Country Finance Admin Manager

Position: Country Finance Admin Manager

Country: Ethiopia

Duty station: Addis Abeba with regular field missions to project areas

Start date: ASAP

Duration: 12 months

Report to: Line Manager: Country Representative; Technical Manager: Finance Desk officer

Supervision of: 6 Administrative officers + 1 Logistician/Procurement officer

Context description

VIS – Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo – is an international non-governmental organisation (INGO) active in the field of development and humanitarian cooperation, and an educational agency that promotes and implements awareness-raising, education, capacity building and training activities for development and global citizenship. The organization, founded in 1986 is inspired by the message of St. Giovanni Bosco and his preventive education system. VIS’s main goal is to improve the living conditions of girls, boys, young people in vulnerable conditions and their communities, believing that through education and training the root causes of extreme poverty can be overcame.

In Ethiopia, VIS has been working for more than 20 years operating in the following sectors: Education, Vocational Training and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.

General purpose of the position

She/he has to guarantee the correct, transparent and effective administrative-accounting management of the VIS interventions in Ethiopia. Furthermore, s/he will be responsible for ensuring the efficient organization of the local offices, from a logistical point of view and the administrative management of the local staff. S/he will have to ensure the compliance of the projects with the requirements set out in the agreements with donors and with the administrative and financial internal procedures of the VIS.

Main responsibilities and tasks

The Country Finance Admin Manager will be responsible for the following activities:

• Elaborate the financial plan of the projects, in accordance with the Finance Desk Officer and Program Manager, collect any estimates and on-site valuations.
• Contribute to the formulation of requests for on-site submissions by the Program Manager.
• Ensure correct management of the administrative and accounting documents of the projects, including that required by the auditors and by the donor;
• Ensure proper management of cash registers, bank current accounts and related reconciliation on a monthly basis;
• Update and check the local PN, VIS management software (SQUARE) and send the current account statements & cash registers, reconciliation to the Finance Desk Officer.
• Ensure correct administrative management of the national staff (salaries, contracts, holidays, permits…);
• Ensure the direct management and training of the national administrative staff.
• Monitor the economic-financial performance of the projects in collaboration with the Program Manager and Project Manager, drawing up financial plans, purchase plans and reporting any deviations from the approved budget.
• Prepare the necessary documentation for the implementation of procedures envisaged for purchases and works (estimates, tenders, assignments, etc.).
• Process the interim and final financial reports, under the supervision of the Finance Desk Officer and in conjunction with Program Manager and Country Representative. In case of on-site donor, management of relations with auditors, presentation of the report and sending of additions and changes requested by the donor in agreement with Program Manage , Country Representative and Finance Desk Officer.
• Keep the inventory of all assets owned by the VIS constantly updated and, if necessary, manage stocks in an appropriate warehouse, avoiding damage to the stored assets.
• Keep the list of reliable local suppliers and contracts stipulated with suppliers constantly updated, so that it can be used during the procedure for purchasing goods and services.
• Keep the contact list of the Mission’s expatriate and local staff constantly updated and send it to Human Resources with each update.

Requirements

Knowledge and skills:

• Master Degree in Economics, Management, Political Sciences and International Relations, or other related/relevant fields
• Minimum 2 years of professional experience in administrative-accounting management of humanitarian project/program, including financial management and logistics responsibilities.
• Previous experience of financial reporting of projects funded by institutional donors
• Working experience with accounting software (Square desirable), excellent knowledge of the Microsoft package, with particular reference to Excel
• Strong working knowledge of English (spoken and written).
• Strong interpersonal skills: communication, diplomatic skills, and problem-solving
• Commitment to VIS and Salesians Partners value and principles.

Abilities and psychological attitude:

• Ability to supervise and monitor the economic-financial aspects
• Ability to coordinate and supervise local staff in accordance with the laws in force in the country;
• Ability to train local staff through learning-by-doing (training on the job)
• Ability to work under pressure and in difficult and emergency contexts
• Ability to work and interact permanently with religious counterparts