Terms of Reference /ToR/ to Senior Program Accountant & Grant Management Officer – Ethiopian Charities and Societies Forum (ECSF)

Background

About The ECSF

The Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations Forum (ECSF has been established as a non-partisan, independent, inclusive and voluntary national platform with a focus on the common concerns and challenges of the Civil Society sector in Ethiopia. The Forum’s operational scope is at federal and regional levels with a focus on legal, institutional and operational issues and processes that commonly concerned the civil society sector in Ethiopia.

The various Networks and Consortia of Civil Society organizations [named as ‘Civil Society Organizations’ in the recently ratified Proclamation No. 1113/2019] operating at Federal and Regional level thus came together and established the ECSF in May 2013.

Vision: ECSF envisions seeing a strong and vibrant civil society sector for sustainable development.

Mission: ECSF aspires to ensure the existence of enabling environment for civil society organizations sector through strong representation, constructive dialogue and partnership using consortiums and other legal establishments as platform for action.

Job Summary

The Program Accountant & Grant officer ensures the organizations accurate and complete financial, accounting by building and maintaining accepted systems and procedures for the organization and its partners. S/he is responsible for helping to safeguard the assets and resources of the organization’s finances and Grant management through the proper execution of accounting, resource management, and administration while complying with Ethiopian accounting principles; financial regulations related to Ethiopian NGOs; and the organization’s financial policies.  S/he is responsible for compiling, generating, and submitting/sharing appropriate financial reports on time to internal and external users and s/he coordinates the financial aspects of grants and cooperative agreements by reviewing budget completeness, and coordinates post award actions.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

 Finance Aspects:

• Oversee and manage daily program-wide accounting and finance functions including timely recording of transactions, cash management, banking, payroll, inventory, receivables, and payables.
• Plan and implement systems for financial operations in the office ECSF Finance Manual and donor regulations; including systems for cash flow management, budgeting, consolidation of accounting information, internal controls, financial reporting, financial record-keeping, grant management and compliance.
• Maintain banking relations and plan and monitor ECSF cash flow requirements to ensure the smooth implementation of ECSF projects.
• Prepare monthly standard accounting submissions to ECSF Management for review by the Finance and Administration Manger, including general ledger files, account reconciliations, expenditures by cost center/project, as well as other financial information in a timely and accurate manner.
• Prepare monthly management reports to the Finance and Administration Manager and Program staff as required, including expenditures by cost center/project and other financial information, in a timely and accurate manner.
• Prepare financial reports, for review by the Finance and Administration Manager, to donors in line with donor requirements and templates.
• Assist in developing annual fiscal year budgets together with the Finance and Administration Manager.
• Continuously stay abreast with donor policies, procedures, rules and regulations; compile and update applicable local policies.
• Ensure compliance with ECSF financial policies and procedures.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to ECSF.
• Make sure that all project Fixed Assets are registered properly in accordance with ECSF procedures.
• Prepare monthly tax payment and Make sure that all necessary and appropriate taxes like 2% or 30% Withhold tax (WHT), Income taxes, pension contributions are deducted and paid to the concerned offices of government on time.
• Make sure that all disbursements are not out of the Budget Allocated for each line items
• Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to organizational needs.
•  Collect petty cash from the bank in accordance with security rules
•  Issue payment, advances and advance clearances only upon proper documentation is received with all necessary approvals and signatures.
• Manage cash transaction only if it is recorded to Database.
• Prepare physical cash count on weekly bases on Fridays before closing office hours and archive the signed cash count form in share point
• This Job Description may be revised by the Ethiopian civil society Forum at any time as it deems necessary

Grant Management Aspects:

• Ensure an accurate, timely, efficient and transparent process for all grants.
• Manage institutional reporting, including meeting internal and external reporting deadlines, identifying reporting components, compiling required documents, ensuring report completeness, and facilitating final submission to funders.
• Ensure compliance with internal and external reporting requirements, including budgets and financial reports.
• Work closely with program  teams to build and execute plans and processes, strengthen capacity for grants management, and ensure transparency and accountability
• Keep up-to-date with funder requirements and developments in the use of indicators, tools, etc.
• Participate in relevant meetings relating to the grants and their respective management.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Supervision of expenditures to budgets.
• Review budgets for grant proposals

Title of the project: Co-opting CSOs and their Networks in the Institutionalization of Citizen-State Engagement and Peace building in Ethiopia

Implementing partner: Ethiopian Civil Society Organization’s Forum /ECSF/

Funding Partner: Civil Society Support Program Phase Two

Objectives of the project:

Overall Objective: To contribute to the institutionalization of citizen-state engagement (CSE) for better trust and confidence among engagement actors, and promote peace building through increased capacity of CSO’s and their networks in Ethiopia.

Duration: Six months with possibility of extension

Estimated Start Date: As soon as possible

Reports to: Finance &Admin Head

Profile, Required Qualifications and Skills

• A minimum of BA degree in Accounting/Business Management & related fields
• Minimum of two (2) years of practical experience in the area of Finance & Grant mgt.
• NGO experience is preferred.
• Safety issues in cash management.
• Excellent command of English.
• Real interest to work in civil society environment.
• Best way of handling transaction.
• Bookkeeping and interpersonal skill.
• Basic computer skill to process various document settlements like Excel.
• Advanced computer skills, especially in Excel, Word, Peachtree and use of email.
• Has initiative; creativity and independent to perform the job properly,
• S/he must be committed and willing to work under stress environment and should perform tasks independently.