Finance Officer – Pharo Diagnostic Centre, Assosa, Ethiopia

Organisation Overview

The Pharo Foundation (the ‘’Foundation”) is a privately funded entrepreneurial organisation that runs philanthropic programmes as well as a for-profit arm, Pharo Ventures. The Vision of the Foundation is an economically vibrant and inclusive Africa. The Mission is to achieve the Vision by investing in the human and physical capital of Africa, with a strong focus on job creation.

Established in 2011, the Foundation has been implementing numerous programmes in Ethiopia and Somaliland and is in the process of expanding into Rwanda and Kenya. The strategic pillars of the Foundation are education, health, water, and agriculture. One such example is the ongoing implementation of a large-scale water project in Somaliland with the aim of bringing water to 6,000 households and their livestock. In 2020, the Foundation also established Pharo Ventures, its wholly owned social enterprise arm, with the objectives of economic value and job creation in East Africa.

The Foundation has a Programme Office in Assosa, the regional capital of Ethiopia’s Benishangul Gumuz Regional State (BGRS), with plans to expand operations in the country. Since its establishment in 2016, the Foundation’s Programme Office has been working on an integrated livelihood development programme that covers agriculture, water, health, and education. The Foundation opened the upper-class diagnostic centre in Assosa, BGRS, to complement curative health services in the region and beyond existing health systems. The Pharo Diagnostic Centre (PDC) is intended to aid in the improvement of BGRS’ health infrastructure by providing advanced high-quality medical laboratory services to customers, later adding imaging investigations and further laboratory testing.

Headquartered in London, the Foundation has an operational head office in Nairobi, Kenya with Country Offices in Ethiopia (Addis Ababa and Assosa), Somaliland (Hargeisa), and Rwanda (Kigali) with further expansion plans in Africa.

Position Summary

The Finance Officer will be responsible for supporting the PDC by recording and reporting revenue and expenses to the PDC team. The ideal candidate will be tasked with compliance, budgeting, reporting, and contributing to the overall financial management of PDC. The Foundation is interested in hiring a competent and dedicated Finance Officer who is passionate about its work and finds fulfilment in making a real impact

Functional Relationships: Assosa Programme Office Finance team, Country Office Finance team

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Review purchase requests and ensure their correctness, budget availability, and stock balance.
• Review payment requests, and ensure alignment with the Foundation’s policies, approved budget, tax law, and sound financial management.
• Record transactions in Q-faya, our accounting system accurately and on time.
• Produce monthly management account reports; income statements, balance sheet, and budget vis-a-vis actual variance explanations from budget holders and submit them to the Assosa Finance team.
• Produce revenue and cost of services analysis by department and seek an explanation from the PDC Director on unexpected results.
• Update Fixed Asset register regularly and ensure smooth bi-annual/annual physical verification.
• Oversee proper recording and maintenance of stocks and ensure smooth bi-annual/annual physical verification.
• Review purchases critically and consult the Programme Manager/Finance and Admin Manager on contentious issues.
• Maintain strong internal control systems in financial and property management.
• Assist the Country Office Finance team during the management account report preparation.
• Other duties as assigned by the line manager.

Qualification Requirements

• BA degree with a major in accounting from a reputable university.
• Minimum 7 years of relevant work experience.
• Prior experience in working in a diagnostic centre or any medical institution is a plus.
• Experience in managing inventory in a business setting.
• Excellent computer skills and ability to work on accounting software.
• Very good planning & organizational skills.
• Strong analytical skills and good knowledge of financial techniques.
• Fluency in spoken and written Amharic and English.

Personal Attributes

• Great attention to detail and a flexible approach to work.
• High level of commitment and self-motivation
• High professional and ethical standards.
• Positive outlook and outgoing personality with solid interpersonal and diplomatic skills.
• Structured and process oriented.
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to balance multiple priorities.
• Motivated to learn and perform and not afraid to ask questions.
• Willing to challenge the status quo and add value by introducing positive change.
• Excellent communicator and comfortable working in a team environment.
• Demonstrate the ability of strong communication skills in English verbally and in writing.