Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER) is the aid organization of the Protestant Churches of Switzerland and has its headquarters in Zurich/Switzerland. Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER) works towards a more humane and more equitable world, assisting people and communities to overcome economic, social or humanitarian disparities in order to gain autonomy and to live with dignity both in Switzerland and abroad. Therefore, Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER) engages in development cooperation, humanitarian aid and church cooperation working in more than 30 countries and running around 200 projects world-wide. Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER) is a member of the ACT Alliance. Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER) - Ethiopia Country office is recruiting a Grants and Compliance Officer for its Country Office.

The Grants and Compliance Officer supports the Finance and Administration Manager, Program Manager and other country program and project teams in Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER) to efficiently manage grants by international donors. The role will support effective and efficient country office grant management and ensure high quality reporting standards and compliance with donor rules and regulations. The Grants and Compliance Officer will build partner and staff capacity in grant management. Moreover, the Grants and Compliance Officer will be responsible for supporting the drafting and development of project budgets for new proposals in line with donor requirements and internal budgeting procedures.

Required No: 1

 Duration of Employment: 2 Years  with possibility of extension, based on funding availability.

 Salary:  As per the scale of the organization and benefit package

Key areas of responsibilities are:

Project Budget Development 

• Work jointly with the program focal points on the preparation and submission of new project proposals 

• Develop new project budgets for donor submissions

• Ensure HEKS/EPER internal budgeting procedures are followed, and correct templates are used

Grant Management 

Responsible for grant management processes including partner’s capacity assessments and ensure their financial compliance with the organization and donors’ regulations.

 Compliance Management

Ensure compliance with donor contractual terms and conditions

Identify financial risks facing the grants and share with management

Support and coordinate grants end closure processes

Support with internal and external audits done on the grants, provide relevant information for audit responses and recommendation.

Financial Accounting and Control

Prepare financial reports, review narrative reports and ensure all documents are consistent in accordance with donor requirements

Submit reports on time before the deadline.

Engage, jointly with other team members from the Finance and Programmes Teams in conduction of Due Diligence exercises on local and international partners in line with internal and donor requirements

Reviews Partners’ grant financial reports for accuracy, completeness and compliance with GAAP and donor requirements. Ensure variance explanations are reasonable, ensuring any unusual items are identified and followed up.

Ensures the application of proper accounting controls and uniformity with financial regulations, rules, policies and procedures, donor terms and conditions and Government policies. 

Perform expenditure verification of partners.

Prepare and submit VAT Refund Requests

Produce the necessary ad-hoc reports as required, including quarterly financial reports for the Ethiopian government in coordination with the project focal points.

Audits

Responsible for grants financial audit process and participation in audit reviews.

Capacity Building and Training

Build capacity of staff and partners in financial management, reporting and compliance issues.

Build and maintain positive relationships with staff members, partners and other stakeholders

 The employee may be asked to perform duties and tasks not covered in this job description as well as to provide support in other areas when necessary by the direct supervisor.

Job Requirements

BA degree in Accounting and Finance or any other similar relevant field

A minimum of  5 years work experience in similar position in an INGO

Prior financial grants management experience;

Prior experience in budget development 

Advanced use of MS Excel required, experience with Business Central desired

Experience with SharePoint desirable

Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines

Excellent organization skills, including time management & prioritization

Excellent command of English and reporting skills

Command of other local Ethiopian languages is a plus

Good computer skills

Diligent and trustworthy personality

Analytical skills

Willingness to adhere to HEKS/EPER’s values, guiding principles and governance framework

Desirable

Demonstrable experience with large institutional donors desirable

 Experience in capacity building of local institutions desirable

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates can apply by sending

• Application letter,

• An updated Curriculum Vitae (make sure to include contact details of three professional referees)

• Current and expected remuneration

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

 Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply

 Deadline for application: January 3, 2025

Note: Applicants who have previously applied for this position are not permitted to reapply. If you submit another application for this position, it will automatically be disqualified.

Apply using THIS LINK