Finance and Administration Officer
GIZ-Internal/External Vacancy Announcement #99/2017
GIZ-SDR Program
Background
As an international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations, the federally owned Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH supports the German Government in achieving its development-policy objectives. GIZ promotes complex reforms and change processes.
In Ethiopia, GIZ has been working for more than 40 years in bilateral cooperation on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and on commission of the Ethiopian government and international donors.
The Ethiopian government recognizes the high economic value of livestock and its products like milk, meat and leather produced through the traditional pastoral farming. Therefore, the pastoral and agro-pastoral population is supported in strengthening their drought resilience, allowing them to adapt their farming system to a changing natural and economic environment. German development cooperation participates with the program “Strengthening Drought Resilience of the Pastoral and Agro-Pastoral Population in the Lowlands of Ethiopia” (SDR) in selected pilot areas in Afar and Somali. Major activities will be participatory land use planning with all stakeholders in selected kebeles, water harvesting and rehabilitation of degraded rangeland followed by participatory rangeland management as well as training for pastoralists, administration and service providers. To set this new program up, a team of experts is needed keen to work for pastoralists communities. The jobs will offer the opportunity to form together a challenging project. For its Strengthening Drought Resilience (SDR) program office GIZ is looking for:-
Job Title: Finance and Administration Officer
Place of Work: Semera, Afar Region
Required Candidate: One
Application deadline: October 18, 2017
Summary of duties and responsibilities
The job holder reports to the Afar Regional Program Manager. The candidate works closely together with the First Finance and Administration Officer in Afar Region and will be under the technical of F&A head in Addis Ababa GIZ SDR office.
Responsibilities include:
· The job holder supports in setting up and managing several funding sources.
· Responsible for the accounting functions of the SDR-ASAL Program in Afar region for assigned specific project accounts by the regional manager and as necessary to other accounts.
· Provide support to program staff also on-site (including travel to program sites in Afar region and national office in Addis Ababa as required).
· Ensure financial and accounting systems are implemented according to GIZ financial system.
· Support the program office to meet GIZ-SDR reporting deadlines.
· Carry out general administrative tasks like putting up the filing system.
Tasks
Finance and Accounting System
· Support to setting up and managing several funding sources for project activities at regional level.
· Ensure the smooth functioning of the accounting system in line with the GIZ standard procedures.
· Compile and submit complete financial documents in time to Addis Ababa SDR program office.
· Prepare and submit monthly accounts closing for signature to SDR program office Addis Ababa in time.
· Prepare payment and internal transaction vouchers and record in accounting software WINPACCS.
· Process local travel payments.
· Prepare income tax (if any) and withholding tax payments.
· Compile VAT documents, prepare claim summary for sending to GIZ Country Office and follow-up on the reimbursement.
· Follow-up on un-settled items and initiate settlement.
· Ensure that all payment vouchers, invoices, receipts are valid and approved before forwarding it for payment and booking.
· Carry out cashier functions with daily checking of payments against the cash/bank book entries.
· Ensure timely payment of utility bills and tax bills.
· Update inventory records according to GIZ rules and regulations and present it to the program manager for checking and take physical count.
· Ensure that financial files are labelled and filed according to GIZ’s regulation.
· Provide required documents for an auditor whenever Internal or External Control is conducted.
· Make bank reconciliations monthly.
· Make cash account reconciliations between WINPACCS, Cash Book and Actual physical cash count balances.
· Follow-up with the bank on transfers made to regions.
· Support in following up of settling advances on Financial Agreements (FA), Local Subsidy agreements (LSC) and Consultancy agreements.
Administration
· Facilitate staff recruitment and management procedures at regional level
· Prepare monthly average fuel consumption reports for program vehicles
· Prepare invoice for private mileage and telephone costs
· Comply with, and ensure that staff comply with, GIZ-SDR’s policies and procedures.
· Keep and update annual leave records of the regional staff
· Help to put-up and organize the office premises.
· Report irregularities observed, if any, to the superior
· Perform any other duties as required
Competences:
· Familiarity with relevant accounting software and proficiency with Microsoft Excel;
· Strong interpersonal and service skills;
· Strong organization and time management skills;
· Ability to perform efficiently in a multicultural work environment;
· Ability to work under time pressure;
· Proactive interest in improving quality of work;
· Self-driven motivation to create knowledge and innovations
· Interest to support and develop context-specific new approaches of soil and water conservation;
· Excellent communication skills, both written and oral in English and Amharic
· The ability to read and speak Afar language is advantage and highly recommended.
Qualifications and Experience:
· Degree in Accounting from a recognized college
At least 5 years of experience as accountant in private sector, Government or NGO or international organization