Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Closing Date: 23 Dec 2023
Job Description
Job Title: Finance Director
Place of assignment: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with significant field travels
Reports to: Country Director
Subordinates: All Finance staff in GOAL Ethiopia
About GOAL
GOAL works with the most vulnerable communities to help them respond to and overcome humanitarian crises, and to assist those facing poverty and exclusion achieve greater resilience and well-being. GOAL envisions a world beyond humanitarian crises where poverty no longer exists, where vulnerable communities exposed to shocks and stresses are resilient, where barriers to well-being are removed and where everyone has equal rights and opportunities.
GOALis a non-for-profit organizationthat has been working in Ethiopia for 40 years, towards ensuring that the poorest and most vulnerable in the country and those affected by humanitarian crises have access to the fundamental rights of life, including but not limited to adequate shelter, food and livelihoods, water and sanitation, nutrition, healthcare and protection. GOAL implements a range of integrated multi-sectoral development, resilience, recovery and humanitarian response programmes and being sensitive to cross-cutting issues including gender equity, social inclusion, accountability, child protection, HIV/AIDS. Currently, we work with pastoralist, agropastoral, pastoral dropouts, rural smallholder farmers, rural/urban youth and street children to respond to humanitarian crises and build resilience in Ethiopia, working closely with local communities, local government, donors and other key actors. GOAL’s humanitarian response is centered on nutrition, WASH, livelihoods, multipurpose cash, NFIs and protection interventions, while the recovery and development focus are on livelihoods, economic opportunities, health and nutrition systems strengthening, markets systems development and WASH with solid emphasis on integrated programming and community-based approaches. Currently, GOAL Ethiopia has programmes in 10 out of the 11 administrative regions of the country with over 700 staff, mostly programme staff and 40 offices with an annual operating budget of over 30 million euros.
GOAL believes that if the inherent capacities of vulnerable people are developed, the systems in which they live and work are strengthened, and positive global action is catalysed, then communities facing crisis, poverty, and exclusion will achieve greater resilience and well-being. GOAL Ethiopia’s main donors are Irish Aid, USAID/OFDA, EHF, ECHO, UN and other private donors and currently has over 20 active grants.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE ROLE
The purpose of the Finance Director is to manage the finance department, both at the Addis Ababa Head Office and field offices, to achieve the strategic plans of GOAL Ethiopia within budgeted funds and available staff, plans and organizes workloads and staff assignments, reviews progress, modifies priorities and schedules to assure work is completed in an efficient and timely manner.
Working closely with the Country Director and Senior Management Team (SMT), this post will connect the day to day financial management systems of GOAL Ethiopia with the strategic planning needed to support the organisation’s current and future business model.
This senior management role adds capacity and skills to support the growth of GOAL Ethiopia and builds strength by adding complementary capabilities to the existing finance team and will contribute to the organisation’s business planning ability and play an active role in supporting the resilience of GOAL Ethiopia for the future, ensuring compliance with non-profit organisations’ best practice at all times, whilst helping GOAL Ethiopia fulfil its funding ambitions.
The Finance Director will work closely and collaboratively in partnership with Programme Director, the Systems Director and the Head of Human Resources and members of the SMT and external auditors. An important aspect of this role is to lead and develop the finance team, both at the Addis Ababa HO and Field Offices in managing the finance function of GOAL Ethiopia, ensuring proper financial reporting, financial controls and financial systems are in place and in line with the specified GOAL procedures as well as donor specific rules and regulations so as to ensure compliance and audit. This will include preparation of monthly management accounts, yearend accounts, facilitating annual audits, donor reports, ensuring submission of annual budgets and reports.
Being part of the Senior Management Team (SMT), this role has a strategic focus of overseeing the preparation, consolidation, and analysis of collated country budgets to ensure the optimum use of financial resources through timely financial advice to the CD, SMT and budget holders.
The Finance Director will be expected to work in close collaboration with Country Director, with programme and support staff both in the field and at head office. S/he will have a functional supporting and supervisory role to HO and field office finance teams.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY/DUTIES
- To take overall control of GOAL Ethiopia’s finance and accounting function and be responsible for rigorous and accurate financial management of GOAL Ethiopia and related activities.
- Ensure financial regulatory requirements of all statutory bodies are met.
- Lead and manage the finance team.
- Provide accurate and timely financial reports to the Country Director and Senior Management Team
- Work closely with the Country Director and Senior Management Team on risk management and other areas of financial liability.
- Work with the finance team in preparation and finalization of annual and quarterly rolling budgets for submission to GOAL HQ.
- Ensure timely and accurate submission of monthly reports to GOAL HQ consisting of the management accounts, Donor Status Report, donor reports, government reports and other reports as required in line with the deadlines set out in GOAL’s finance manual or as agreed with the donors and government.
- Ensure preparation of year-end financial statements, arrange and ensure timely completion of year-end audit. Liaise with auditors with respect to donor and GOAL HQ audit requirements and facilitate audit work.
- Maintain and improve appropriate systems of internal control, particularly with respect to field office sites.
- Ensure that GOAL HQ and GOAL Ethiopia’s financial procedures and policies are adhered to at all times. Ensure donor guidelines are followed at all times.
- Ensure that the audit control file is updated monthly with monthly allocation figures and any other information necessary on a monthly basis.
- In coordination with the Logistics department ensure that there are regular reviews of procurement paperwork and stock controls and ensure that they are in accordance with GOAL’s Logistics and finance manuals. Monitor physical control of assets. Liaise with the Head of Logistics to ensure relevant financial information is maintained in the fixed asset register monthly as well as reconcile and update DIK.
- Ensure correct allocation to donor budgets of monthly payroll and that all necessary taxes are paid to authorities in a timely manner.
- To work at all times in a manner that promotes teamwork within GOAL and assist in the achievement of GOAL’s programme aims.
- Work with the heads of department to plan future financial staffing needs based on changes in the overall level of GOAL Ethiopia’s planned activities.
- Work with the Head of HR to build the capacity of GOAL’s national finance staff.
- Produce relevant, useful and timely information on operations functions to the Country Director, highlighting and risks and rolling out the risk mitigation plan in coordination with SD and PD.
- Coordinate the preparation of Annual budgets, Support Project Budgets, and Donor Budgets for the country office, monitoring its effective utilisation, and supporting programme teams in their interpretation and implementation through regular reporting.
- Reviewing programme proposals and support preparation of budgets for submission to donors in compliance with donor guidelines and GOAL procedures.
- Ensure effective partnership management framework is in place that seeks to address risks and improve financial accountability.
- Ensure compliance with local legal and statutory financial reporting requirements.
- Implement external & internal audit recommendations and provision of progress reports.
- Ensure that the value for money concept is applied in all programme related supply of goods and services to programmes is carried out speedily and efficiently in a transparent manner, following donors’ requirements
- Taking prompt and definitive action on non-compliance with policy and practice
- Ensuring that internal control systems are well implemented, and review processes are performed on a regular basis.
Specific Responsibilities
- Assume full management responsibility for all Finance Department services and activities including budgeting, general accounting, auditing and grants financial administration.
- Manage the development and implementation of the Finance Department goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for each assigned service area.
- Establish, within GOAL Ethiopia’s decentralisation and change process, appropriate service and staffing levels; monitor and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery methods and procedures; allocate resources accordingly for the Finance Department.
- Plan, direct and coordinate, through team members, the Finance Department’s work plan; assign projects and programmatic areas of responsibility; review and evaluate work methods and procedures; meet with management staff to identify and resolve problems.
- Assess and monitor workload, administrative and support systems, and internal reporting relationships; identify opportunities for improvement; direct and implement changes for the Finance Department.
- Select, train, motivate and evaluate the finance department staff; provide or coordinate staff training; work with finance staff to correct deficiencies; implement discipline and termination procedures.
- Oversee and participate in the development and administration of the Finance Department budget; review the forecast of funds needed for programmes, staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; review expenditures and implement budgetary adjustments as appropriate and necessary.
- Monitor purchase of capital equipment; maintain account of GOAL Ethiopia’s fixed assets, including calculation of depreciation, tracking, inventory and disposition of assets.
- Conduct a variety of Finance Department organizational studies, investigations, and operational studies; recommend modifications to accounting programs, policies and procedures as appropriate.
- Direct the preparation of financial reports, analyses and audits.
- Ensure compliance with organisational and government policies, procedures, and regulations pertaining to fiscal management and investment planning.
- Remain current on technology advancement as they pertain to computer systems within the finance department.
- Actively contribute to organisational discussions and strategic decision-making at senior management team level on the basis of up-to-date information from the financial and accounting system, and forward-looking projections of financial performance.
- Provide advice and support to inform decision-making at project level including quarterly and ad hoc reports to budget holders to aid their financial understanding.
- Prepare financial reports for specific major grants and projects to support project and team leaders, as well as on specific lines of activity as required.
- Support the development of major contracts and grant budgets, including advising on VAT considerations, during project design and ahead of signature, and support budget reviews of such contracts at key reporting milestones.
- Lead GOAL Ethiopia’s annual budget development process.
- Manage the finance system (SAGE) and take responsibility for GOAL Ethiopia’s finance policies.
- Coordinate the finance policy review process.
- Work with outsourced providers to deliver an accurate and timely financial service, including the preparation and monitoring of:
-monthly management accounts
-forecasts and cash flow analysis
-VAT returns
-bank reconciliations and journals processing
- Manage the annual audit including year-end procedures and accounts in conjunction with the statutory auditors to ensure annual accounts are produced within the required deadlines and regulatory framework.
- Contribute to the leadership and management of GOAL Ethiopia as a member of the senior management team, to achieve organisational goals.
- Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.
- Ensures that systems and controls throughout the organisation operate to best international standards
- Ensures that accurate Forecasts are maintained for all grants
- Ensures that all external and internal reporting deadlines are met
- Ensures that there are no ‘surprises’
Other Responsibilities
• Work with the proposals committee in the ad hoc preparation of budgets for proposals to be sent to donors, in accordance with donor guidelines and deadlines, ensure that all such budgets are submitted to GOAL HQ operational accountant for review five working days before the budget is due for submission to the donor.
• Monitor and control current expenditure, liaising with programme staff when necessary, to ensure that expenditure stays within available funding and agreed budgets using budget monitoring tools and highlight, as appropriate, under/over spends and agree actions required with respective senior management.
- Ensure that VAT payments on US Government grants to Ethiopia Government are recovered in line with US Government’s policies.
• Work with the heads of department, Area managers, SD and PD for proper budget monitoring, ensure that actual expenditure against budgets are allocated in a fair and allocable manner across all grants for both head office and field costs with separate identifiable coding.
Mainstreaming:
- Familiarize self, understand and implement, according to area of responsibility, GOAL’s policies and procedures on mainstreaming of Gender, HIV/AIDS and Child Protection.
- Integrate diversity and inclusion values into day-to-day working practices, policies and procedures and monitor practices for any disproportionate impact.
- Actively promote staff sensitivity and awareness on Gender, HIV/AIDS and Child Protection issues.
- Approachable and gives positive practical support to staff who may feel vulnerable, victimized or unfairly treated.
- Act as a role model and provide feedback to encourage others in supporting employment equity and diversity principles, and the accommodation of other differences in the workplace. Models the flexibility required for working in a diverse environment.
REQUIREMENTS
Qualification (Education, Experience, key qualities, skill and competence)
- MA/MSc in Accounting or related field with a minimum of 8-10 years of related work experience of which at least 5 years senior management level in an international NGO managing multi-million-dollar budgets.
- Demonstrable commitment to GOAL’s mission and values, and to delivering excellent services to GOAL’s beneficiaries.
- Demonstrable senior level management experience in areas of financial management including strategic development, operational planning and line management.
- Substantial financial management experience including contract and grant based project and programme budgeting and accounting in an international development environment.
- Sound understanding of accounting and financial management in the context of the charity sector and the wider international not-for-profit sector.
- Proven ability to manage and supervise the work of staff and outsourced suppliers and to manage and improve the quality of their work.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and oral and proven ability to work cross-culturally.
- Highly motivated, energetic, organised, positive and inspiring approach to work.
- Proven experience of balancing the demands of a variety of stakeholders and projects, judgement and discretion.
- Conversant with budgets related to USAID/OFDA, ECHO. UN Agencies, Irish Aid, BPRM, EU, EHF, Irish Aid grants.
- At least 5 years’ previous work experience with 3 other international NGOs
- Hold an internationally recognized accounting qualification (ACCA).
- Proficiency in standard office software packages.
- Firm belief in teamwork, gender equality, sensitivity to HIV/AIDS, transparent and participatory management.
- Strong believe in and support of the decentralisation and change management processes.
- Continually looks to improve personal skill, knowledge and work and contributing to capacity development within the team and organization.
ADDITIONAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
The job duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.
GOAL has a Staff Code of Conduct, Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, which have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants and children from exploitation. GOAL also has a confidentiality policy ensuring the non-disclosure of any information whatsoever relating to the practices and business of GOAL, acquired in the course of duty, to any other person or organisation without authority, except in the normal execution of duty. Any candidate offered a job with GOAL will be expected to adhere to these policies and other GOAL and Donor policies.
GOAL’s Conflict of Interest Policy applies to all recruitment processes. Staff will be required to declare Conflict of Interest during the process.
Note: If you have any serious concern over wrongdoing please report it at www.safecall.co.uk/report or email goal@safecall.co.uk . All information is treated confidentially by Safecall and you may remain anonymous if you wish
This Job Description only serves as a guide for the position available. GOAL reserves the right to change, revise, omit, and add in part /in whole this document any time without giving any reason thereof.
How to apply
Please send your application via the following link: