Finance Officer @The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Ethiopia

• Job Title: Finance Officer
• Organization: American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
• Unit / Program: Salama Hub — Africa Region
• Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Job Category: Exempt (Salary)
• Status: Full-Time
• Type of Employment: Regular Staff
• Supervisor: Salama Hub Director
• Direct Reports: Directly supervises the Finance Assistant

ABOUT THE AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE (AFSC)

The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is a Quaker religious organization that promotes lasting peace with justice, as a practical expression of faith in action. Drawing on continuing spiritual insights and working with people of many backgrounds, we nurture the seeds of change and respect for human life that transform social relations and systems.

ABOUT SALAMA HUB

AFSC’s Salama Hub, established in 2021, is a research and advocacy hub focused on promoting peace and stability in the Horn of Africa. The hub collaborates with civil society organizations, think tanks, faith leaders, activists, and others across Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Eritrea, and Djibouti. The Salama Hub works to strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) and faith-based organizations (FBOs) in the region to organize and influence policies on the local, regional, national, and global levels. We equip CSOs and FBOs with tools and knowledge on conflict transformation and advocacy. Together, we engage with the African Union, European Union, U.S. government, and others to influence sociopolitical dynamics and policies through evidence-based advocacy. The program also contributes to creating advocacy platforms and alliances for peacebuilding organizations.

GENERAL SUMMARY OF POSITION

The Finance Officer will support the Salama Hub work by developing and upholding quality standards for financial control and management, building the capacity of staff and partners on financial implementation, accounting, and financial monitoring and evaluation of budgets for the program.

The Finance Officer will be directly supervised by the Salama Hub Director and will work closely with the Regional Finance Manager for Africa. They will also collaborate with the IP Finance staff based in the central office in Philadelphia, the AFSC International Programs Finance Director, and other finance officers from collaborating agencies and partners to ensure a high degree of accountability and stewardship in the use of AFSC’s financial resources. The Finance Officer will directly supervise the Finance Assistant.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS / RESPONSIBILITIES

• Administer and review Salama Hub financial plans and budgets, monitor progress and changes, and keep the Salama Hub Director updated on the program’s financial status.
• Lead the annual budgeting and planning process in conjunction with BftW Consortium members, administer and review all financial plans and budgets, monitor progress and changes; and keep Consortium team members abreast of theSalama Hub’s financial status.
• Manage the monthly reconciliation of accounts payable and ensure that payment periods are adhered to and Salama Hub is in good standing and does not hold large amounts of unpaid liabilities.
• Manage the accounting and review all financial transactions and reporting related to the Salama Hub programs.
• Analyze and present financial reports in an accurate and timely manner.
• Effectively communicate and present critical financial matters to the Hub Director and the Regional Finance Manager.
• Ensure that all receivables are tracked, invoiced, paid, and correctly accounted for in a timely manner (including donor or partner receivables).
• Prepare the monthly and annual financial statements; collate financial reporting materials for all donor segments.
• Manage the monthly closing process for Accounts Payable and General Ledger for Salama Hub’s accounts.
• Process the Salama Hub Program payroll ensuring compliance with all statutory payments.
• Ensure accurate implementation of all the Ethiopia Office finance policies and accounting practices, and ensure compliance and adherence to the policies.
• Manage the Salama Hub’s cash flow and forecasting through proper monitoring of office liquidity position to ensure adequate funds are available for smooth office operations.
• Lead the program audit process by liaising with external auditors as well as being the main point of contact for donor (Bread for the World) program audits, including planning, scheduling, managing timeline, and deliverables in close collaboration with the Regional Finance Manager.
• Ensure that staff are aware of the AFSC rules and procedures for budget and accounting using the AFSC regional finance manual and AFSC finance directives as a guide.
• Undertake field visits from time to time to support partner finance staff and to carry out informal management and accounting audits as requested.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with external parties, including partner finance staff and banks.
• Perform any other duty as assigned by the supervisor from time to time.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The AFSC offers a competitive Total Rewards package which includes:

• Comprehensive medical and hospitalization insurance.
• Term life insurance.
• Short-Term Disability & Long-Term Disability coverage.
• Defined benefit pension plan.
• Generous annual leave allocation, sabbaticals, extended leaves, and holidays.

ORGANIZATIONAL POLICIES & EEO STATEMENT

• Equal Employment Opportunity: The American Friends Service Committee provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. The policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
• Union Representation: AFSC’s Central Office and some of its offices in the U.S. are unionized workplaces. This position is not represented.
• Smoke-Free Environment: AFSC maintains a deep commitment to a mandate of care for our staff and communities. The American Friends Service Committee is a smoke-free workplace.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field with a minimum of 5 years of professional experience with an international organization, preferably an NGO.
• Demonstrated understanding of non-profit fund accounting practices.
• Must have ACCA or its equivalent certification.
• Must be fluent in spoken and written English.
• Applicants must have the right to work in Ethiopia.

Technical & Professional Skills

• Expertise with MS Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint); accounting software, payroll management systems, and web-based communications platforms.
• Advanced Excel skills are highly preferred.
• Experience working with and implementing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.

Personal & Operational Attributes

• Willingness and ability to travel across the Horn of Africa, sometimes on short notice, to project locations and partner sites.
• Ability to work effectively independently and within a team environment.
• Capable of working under tight time constraints in a high-volume environment with multiple priorities.
• Understanding of and commitment to the principles, concerns, and considerations of AFSC in regard to issues of race, class, nationality, religion, age, gender and sexual orientation, and disabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to work and communicate with diverse staff.
• Commitment to Quaker values and testimonies. Understanding of and compatibility with the principles and philosophy of the American Friends Service Committee, including non-violence and the belief in the intrinsic worth of every individual.