Finance and Administration Officer | Jijiga

Feed the Future Ethiopia Transforming Agriculture Activity

Position Summary: Contingent up on donor funding.

Position Title:                Finance and Administration Officer

Reporting to:                 Area Program Coordinator-Jigjiga

Grade:                              k/9

Position Location:       Jijiga, Somali-Ethiopia

Research Triangle Institute (RTI) has over 30 years’ experience assisting governments, communities, and the private sector. As a not-for-profit, independent research institute based in North Carolina, USA, RTI has roughly 5,000 employees with global experience implementing international development projects. RTI’s Sustainable Growth & Resilience (SG&R) technical unit within the International Development Group brings together RTI experts and capabilities across food security, agriculture, energy, environment, water, governance, and economic opportunity. SG&R will leverage RTI’s experience designing and delivering multisectoral programming and technical solutions to respond to climate change, build resilience, and promote economic growth around the world.

SG&R’s Global Food Security and Agriculture portfolio is working to strengthen agricultural markets, engage youth and women as critical leaders of the on- and off-farm workforce, and tackle the dual burden of malnutrition around the globe. RTI’s work is helping foster stronger food systems, reduce malnutrition in all its forms, build resilience and engage the next generation of food security leaders. RTI is currently partnering on nearly 30 projects in East Africa, including activities focused on private sector-driven agricultural growth in Rwanda and market systems development in Kenya.

Project Description

The purpose of the USAID/Ethiopia Transforming Agriculture activity is to increase access to healthy diets, particularly for women and children, by improving competitiveness, inclusiveness, and resilience of the Ethiopian food and agriculture system. The project will also increase incomes gained from agriculture by as much as 40 percent over the next five years. To achieve its goals the project must collaborate intensively with other USAID funded projects working in the food and agriculture sector.

Responsibilities

Position Description

The Finance and Administration Officer will be responsible for assisting with financial management and the preparation and submission of financial statements and other cost-accounting reports. The Finance and Administration Officer also will be responsible for the office administration and procurments functions at field level. This position will be based in Jijiga, Somali, Ethiopia, and will report to the  Area Program Coordinator.

Your primary responsibilities will include but not be limited to:

Finance

• Ensures compliance with USAID’s/RTI’s policies and procedures and on-time financial processing of vendor invoices and project fund management.
• Ensure appropriate systems and procedures (cash management, vendor payments, budgeting and others) are in place to properly disburse, account, budget and report project funds which are cost effective, timely and have proper internal controls.
• Perform compliance review on all project expenditures.
• Audit systems and controls for the office.
• Manage advances and payable aging within the allowable time frame by closely following-up with requestors.
• Coordinate and consolidate the projection of biweekly cash requirements, monitoring cash flow and reconciles cash accounts in order to maintain appropriate cash balances.
• Manage and coordinate inventory control and tracking of project equipment including property logs, serial numbers and tags.
• Review the financial records, procedures and systems of contractors and grantees when necessary to ensure compliance with the work orders.
• Manage petty cash and record transactions.
• Prepare other financial and cost accounting reports, operations and analysis as required by management and RTI head office.

Administration and Procurement Functions

• Facilitates the approval, prioritization and sourcing process.
• Make sure all purchases made are considered necessary and reasonable, Features and quality of the product/services meet project requirements.
• Responsible for the adequate filing of all necessary documentation to ensure efficiency in vendor payments.
• Liaising with the respective project experts, facilitating technical verification of goods, and preparing goods inspection reports and payment requests to Finance for payment.
• Submit all procured items with appropriate documentation to the project partners and beneficiaries for onward handover to the respective requester/users;
• Establish procurement record checklist, maintain procurement data both in soft and hard copy i.e. (purchase request/need through the delivery stage); Maintain and update procurement records of the program for procurement review and audit purposes;
• Advice requisitioning experts and recipient entities on the full range of procurement issues, providing support and guidance at all stages of the procurement cycle.
• Coordinate all procurement activities, monitor the implementation of the procurement plan and prepare periodic status reports on the project’s procurement of goods/services and stakeholders’ procurement;
• Responsible for doing the follow-ups of getting quotations from regional and national vendors.
• Strategically identify alternative sources to support capacity/risk management, cost reduction, and quality initiatives;
• Strategically identify alternative parts/components to achieve the highest product value;
• Supervise and provide guidance for the procurement team.
• Work with multiple vendors to determine the best deals for the company, and have to evaluate the many pros and cons of each, based on price, quality, speed of delivery and other factors.
• Review invoice payments from vendors and compare them to the terms of the purchase order or contract to ensure vendor invoices are accurate before submitting them for payment.
• Create and maintain the project inventory list in coordination with project management.
• Coordinate the development of the local vendor list.
• Support project budget revisions by providing estimated pricing for goods and services.
• Support the scheduling, and management of conferences, meetings, workshops, trade fairs, training, field trips, visits, and other activities as needed;
• Handle incoming and outgoing correspondence/communications, including emails, phone calls, and mail.
• Facilitate communication with different departments regarding assigned office activities.
• Organize and coordinate meetings in the assigned office
• Provide support in the recruitment and onboarding process of regional staff
• Maintain records and handle basic HR functions;
• Implement and enforce organizational policies and procedures and ensure compliance with relevant regulations and laws.
• Provide support for additional administrative tasks as assigned by the Area Program Manager Prepare training facility/venue with the necessary equipment and supplies;
• Manage all office and house leases, renewal negotiations, maintain landlord contracts, construction, build-out, repairs, and maintenance support and information;
• Frequent travel to provinces and districts covered by the project.
• Perform other duties assigned by his/her supervisor or his/her delegate.

Qualifications

Job Requirements

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in finance, accounting, management, business administration or related field and 3 years of experience, or a Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least three (3) years of experience working for a USAID project is desirable.
• Excellent financial and analytical skills.
• Proven experience in office administration, property and supply chain management
• Proven ability to work under pressure, and with multiple concurrent demands.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Verbal and written fluency in English required.
• Ability to travel and work throughout Ethiopia in difficult terrain/conditions at times.