international NGO and donor agencies at financial/administration supervisor role;
• Computer literate;
• Experience and skill in working with accounting software programs;
• Knowledge of English (written and spoken);
• Ability to communicate effectively;
• Handle stress and to work under pressure;
• Excellent ability of intercultural mediation;
• and confidentiality and flexibility.