Purpose of the Position

The Field Accountant is responsible for the sound, accurate, and compliant financial management of WE-LIFT operations at field level. Working under the guidance of the Head Office Finance &Admin Coordinator and in close coordination with the field team, the post-holder maintains complete and reliable books of account, ensures compliance with GWEDE policies, donor (Bauer Charity) requirements, and Ethiopian financial and tax regulations, and produces timely, good-quality financial information to support decision-making, budget management, and reporting. The Field Accountant maintains a strong internal-control environment at the field office, supervises and reviews the work of the Cashier, and ensures full segregation of duties between record-keeping, cash handling, and authorization. The role is central to the project & accountability, audit-readiness, and transparent use of resources.

Key Responsibilities

·       Maintain complete, accurate, and up-to-date books of account for the field office, ensuring all transactions are properly recorded, coded, and supported by valid documentation.

·       Review and process payment requests, purchase and travel documentation, and staff/participant/event payments for accuracy, eligibility, budget availability, and policy compliance before authorization.

·       Prepare and post journals, maintain the general ledger and subsidiary ledgers, and record transactions in GWEDE & accounting software on a timely basis.

·       Perform monthly bank and cash reconciliations, reconcile advances and receivables, and follow up on the timely settlement and liquidation of staff and activity advances.

·       Ensure compliance with Ethiopian financial regulations, including income tax, withholding tax, pension, and other statutory obligations, and support their timely calculation, filing, and payment.

·       Support budget monitoring by tracking expenditure against approved budgets and work plans, preparing budget-versus-actual analyses, and flagging variances and potential over/under-spending to the coordinator.

·       Prepare periodic (monthly/quarterly) field financial reports, expenditure reports, and supporting schedules, and consolidate field data for Head Office and donor reporting.

·       Manage cash forecasting and fund requests/replenishments for the field office in coordination with Head Office, ensuring adequate but controlled liquidity.

·       Supervise, guide, and review the work of the Cashier, ensuring proper segregation of duties and that cash operations comply with policy.

·       Ensure orderly filing, retention, and safekeeping of financial records and supporting documents, both physical and electronic, in line with GWEDE and donor requirements.

·       Support procurement processes by verifying documentation, budget codes, and compliance, and by ensuring payments follow approved procedures.

·       Support internal and external audits, prepare requested schedules and documentation, and assist in addressing audit findings and implementing recommendations at field level.

·       Maintain the fixed-asset and inventory register for the field office and support periodic physical counts and verification.

·       Contribute to strengthening financial systems, controls, and staff financial literacy at field level, and perform other finance-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

·       BA/BSc in Accounting, Finance, or a closely related field; ACCA/CPA part-qualification is an

advantage.

·       Minimum of 4 years of relevant accounting experience, preferably with an NGO and on donor-

funded projects.

·       Solid knowledge of accounting principles, financial controls, budgeting, and donor compliance

and reporting.

·       Proficiency in accounting software (e.g. Peachtree/Sage or similar) and strong MS Excel skills.

·       Sound knowledge of Ethiopian tax and statutory requirements.

Preferred / Added Advantage

·       Fluency in Afaan Oromo and Amharic; working knowledge of English.

·       Experience managing field-level finances in remote or pastoral settings.

·       High level of integrity, accuracy, confidentiality, and attention to detail.