Mercy Corps – Finance Assistant
Job Description
Job Details
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future. Mercy Corps has been operating in Ethiopia since 2004. In partnership with civil society organizations, academic institutions, private sector, and the government, Mercy Corps Ethiopia has reached more than five million Ethiopians with interventions to save lives and build secure livelihoods. Our programs emphasize market-driven solutions, reinforce social bonds, and help communities build resilience to the impacts of climate change. Currently in six regional states – Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, and South Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR), and in Dire Dawa Administration and the capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa – Mercy Corps Ethiopia is driven by the mission to contribute the emergence of a peaceful, resilient, and prosperous Ethiopia which is inclusive of youth and women. Our strategic directions focus in promoting inclusive and dynamic markets; promoting peace and social cohesion through strengthening formal/informal governance structures and citizen engagement; improved natural resource governance; and integrated humanitarian response.
Location: Addis Ababa
Position Status: Full-time
Directly Reports to: Finance Officer
Supervisory Responsibility: None
Work Directly With: Mainly with the Finance officers, Senior Finance Specialist and, Central Finance Unit Colleagues but also includes Budget Holders, Area Managers and various support service colleagues.
Safeguarding Risk: Low
Program / Department Summary
The Mercy Corps Finance Department is responsible for all financial functions, including accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting, and grant financial management and compliance. The Mercy Corps Finance Department ensures compliance with donor regulations as well as Mercy Corp’s internal policies and procedures. As a support to the Program Technical Department, the Finance Department provides timely reports and assistance to the Country Director and the Program team to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively.
General Position Summary:
Working in the finance unit, under the direction of the Finance officer, the Finance Assistant will be responsible for the day-to-day routine tasks of the finance Assistant (cashier) role where the details are specified under the Essentials of Job Functions below. She/he is expected to produce reliable, accurate and timely financial report/information for all stake holders involved in. The post holder should be forward looking, self-driven operating under minimum supervision, and critical thinker in the team. Furthermore, considering the various expected systemic changes in future, the post holder should be forward looking, able to develop/train herself/himself easily, change oriented and able to quickly settle in the new system.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
Treasury Management (60%)
Compliance Monitoring (25% of Time)
Customer Focused (10% of Time)
Financial Accounting and Others (5% of Time)
1. Treasury Management (60% of Time)
At all times, ensure that adequate fund is available for operations. Ensure that the Mercy Corp’s petty cash replenishment system is followed up consistently and ask for replenishment based on the minimum reorder level set for the office.
At all times, ensure that there is adequate cheque leaf and other payment processing pads are available in the office and put a reorder level system before the cheque leaf or other payment processing documents run out completely.
Ensure that per CSA rule, all the pre numbered vouchers (receipt or payment) are notified to HR and Legal Director so that he/she has communicated this to CSA office on time
Organize with logistics team (PALM team) in the office and ensure that the room where the safe box is located is adequately protected and secured enough
Ensure that the currency notes we are receiving from any legitimate source which includes staff travel or operational advance return are not fake currency notes. On the event this happens, alert the Finance Manager immediately.
Ensure that staff are counting the cash they collect over the counter and no further complains are made for the count made outside the Finance Officer (cashier office) office.
Ensure that on all payments made we are withholding the relevant government withholding tax for the payments where this is applicable by law
Ensure that all Mercy Corps policies and procedures are adhered in terms of cash hours, weekly cash count and monthly cash count procedures
Ensure that all the cash transactions are entered to the Navigator system on a daily basis and ensure the cash balance based on the system information is matching with the physical cash count in the safe box
Print the GL register from Navigator and ensure it is filed with the original vouchers
Liaise with the logistics team (PALM team) that any missing or insufficient supporting documents are immediately delivered and in the event that this is not delivered, hold the final release of cheque and discuss with the Finance Manager or Accounting Supervisor for further action
Perform the routine cash payment based on the complete and authorized documents
Perform the routine cheque payment based on the complete and authorized documents
Based on the guidance and support from the Accounting and Reporting Manager and other relevant colleagues, review journal transaction descriptions in Navigator systems for cash transactions that they meet the expectations of the budget holders, auditors, other stake holders and reasonably explained within a limited character space in the system.
Ensure the safety and security of cash handling as well as cheque handling between the move from/to office and bank.
Based on Mercy Corps internal procedures, ensure the limits set on the mode of cash or cheque payment is by no means overridden
2. Compliance Monitoring (25% of Time)
In addition to the financial review done by the appropriate finance officers, perform sensibility checking that all the supporting documents attached to the voucher are meeting the internal control standards of Mercy Corps, and they are duly signed by the authorized staff members in the office
Provide consistent support to other finance colleagues and staff members in the implementation of internal audit recommendations
Query any altered document presented for payment. Ensure that all altered documents for whatsoever reason and submitted for payment has the signature of the authorized personnel in the office against the place where the alteration has been made.
3. Customer Focused (10% of Time)
Ensure that all completed documents and presented for cheque preparation or cash payment are done immediately or within a maximum of five working hours.
Ensure that clients or staff members who are expecting to collect the cheque or cash payment are not lining up unnecessarily and they receive adequate and timely service. Inform the clients or external parties who expect the cheque payment that the payment is ready for collection.
Depending on the need, maintain log sheet which will reveal the processing time and the actual time the payment is done
On exceptional circumstances and on the possible delay of payment process, provide ahead feedback to the staff members (mainly PALM team) as well as external parties on the possibility of delay in payment and inform the possible rescheduled time to deliver the cheque.
Provide professional and polite responses to all external parties as well as staff members for any queries that they may raise in connection to the expectation of payments
Generally, be courteous for all external parties or staff members who may require the support on the payment service
4. Financial Accounting and Others (5% of Time)
As required, provide cover for the Finance Officer in her absence
Perform double and final check of document authorization that it has been authorized based on the limit set in the Authority Matrix
Together with other finance colleagues, as a team, provide strong support on the A-133 Audit, donor audit, external statutory audit, and any other Audit related to MC Ethiopia program.
STRATEGY & VISION
Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.
Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support.
TEAM MANAGEMENT
Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary.
FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT
Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.
Draft and/or review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.
GEDSI (GENDER, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION)
Adherence of gender minimum standards
Allocate budget for GESI related activities and staff capacity building on GESI
Make sure GESI issues are properly reflected during program management
Support the organization’s commitment to age and gender inclusive team building process
Promote an inclusive and equitable workplace culture
Support Staff Capacity Building on Increase staff knowledge of GEDSI
Coordinate with GEDSI Technical Team Improve gender-responsiveness of program /Project MEAL system
Increased commitment to Gender Equality Diversity and Social inclusion
About You
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Two years progressive experience in the non-profit organization and mainly experience gained in the INGO is required.
Experience in managing USAID grants at least for two years
Diploma/First Degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance or related discipline. Compensating Education + Experience can be considered.
Demonstrated competency with computerized general ledger software
Computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly in Excel
Prior management experience and strong organizational skills
Good Oral and written English skills
SUCCESS FACTORS:
Confident, self-starter, an independent thinker and have strong organizational, interpersonal and communication skill, team oriented
Good computer skills (especially Microsoft Excel, Work, and Outlook)
Ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel is required; demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse group of people
High professional standard of administration ethics as well as willingness and ability to enforce compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures is essential.
Demonstrated ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities is necessary
Good communication skills, written and oral are required.
Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and appropriate flexibility.
Emotional maturity and physical stamina.
Demonstrated experience in managing Matrix Reporting
Willing to travel to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites, when required
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
Required Skills
Financial management
Accounting
How To Apply
All interested candidates are encouraged to apply for the position advertised. All applications must be submitted electronically including a CV, three references, and all relevant official documents.
Only candidates that are short-listed will be acknowledged and called for interviews.
“Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer promoting gender, equity and diversity. Qualified female and young candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We are committed to empower women and youth.”
DEADLINE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS: September 01,2024 4:00 PM
Apply here: Finance Assistant_ Addis Ababa | Mercy Corps Ethiopia (ultipro.com)