Job responsibilities and key tasks

VSF-Suisse seeks to hire a Regional Finance Officer who will have the overall financial responsibility of the HEAL Project to be implemented in Ethiopia, N. Kenya and Somalia. S/He will provide support to the finance staff of the consortium partners (VSF-Suisse, CCM & ILRI) in timely financial planning, monitoring, analysis and reporting as well as operations support in the implementation of the HEAL project. S/He will be responsible for supporting the Regional HEAL project manager in finance management, review of grants and ensuring the project strictly adheres to standard requirements of VSF-Suisse and specific donor requirements.

Project Accounting

·         Ensuring all expenditures are supported with proper and sufficient supporting documents based on donor and VSF Suisse regulations.

·         Verify partners' financial reports against supporting documents and prepare a report on any findings or irregularities.

·         Maintain financial documents of partners.

Financial management of the HEAL project

·         Oversee the financial management of the HEAL project.

·         Work with country-level finance staff to ensure that everyone works toward the agreed standards of financial management, highlight areas of concern, make recommendations and develop plans to meet identified needs.

·         Undertake budgeting and income/expenditure forecasting for the HEAL project and advice the regional HEAL project manager and his team.

·         Provide support, advice and training to partner organizations’ staff on financial management control and reporting.

·         Make regular visits to project sites, monitor field expenditures to ensure that project funds are utilized appropriately and timely.

·         Undertake monthly country-level finance review meetings with concerned staff and relay information to the Regional HEAL Project Manager and the Consortium Partnership Board.

·         Support on budget development for future phases of the project.

Cash management of the HEAL project

·         Ensure timely and accurate cash management and financial disbursements to partners and maintain oversight of funding requirements.

·         Arrange and follow-up bank transfers made to partner and stakeholders by following their project budgets and cash flow.

Project controlling and reporting

·         Ensure that strong financial and accountability controls are in place across the countries of intervention (Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya) and that they are in line with VSF-Suisse financial procedures.

·         Support country-level finance staff in the implementation of control measures.

·         Ensure that each country and partner offices maintain and review the project monitoring reports and management accounts.

·         Follow-up on partners' financial reports, analyze them and make recommendations to the regional HEAL project manager and VSF-Suisse Ethiopia office FAM.

·         Ensure timely and accurate financial reporting to the donor.

·         Ensure compliance and understanding of donor terms throughout the countries of intervention

Project audits

·         Organize a periodic review of the control system through internal audits.

·         Oversee and coordinate the financial audits of the project.

·         Provides required documents for an auditor and ensures internal/external project audit takes place in a timely manner.

Procurement and logistics

·         Ensure the project procurements and purchases are done in a timely manner.

·         Ensures that all project equipment are maintained and documented properly;

·         Maintain and timely update project asset list.

Administration

·         Support the HEAL Project Manager follow-up on settling of financial agreements relating to consultancy agreements and general logistical arrangements.

·         Ensure all partners maintain contracts, timesheets, for staff and vehicle logbooks are maintained

·         Ensure that the HEAL project staff personal files of the employee are properly maintained;

·         Support new project staff induction process to the HEAL project’s logistic and financial procedures;

Essential Criteria

·         A Masters’ degree in Finance and a professional accounting qualification is essential for this post. Any application not fulfilling these criteria will not be taken into consideration.

·         Experience and Knowledge

·         Experience in managing and supporting teams working remotely

·         At least 10 years’ experience working in an INGO preferably a regional position

·         Extensive experience of a wide range of donors including Swiss Development Cooperation, DFID, EU, etc

·         Previous consortium financial management experience is advantageous

·         Knowledge of statutory requirements for Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia

Skills and Abilities

·         Proficient knowledge of English and ideally knowledge of any of the languages spoken in the intervention countries;

·         Ability to work with tact and diplomacy with various stakeholders;

·         Willing and able to travel extensively in the region;

·         Ability to work independently and make rational strategic and routine decisions

·         Performance management skills including mentoring and capacity building of finance staff
Ideally a national or a resident of Ethiopia, Somalia or Kenya.

Application procedure

What we offer

-           A qualified, dynamic and highly motivated team of colleagues;

-           A unique and relevant project for pastoral communities in the Greater Horn of Africa;

-           The opportunity to actively contribute to the future design of the project implementation;

-           A job with responsibilities in a demanding and challenging environment;

-           A competitive salary as well as a medical and social insurance scheme.

Entry date and contract length

Immediate start-up, with a fixed-term contract of four years.