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Background and Objectives of the FCDO Transforming Education in Ethiopia (TREE) Programme

Education in Ethiopia is under stress, with limited access and retention for marginalized groups and reduced levels of learning outcomes across all year groups. This is further compounded by different crises – conflict, climate-induced shocks, and residual impacts of COVID-19, with some children out of school for most of the past 3.5 years. The Transforming Education in Ethiopia (TREE) Programme (2024 – 2029)” initiated by the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) aims to increase access to education for girls and other marginalized groups and enhance their learning outcomes as well as improve teaching quality and learning outcomes with a focus on foundational learning.

The program will focus on three key components below:

• 1. Access to quality education: Improved quality of teaching and learning in targeted schools.
  2. English Language: Selected schools provide better teaching and learning in English Language as a subject, and improved use of English across the curriculum.
  3. Inclusion: Increased number of the most marginalized children, particularly girls, access education, stay in school and learn.

Key Responsibilities

• Establishes the project’s finance management and risk management policies, systems and procedures, and leads their development, documentation, and implementation.
• Leads the design of appropriate procurement processes in line with IRC and FCDO requirements.
• Works in collaboration with the program team to develop and agree on the fund operating procedures and standards of financial management within the overall framework of TREE financial systems and procedures.
• Ensures contracts with institutions, consultants and sub partners meet the procurement provisions of the client contract and follow best practice, both externally and internally.
• Manages project finance activities and schedules to meet the financial reporting requirements and deadlines specified by the EPD team and FCDO. Prepares quarterly accrual reports, expenditure reporting, and burn rate projections.
• Provides project management and program staff with monthly actual-to-budget expenditure reports and project fund analysis and facilitates review and discussion.
• Directs the preparation and approval of all FCDO financial reports regarding accounting, legal, and contractual requirements and ensures the review of such reports by the Team Lead and HQ prior to submission.
• Enforces internal control policies and procedures and identifies potential risks and develops mitigation strategies to ensure project success
• Maintains current knowledge of local government requirements related to financial matters and ensures compliance with tax regulations and other legal requirements.
• Manages the allocation of resources, including personnel, materials, and equipment, to optimize project performance.
• Develops, updates and implements programme wide administrative systems to corporate and programme standards, that increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the TREE operation.
• Ensuring that the programme’s procurement processes are fit for purpose, compliant with corporate, client and statutory standards.
• Ensuring the application of appropriate risk management measures.
• Ensuring timely and effective programme support services to facilitate efficient and effective program delivery.
• Ensure IRC and donor compliance requirements are met
• Work with country office finance team on project related finance functions and facilitate and engage in the audit requirements.
• Ensure project cycle meetings will be conducted timely and action plans are followed and acted on.
• Ensure project spending forecast/pipeline analysis will be developed as required.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce or Finance with a recognized professional certificate in accounting such as CPA, or a master’s degree in accounting.
• A minimum of 10 years in a similar financial, compliance, or operational role supporting FCDO commercial contracts and other international donor projects in similar contexts.
• Experience of designing, implementing and managing financial and procurement management systems and controls.
• Experience with budgeting and financial reporting requirements on multimillion pound, multi-year, FCDO commercial contracts.
• Experience with financial management and reporting on projects with substantial sub-awards.
• Strong knowledge of generally accepted accounting practices, financial reporting standards, financial management processes and procedures.
• Extensive experience in working with ERP system, PBI or computerized accounting systems, standard spreadsheets and database programmes.
• Must have a proven track record of proactively identifying and communicating potential problems and proposing solutions.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and professional patience and be able to interact, partner and thrive in a diverse environment.
• Experience in management of staff performance gaps and provision of additional training or managing a performance improvement plan.
• Knowledge and experience with Ethiopia’s labor, tax, and other relevant laws
• Fluency in English required.