Finance Specialist – Control and Compliance

TEAM/PROGRAMME: Finance

LOCATION: Addis Ababa

GRADE: 2A

POST TYPE: National

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3: The role holder may have regular contact with or access to children or young people.

Risk and Compliance:

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Fraud, Bribery, and Corruption policy and code of conduct. The key responsibilities include understanding and complying with the SCI policies and procedures, not committing any act of fraud, bribery, or corruption, understanding risks in their area/role, and implementing mitigation measures, report any suspected fraud, bribery, or corruption immediately, declare conflicts of interest in accordance with internal procedures and complete mandatory training related to ethics and anti-fraud measures.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The role holder will support the Senior Finance Manager – Controls and Compliance in strategically covering key responsibilities within the finance function to ensure robust financial management systems with particular focus on financial controls and compliance.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Senior Finance Manager – Control and Compliance

Staff directly reporting to this post: None

Save the Children’s program in Ethiopia currently consists of a complex portfolio with about USD 50 million annual budget.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

1. Financial systems and procedures

• Ensure prepayments of staff insurance, vehicle insurance, Premises prepayments, etc., are amortized on a monthly basis.
• Follow up HQ transactions from London and make sure that all are processed accurately and timely.
• Follow up with Member focal person to clear account 11780.
• Support on timely online bank reconciliations as per the Global Finance Manual
• Ensure Single Account Reconciliation (SAR) of balance sheet and control accounts are completed to meet the monthly and year-end accounting procedure.
• Manage all Balance Sheet accounts and report the status on monthly basis.
• Assist on AL Reconciliations and TG Reconciliations on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.

2. Taxes and other statutory requirements

• Ensure that staff understand all current and emerging local tax requirements through organizing an ongoing orientation.
• Ensure completeness of documentation and recover eligible VAT from the Tax Revenue Authority through preparing and reconciling monthly VAT schedules.
• Reclassify rejected VAT balances to the respective awards (Source of Fund) before the award expiry dates.
• Carry out analytical review on taxes and other deductions to ensure compliance and advise on any areas requiring improvements.
• Ensure safe filing of VAT documents, both in soft copy and hard copy for further reference.
• Ensure timely remittance of Withholding Taxes to the Tax Revenue Authority.
• Support on local annual statutory audit and annual KPMG statutory audit. Key focus on proactive financial controls, management and supporting documentation in order to prevent and mitigate donor disallowances.
• Support in managing project audit process with External Auditors by ensuring smooth audit and provide all documents required by Auditors as and when needed in collaboration with Awards Team.
• Support in ensuring that all audit recommendations are fully implemented.
• Comply with all relevant Save the Children policies and procedures with respect to health and safety, security, equal opportunities and other relevant policies.
• Any other finance duties as may be assigned by the Finance Director.

3. Audit functions

• Support on local annual statutory audit and annual KPMG statutory audit. Key focus on proactive financial controls, management and supporting documentation in order to prevent and mitigate donor disallowances.
• Support in managing project audit process with External Auditors by ensuring smooth audit and provide all documents required by Auditors as and when needed in collaboration with Awards Team.
• Support in ensuring that all audit recommendations are fully implemented.
• Comply with all relevant Save the Children policies and procedures with respect to health and safety, security, equal opportunities and other relevant policies.
• Any other finance duties as may be assigned by the Finance Director.

Other

Working Contacts: Externally-banks, government offices. Internally- Senior Management Team, Global Finance Team, Members and Area Management Teams.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree from recognized university in Accounting and Finance or other related field of studies.
• Recommended a minimum of 7 years of experience in a corporate or an INGO environment, especially in complex budget setting (in excess of $50 million), monitoring and financial accounting.
• Proven experience to help facilitate a smooth operational process and work efficiency.
• Knowledge and experience of the country statutory and tax regulations.
• Proven skills on managing changes, achieving results, ensuring quality, team building and capacity building.
• Strong computer skills, especially in computerized accounting packages such as AGRESSO and Excel.
• Ability and willingness to work under pressure as part of a professional team.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including cultural sensitivity, assertiveness and negotiating skills.
• Willingness to travel to field offices regularly.
• Experience of working in a busy INGO environment.
• Commitment to Save the Children values.

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and

Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.