Project Accountant

Organization Background

Established in 1947, the Young Men’s Christian Association of Ethiopia (YMCA) is one of the oldest youth development organizations in Ethiopia. It is affiliated with the World Alliance of YMCAs and the African Alliance of YMCAs. The core objective of the organization is ensuring the wellbeing of the community and children in general and the youth population in particular through body, mind and spiritual development. YMCA Ethiopia is working in collaboration with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders in Addis Ababa and five (5) regions of the country: Amhara, Oromia, SNNPR, Tigray, and Sidama.

YMCA Ethiopia is seeking an experienced Project Accountant to serve as the financial steward for our critical programs. This role is essential for ensuring the integrity, transparency, and accountability of donor-funded projects in our centralized financial system. The successful candidate will be responsible for the precise management of all project funds—from disbursement to branches to final reporting—directly contributing to our mission by guaranteeing that every resource is optimally utilized to create maximum community impact.
Your work is the foundation of donor trust and organizational accountability in a decentralized implementation model.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Maintain all project financial records in the centralized accounting system.
• Prepare and process fund transfer requests to branch offices based on the approval.
• Verify and reconcile all financial documents and reports submitted by branches.
• Monitor project expenditures against approved budgets and highlight variances.
• Prepare and submit timely financial reports to donors and management in accordance with requirements.
• Ensure full compliance with donor financial rules, NGO policies, and local statutory regulations.
• Serve as the primary focal point for project audits and ensure all supporting documentation is complete and accessible.
• Build the capacity of branch finance staff on reporting procedures and the centralized system.
• Manage project related accounts payable and receivable at the national level.
• Assist in the preparation of project budgets and budget revisions.
• Collaborate work with the finance team for the documentation of audit & related tasks.
• Identify and document project based procurement documents as required by the donor or organizational standards

Reporting To: Admin & Finance Director

Position Type: Project Based Employment

Employment Type: Full Time

Salary: Based on the organization scale

Duty Station: National Office

Location: Addis Ababa

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• Proven two (2) years’ experience in project/grant accounting within the NGO sector, specifically with donor-funded projects (e.g. USAID, EU, BMZ, UN Agencies).
• Experience in preparing financial reports for internal and external stakeholders, and facilitating project audits.
• Solid understanding of fund accounting principles and donor compliance requirements.
• Expertise in centralized accounting software (e.g., Peachtree, QuickBooks Online, Sage, MS Dynamics, IPSAS & IFRSS) and advanced Excel.
• Impeccable attention to detail, high integrity, and a systematic approach to financial control.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a dynamic environment.