Senior Admin and Finance Officer | Gambella

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger-USA is a global humanitarian organization that takes decisive action against the causes and effects of hunger. We save the lives of malnourished children and we enable entire communities to be free from hunger. With more than 8,000 staff in over 50 countries, our programs reached 17 million people in 2019.

About the Country Program in Ethiopia

Action Against Hunger has been operational in Ethiopia since 1984 responding to both chronic and acute needs through a multi-sectoral strategy where nutrition, Food Security and Livelihoods, WASH, and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support activities are integrated to have a meaningful impact on people’s resilience. Action Against Hunger currently operates in 5 different regions (Oromia, Somali, Amhara, Benishangul Gumuz, and Gambella) with a portfolio of 20m USD/year of emergency, resilience building, research, and innovation programs. We have a country team of around 600 staff in 17 regional and satellite offices. Our main donors in Ethiopia in 2020/2021 are BHA, ECHO, Europaid, UNHCR, UNICEF, GFFO, BPRM, SIDA, EHF, WFP, CIAA, and others.

Summary of Position

Under the supervision of the Field coordinator, SAFO is a focal person for timely Manage the base’s accounting and verify respective documents; Set up monthly cash forecasts

The SAFO role’s purpose, engagement and delivery is:

Purpose (The substantive focus of the job encompassing scope, depth and difficulty of work both conceptual and applied)

Objective 1: Provide accounting services for the base

• Disseminating information about the accounting procedures of the base and ensuring that these procedures are respected
• The comprehensiveness and precision of entries and the correct budgetary charging of expenses.
• The correctness of cash stocks and bank accounts.
• Timely forwarding of accounting information to the capital.
• Checking entries.
• Providing information pertinent to the correct budgetary charging of expenses and monitoring budget entries.
• Verifying physical cash count.
• Making bank reconciliation.
• Archiving accounting documentation in accordance with ACF procedures

Objective 2: Managing cash

• Implementing the Cash Management procedures on the base and ensuring they are respected.
• The availability and safe keeping of the necessary cash.
• Authorising and making payment for purchases falling within the monthly forecast of his/her base.
• Providing the Head of Finance Department with information concerning the circumstances of the base which may impact on the process of cash management.
• Collecting and compiling monthly forecast of each department.
• Receiving requests to commit expenses on a non-signed contract (Z2), checking that they are justified and informing the Head of Finance Department.
• As and when necessary, proposing the choice of banking establishments, checking their solvency and reliability, maintaining relationship, following the opening and closing of accounts and the adding of signatories according to ACF procedures.
• Approving the methods of payment of on-going contracts for the base and ensuring payment by the due date.
• Informing the Head of Finance Department of any discrepancy between procurement requests and the monthly forecast

Objective 3: Leading financial management of the base

• Maintaining budget projections on a monthly basis with the FC and PM of the base and raising alerts if need be.
• providing all necessary components for the establishment of the annual budget, for proposals and for feedback to funding bodies (audits, financial reports).
• Consolidating needs and costs in the base financing plan.
• Warning the Head of Finance Department and Field Coordinator of financial risks.
• On a monthly basis adjusting the budget projections taking into account the actual expenditures and future need of the program in collaboration with the FC and PMs.
• Briefing of the FC, DFC and program managers and experts about the existing budgets and budget projections.
• Validating the budget lines used for PRs raised in Gambella.
• At the request of the Head of Finance Department, working on the annual budget and proposals with the base’s Program Managers and providing the Head of Finance Department with information relevant to the structural costs of the base.
• Analyzing the consistency of cash forecast with the BFU and keeping the Head of Finance Department and Program Managers informed.
• In accordance with the structure of the financing plan, taking part in the process of allocating costs to certain donor contracts.
• Participating in the preparation of reports to funding bodies and in audits.
• Anticipating and monitoring financial risks (budget overspends, increased costs, lost invoices, lost deposits etc) and keeping the Head of Finance Department and Field Coordinator informed of these.

Engagement: (The focus of interaction both internally and externally needed to deliver a service seek collaboration and build effective partnerships)

Objective 4: Setting in place and following up financial collaboration and coordination with mission partners

• Analyzing the financial risks involved and formulating recommendations concerning the selection of partners.
• Implementing and monitoring the modes of financial management in the framework of joint projects.
• Establishing with the partner the financial and budgetary aspects of partnership conventions and agreements.
• Ensuring that the undertakings of ACF and its partners on financial and budgetary matters are respected.
• Playing a role in consolidating the capacities of partners where a need is identified.
• Taking full advantage at base level of all innovative practices in the field of financial and budgetary management in partnerships.

Delivery: (The focus on the execution of the work and the role on the team for supporting business/operational functions in terms of timeliness and quality)

Objective 5: Core HR Management:

• Manage staff records, contracts, end-of-contract dates, and employee progression tracking.
• Manage dissemination of official letters to staff, ensure signed documents are collected, properly filed, and submitted to Capital HR.
• Ensure employee timesheets are accurately completed with proper signatures and submitted to Capital HR in a timely manner.
• Lead and coordinate staff induction and contribute to training on ACF procedures and HR policies.
• Handle disciplinary processes, staff grievances, and conflict resolution with capital HR validation.
• Liaise with insurance providers and manage employee welfare matters.

Staff Benefits & Payroll

• Support benefits reporting requirements.
• Manage employee benefits (insurance, R&R, relocation, welfare).
• Administer and monitor employee leave (annual leave, sick leave, maternity/paternity leave, compassionate leave, unpaid leave, etc.) in accordance with the organization’s policy, ensuring accurate record-keeping, proper approvals, compliance with regulations, and coordination with payroll and management.
• Oversee payroll administration and ensure payroll databases are accurate and up to date.
• Organize staff information sessions on benefits and incentive programs.

Oversee Incentive workers Payment and Management

• Prepare Incentive workers payroll
• Oversee recruitment and verification of new Incentive Workers.
• Conduct end to end IW management

Recruitment and selection

• Coordinate and ensure timely posting of internal/external vacancies for Grade 6 and below positions on official notice boards throughout the base area.
• Receive and review applications and longlist candidates based on defined criteria.
• Schedule and coordinate written exam assessments in coordination with the hiring manager.
• Coordinate interview schedules and assessment.
• Conduct reference checks of finalists.
• Ensure all recruitment records and related documentation are submitted to the Capital HR focal persons in a timely manner.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Interns/Assistants

Gender Equality Commitments

• Foster an environment that supports values of women and men, and equal access to information.
• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion. race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
• Value and respect in all cultures.

Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA)

• Beware of minimum operating standards of SEA
• Protect and prevent others from SEA.
• Report SEA.
• Strictly adhere and respect Action Against Hunger child protection and SEA policies.

Safeguarding Commitments

• Action Against Hunger has a zero tolerance to child safeguarding violation and SEA. Our selection process includes rigorous reference and background checks. Successful applicants will be expected to sign up and carry out their duties in accordance with our Child Safeguarding and PSEA policies.

Fiscal Responsibility

• N/A

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.
• The physical demands described here 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.

Working Conditions, Travel and Environment

• The duties of the job require regular job attendance of at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or at the weekends as required.
• Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business purposes. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases.

Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

• Bachelor’s in Business Management or finance; Professional certification in Accounting or Finance would add advantage.
• Minimum of 4 years professional work experience in a finance or accounting role in an NGO (accounting, cash and budget management, knowledge of donor’s and ACF guidelines, internal audit process).

Required Skills & Competencies

• Advanced skills in computers; Knowledge and experience of SAGA accounting software; Proactive; Professionalism, Good interpersonal skills and very good knowledge of English; Skills in coaching, training and developing staff.