Regional Accountant and Administrator (Re-Advertised) at Together We Learn Ethiopia

The Amhara regional Accountant and Administrator of Together We Learn Ethiopia (TWL-E) works in accordance with the mission statement and guidelines of the organization. He/she shines behind the scenes with personal and professional integrity, a strong work ethic, trustworthiness, and reliability. He/she must have the necessary technical accounting knowledge and professional experience managing NGO accounts. This includes accounts receivable and accounts payable, payroll, budgeting, reports and financial statements, legal compliance and financial controls, and bookkeeping. He/she is responsible for all financial matters related to the Country office, supporting regional office accounts, ensuring that employees receive their remuneration and other payments within the agreed time frame and that those employees understand their salary calculations and payouts. He/she works under the guidance of the Regional manager.

Key Details

Reports to: Regional Manager

Contract type: One year contract possible extension according to the performance. Hours: Full time – 39 hours per week

Salary: 27,619.00 ETB monthly salary and 2,620 and allowances

Place of work: Gondar, Amhara, Ethiopia with occasional travel to regional or other cities and working areas.

General expectations:

• Respectful and courteous interaction with all those involved in the work of TWL-E (children, parents, caregivers, staff, stakeholders, board members, donors, etc.)
• Respects the organization’s mission and shares our values
• Positive, motivated and committed working attitude
• Consistent, skilful and reliable execution of all assigned tasks
• Efficient proactive planning and effective time management for accurate and timely completion of all assigned tasks
• Increases professional skills through internal and external training
• Attention to all possible problems in the work processes and their communication to the immediate superiors
• Proactively asking questions when expectations are unclear

Specific Tasks and Responsibilities

Accounting: maintain accurate and up-to-date financial records in accordance with the Finance Guidelines ensuring that these are ready for auditing and inspection.

• Ensure all transactions are made using the correct paperwork (the Cash Payment Voucher, the Sub Payment Order and Project approval or agreement)
• Retain and catalogue paperwork and legal in an orderly fashion.
• Record donations along with the relevant paperwork and inform the Country & UK offices.
• Ensure cost-effective and quality procurement of goods and services is conducted as dictated by Ethiopian law and in line with our Finance Guidelines
• Pay salaries in full and on time.
• Make sure all the financial calculations and adjustments are error free.
• Organize documents to the cashier to Pay taxes (i.e. salary and withholding tax) in full and on time and maintain an accurate record of tax owing with all necessary documents to submit to the concerned offices efficiently.
• Ensure the record of assets is well maintained and kept up to date every half term.
• Understand the policy on expenses and benefits and communicates them to the staff.
• Support the internal team to understand the Finance Manual and to follow accordingly.
• Confirm that expense claims are made in line with the Finance Guidelines and use the correct pro forma and with relevant receipts.
• Ensure that cash advances are made in line with the Finance Guidelines using the correct pro forma and with relevant receipts.
• Make sure that all cash advances are recorded accurately and recouped in a timely fashion.
• Make financial forecasting and risk analysis for all organizational accounts.
• Categorise each transaction in the monthly cash report and bank ledger indicating department and specific individual, project, volunteer or school where relevant.

Fund Requests

• Prepare the monthly budget request and submit it on time each month to the UK office. Liaise with team managers to ensure their annual budget request submitted on time and correct. Report spending quarterly against the budget requests to the UK office.

Reporting

• Prepare the monthly, quarterly and annual financial report for management, country office, government offices, and to our UK office.
• Spending reports scans of receipts and statements to be sent to the UK office according to the Finance Agreement.
• Provide timely reports against budgets and schedules agreed with other project funders.
• Compile monthly reports and send to the Regional Manager every month by the 2nd of following month.

Budgeting

• Control expenditures per approved budgets, support departments in developing viable budgets, and ensure all documentation is completed.
• Stay informed about finance activities in each department, offer advice, and anticipate issues.
• Assist in monitoring program and administration expenditures, identifying and reporting discrepancies.

Audit

• Ensure financial records are kept in line with auditing requirements, submit required documentation on time for annual audits and assist external auditors in their audit work.
• Assist in updating staff about annual audit findings/reports.

Project Finances: Support the department heads with program budget preparation, expenditure monitoring and financial reporting to donors.

• Work closely with the regional manager to prepare program budgets.
• Assist to monitor program and administration expenditure against budgets, identifying and reporting discrepancies.
• Assist with internal and external donor financial reporting.

Administration: coordinate annual leave, signing in and out arrangements and other personnel matters at the regional level. Support the development of general policy and other documents.

• Control recording of assets and update twice a year.
• Advise how to get cost effective and quality stuff for the organization program activities.
• Record the staff attendance in a professional fashion every day, compile it every month and report to the manager if there are a significant number of delays, absences and related reasons in line with the organization employee manual.

Others: Responsibilities and expectations beyond the scope of this Job Description may apply, these include:

• Working closely and collaboratively with all TWL offices and our partner charities.
• Being responsive, proactive and positive in communicating with your colleagues, program managers, Regional Manager and the UK team.
• Respecting the working hours of the organization and use working hours only for the

organization’s activities.

• Additional tasks given by the Regional manager.

Specific Skills:

• Excellent numerical and organizational skills, High honesty and integrity in financial management, Strong attention to detail in calculations, Proficient in IT, especially Excel, Peachtree, and IFRS, Analytical and problem-solving abilities, Strong collaboration and teamwork skills

Qualifications and requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, management or a related field is preferred.
• Proven experience in finance, accounting and management with a minimum of 5 years in the role and 3 years’ experience in accounting, management and finance in NGO.
• Experience in strategic financial planning and forecasting.
• Advanced proficiency in financial software and Microsoft Excel.
• Proficient in IT, especially Excel, and Peachtree and IFRS and related certificate required as a bonus.