Abt Associates is a global leader in research, evaluation and program implementation; driving innovation and measurable impact for more than 50 years. What sets us apart is our evidence-based and multi-disciplinary approach to solving tough challenges in health, social and environmental policy and international development.

Project Description

The anticipated five-year USAID Feed the Future Ethiopia Food and Agriculture System Transformation (Ethiopia FAST) project is designed to increase access to healthy diets, particularly for women and children, by improving the competitiveness, inclusiveness, and resilience of Ethiopia’s food and agriculture system. The project will work across 132 woredas/districts in all Feed the Future Zones of Influence in Ethiopia. Project targets include the increased availability of safe, diverse, nutritious foods; increased outcomes in the food and agriculture sectors; and increased convenience and desirability of safe, diverse, and nutritious foods. using a food systems lens and will partner with both public and private sector stakeholders to amplify nutrition promotion and coordination.

Job Summary

Abt Associates seeks a qualified Deputy Chief of Party – Operations (DCOP-Ops) to lead major administrative and financial activities within the USAID Ethiopia FAST project. The DCOP-Ops will work closely with the COP, Technical DCOP, and other staff to assure implementation of budget, reporting, and other administrative aspects of the opportunity and will oversee F&A activities with partners across program regional clusters. The DCOP-Ops assists the COP in overseeing financial and administrative activities and must ensure overall compliance with USAID rules and regulations, financial management, personnel recruitment and management, subcontractor and grants management, and activity start-up and close-out. The position will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and the position is contingent upon program award and USAID approval.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the primary oversight and in-country leadership of all financial reporting, human resources, and administrative operations including all audits and financial reporting to USAID.
• Supervises and supports staff in finance, grants, administration, and drivers.
• Develops, manages, and monitors activity budgets, financial reports, and projection of funding.
• Oversees the recording of financial expenditures, income, and any other related transactions in the company accounting software.
• Liaises with the Home Office Finance team on all aspects of financial procedures and any issues that may arise.
• Manages and enforces systems for travel advances, travel expense reports, tracking of travel aging report, and follow up with staff on outstanding advances.
• Oversees the preparation of payroll and other regular payments with due consideration to deductions (for advances, taxes, etc), and manages the review of monthly payroll for accuracy.
• Oversees all activity procurements, including drafting RFQs, reviewing quotes, writing vendor selection memos and analyses, and issuing PR/POs.
• Creates tracker of all procurements including information on total value, invoices received, and any modifications issued.
• Ensures that government taxes, pension funds, and statutory requirements are paid on time.
• Prepares monthly Remove Office Voucher (ROV) documentation and promptly submits to Abt HQ once approved by Senior Management.
• Reviews and approves payment vouchers and corresponding checks, and conducts regular audits of supporting documentation.
• Provides financial data necessary to complete the periodic inventory of fixed assets.
• Ensures that the accounting records are up to date at all times, orderly, well kept, and readily available for reference and audit, when required.
• In coordination with Abt Home Office, develops an Activity grant manual with the necessary templates and tools.
• Oversees and manages grants through ensuring proper record keeping and documentation by the grantees for auditing.
• In coordination with the Home Office, facilitates tax exemption processes with local government entities as applicable.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or other relevant field is required.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in financial and administrative management for donor-funded projects, and management of grants, other local sub-contracts/subawards, including five years of progressive experience in a supervisory role.
• Experience working on USAID-funded projects including management of grants, other local sub-contracts and subawards.
• Demonstrated leadership skills in working collaboratively with other donors, host country institutions, and international organizations.
• Demonstrated initiative and self-motivation in handling all assigned tasks.
• Skills with Quicken, Microsoft Word, and Excel, as well as electronic communications programs as required.
• Ethiopian citizenship or residency with work authorization.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English are required.
• Oral and written fluency in Amharic language required.