Finance Assistant 15 views

Position: Finance Assistant

Reports to: Finance and Accounting Officer

Contract: Full Time – Onsite

Location: Afar Region, Semera, Ethiopia with frequent travel to other programme locations

Contract Type: Fixed term (12 months, renewable, 60 working days probation)

Application closing date: 12 June 2026

About The HALO Trust

The HALO Trust is the world’s oldest and largest humanitarian demining organisation, with 10,000 staff in 30 countries. 98% of HALO’s staff are local employees and include a growing number of women. Wearing the HALO badge is to belong in a team sharing one purpose: serving people affected by conflict, clearing landmines and explosive remnants of war that threaten lives long after fighting has finished. At HALO, we pride ourselves in the lifesaving work we do and have correspondingly high expectations of the staff we employ.

HALO has been registered in Ethiopia since 2021 and established mine action operations in Afar region in 2025. The recent 2020–2022 armed conflict in Tigray has left large areas of northern Ethiopia contaminated with explosive ordnance. Spillover of combat operations and explosive remnants of war (ERW) from Tigray impacted neighbouring Afar, home to pastoralist and agro-pastoralist communities who rely on access to grazing land for survival. HALO intends to grow its programme in northern Ethiopia to address this pressing and long-term humanitarian and development issue.

About the role:

The Finance Assistant supports the Finance and Accounting Officer and International Finance Manager (IFM) in maintaining accurate financial records, processing transactions, and ensuring compliance with HALO Trust policies and donor requirements. This role is essential for day-to-day financial operations and administrative support within the Ethiopia program.

Duties and Responsibilities

Accounting and Financial Administration

• Prepare Payment Vouchers (PVs) and ensure all supporting documentation and approvals are complete before processing.
• Input financial transactions into NetSuite accurately and in a timely manner.
• Maintain accurate and organized finance records, both physical and electronic, in line with HALO procedures.
• Support the month-end finance processes including filing, reconciliations, and document reviews.
• Assist in monitoring expenditures and report discrepancies or unusual transactions to the Senior Finance & Accounting Officer.
• Support the verification of supporting documentation to ensure compliance with procurement procedures and financial policies.
• Ensure all finance documents are properly archived and easily retrievable for audit and review purposes.

Cash and Bank Management

• Assist with cash management activities including cash counts and cash movement tracking.
• Support the preparation of bank and cash reconciliations and assist in investigating discrepancies.
• Assist in preparing cash forecasts and maintaining adequate cash balances for operational activities.
• Support banking activities and ensure banking documents are properly maintained.

Payroll and Statutory Compliance

• Support payroll preparation including compiling payroll data and reviewing supporting documentation.
• Assist in processing statutory payments such as income tax, pension, and other required deductions in line with local regulations.
• Maintain confidentiality of payroll and staff financial information.

Compliance and Internal Controls

• Ensure adherence to HALO Trust policies, procedures, and Anti-Fraud and Bribery Policy.
• Assist in conducting routine checks on financial documentation and transactions to ensure completeness and compliance.
• Support internal and external audit processes by preparing and organizing supporting documentation.
• Escalate any identified financial irregularities, compliance concerns, or control weaknesses to the Senior Finance & Accounting Officer.

Coordination and Support

• Work closely with programme and support departments to ensure finance procedures are understood and followed.

  Personal Competencies

• Good interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work effectively within a team.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in financial data entry and documentation.
• Basic analytical and numerical skills.
• Ability to follow procedures and work under supervision.
• Good organizational and time-management skills.
• Understanding of Ethiopia’s financial and statutory environment is an advantage.
• Demonstrated integrity, confidentiality, and commitment to ethical financial practices.
• Willingness to learn and develop within a finance environment.

This job description outlines the primary responsibilities of the Finance Assistant role but is not exhaustive. Duties may be adjusted as operational needs evolve. All HALO staff, including finance personnel, are expected to support other functions as needed to ensure the effective and compliant delivery of HALO’s operations in Ethiopia.

• Diploma or degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Minimum of 1–2 years of experience in a finance, accounting, or administrative role, preferably within an NGO or donor-funded environment.
• Basic understanding of accounting principles and financial procedures.
• Experience using accounting software or ERP systems is an advantage.
• Basic to intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications.
• Good understanding of filing and record management practices.
• Ability to communicate clearly in English, both written and spoken.
• Ethiopian National or Permanent Residence holder.