DescriptionOverview Research Triangle Institute (RTI) has over 30 years’ experience assisting governments, communities, and the private sector. As a not-for-profit, independent research institute based in North Carolina, USA, RTI has roughly 5,000 employees with global experience implementing international development projects. RTI's Sustainable Growth & Resilience (SG&R) technical unit within the International Development Group brings together RTI experts and capabilities across food security, agriculture, energy, environment, water, governance, and economic opportunity. SG&R will leverage RTI's experience designing and delivering multisectoral programming and technical solutions to respond to climate change, build resilience, and promote economic growth around the world. SG&R’s Global Food Security and Agriculture portfolio is working to strengthen agricultural markets, engage youth and women as critical leaders of the on- and off-farm workforce, and tackle the dual burden of malnutrition around the globe. RTI’s work is helping foster stronger food systems, reduce malnutrition in all its forms, build resilience and engage the next generation of food security leaders. RTI is currently partnering on nearly 30 projects in East Africa, including activities focused on private sector-driven agricultural growth in Rwanda and market systems development in Kenya. Project Description The purpose of the USAID/Ethiopia Transforming Agriculture activity is to increase access to healthy diets, particularly for women and children, by improving competitiveness, inclusiveness, and resilience of the Ethiopian food and agriculture system. The project will also increase incomes gained from agriculture by as much as 40 percent over the next five years. To achieve its goals the project must collaborate intensively with other USAID funded projects working in the food and agriculture sector. Position Description RTI is seeking a Finance Officer - Addis Ababa for Ethiopia Transforming Agriculture. The Finance Officer will be responsible for assisting with financial management and the preparation and submission of financial statements and other cost-accounting reports. This position will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and will report to the Finance Director. Responsibilities • Provide support to ensure appropriate systems and procedures (cash management, vendor payments, budgeting and others) are in place to properly disburse, account, budget and report project funds which are cost effective, timely and have proper internal controls. • Perform compliance review on all project expenditures. • Audit systems and controls for the office. • Manage advances and payable aging within the allowable time frame by closely following-up with requestors. • Review the financial records, procedures and systems of contractors and grantees when necessary to ensure compliance with the work orders. • Prepare other financial and cost accounting reports, operations and analysis as required by management and RTI head office. • Ensures compliance with Ethiopian government regulations, USAID’s and RTI’s financial policies and procedures. • Ensure the timely financial processing of vendor invoices and proper management of project funds. • Review financial documents before preparing vouchers, conducting a thorough compliance check to ensure completeness and accuracy. • Prepare vouchers accurately, ensuring proper coding, inclusion of the correct project number, and appropriate account classification. • Scan all financial vouchers and related documents, assisting with uploading these documents into the financial management system for record-keeping and compliance purposes. • Assist in manage advances and track payable and receivable aging within the allowable time frame by following up regularly with requestors and vendors to ensure timely payments. • Update finance tracker to reconcile cash accounts regularly to ensure that appropriate cash balances are maintained for operational needs. • Prepare salary income tax, 2% withholding tax, and pension contributions are correctly calculated and deducted. • Ensure timely declaration and payment of taxes to the Ministry of Revenues. • Assist in the daily entry of financial data into QuickBooks, ensuring that transactions are recorded accurately and on time. • Manage and prepare USAID VAT refund submissions, ensuring that vendors declare their VAT monthly and submit the necessary documents to USAID on time. • Reconcile monthly VAT receivables with the VAT amounts requested from USAID to ensure proper tracking and reconciliation. • Assist in the preparation of monthly payroll, ensuring that salary calculations, deductions, and payments are processed accurately and on time. • Assist in payment of workshop participants perdiem. • Perform other financial duties and responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor to support the finance department’s operations Qualifications • Master’s degree in finance, accounting, or related field and 3 years of experience, or a Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience. • At least three (3) years of experience working for a USAID project is desirable. • Excellent financial and analytical skills. • Knowledge and experience with financial accounting software, particularly QuickBooks is preferred. • Proven ability to work under pressure, and with multiple concurrent demands. • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. • Verbal and written fluency in English required. • Ability to travel and work throughout Ethiopia in difficult terrain/conditions at times
ResponsibilitiesProvide support to ensure appropriate systems and procedures (cash management, vendor payments, budgeting and others) are in place to properly disburse, account, budget and report project funds which are cost effective, timely and have proper internal controls. • Perform compliance review on all project expenditures. • Audit systems and controls for the office. • Manage advances and payable aging within the allowable time frame by closely following-up with requestors. • Review the financial records, procedures and systems of contractors and grantees when necessary to ensure compliance with the work orders. • Prepare other financial and cost accounting reports, operations and analysis as required by management and RTI head office. • Ensures compliance with Ethiopian government regulations, USAID’s and RTI’s financial policies and procedures. • Ensure the timely financial processing of vendor invoices and proper management of project funds. • Review financial documents before preparing vouchers, conducting a thorough compliance check to ensure completeness and accuracy. • Prepare vouchers accurately, ensuring proper coding, inclusion of the correct project number, and appropriate account classification. • Scan all financial vouchers and related documents, assisting with uploading these documents into the financial management system for record-keeping and compliance purposes. • Assist in manage advances and track payable and receivable aging within the allowable time frame by following up regularly with requestors and vendors to ensure timely payments. • Update finance tracker to reconcile cash accounts regularly to ensure that appropriate cash balances are maintained for operational needs. • Prepare salary income tax, 2% withholding tax, and pension contributions are correctly calculated and deducted. • Ensure timely declaration and payment of taxes to the Ministry of Revenues. • Assist in the daily entry of financial data into QuickBooks, ensuring that transactions are recorded accurately and on time. • Manage and prepare USAID VAT refund submissions, ensuring that vendors declare their VAT monthly and submit the necessary documents to USAID on time. • Reconcile monthly VAT receivables with the VAT amounts requested from USAID to ensure proper tracking and reconciliation. • Assist in the preparation of monthly payroll, ensuring that salary calculations, deductions, and payments are processed accurately and on time. • Assist in payment of workshop participants perdiem. • Perform other financial duties and responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor to support the finance department’s operations
QualificationMaster’s degree in finance, accounting, or related field and 3 years of experience, or a Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience. • At least three (3) years of experience working for a USAID project is desirable. • Excellent financial and analytical skills. • Knowledge and experience with financial accounting software, particularly QuickBooks is preferred. • Proven ability to work under pressure, and with multiple concurrent demands. • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. • Verbal and written fluency in English required. • Ability to travel and work throughout Ethiopia in difficult terrain/conditions at times