USAID CATALYZE Ethiopia: MS4G Finance Assistant

CATALYZE is a $250 million 5 to 8-year program designed to mobilize $2 billion in private capital, especially to underfinanced social sectors, such as education, and higher risk countries around the globe, particularly low-income and post-conflict countries. The program is complemented by a cross-cutting inclusion of gender-lens investing and will provide services to many missions and bureaus that “buy in” to tap the CATALYZE investment and pay-for-results project management expertise. Our aim is for investors to explore and find commercially viable opportunities and approaches to creating jobs, developing sustainable social services, tightening, and rationalizing supply chains, and advancing inclusive growth.
USAID CATALYZE Ethiopia: MS4G is designed to benefit the Ethiopian people, build community resilience, and strengthen rural-urban linkages in the areas of food security and WASH. MS4G invests in developing strong relationships with private sector players, co-investing in inclusive business models, advisory services, digital solutions, and market-based initiatives that increase the resilience and sustainability of Ethiopian enterprises and employment for women and youth.

MS4G uses a market systems approach to address key food security and WASH sub-systems and the impact of economic shocks, including COVID-19 and political instability, by stimulating adoption, adaptation, broad expansion, responsive institutionalization, and scaling of approaches and business models to transform the lives of Ethiopians.

 Primary Duties and Responsibilities: 

The MS4G Finance Assistant will report to MS4G Operations Manager.

Project Overview and Role:
 Key responsibilities include:

• Prepare payment voucher, cash receipts vouchers, and make journal entry after securing the necessary supporting documentation and follow Palladium policies and procedures.
•   Write and issue checks to the name of authorized payee/vendors.
•  Prepare check payments/bank transfers for advances approved by the budget holders and supported by the necessary documents.
•  Assist staff on travel advances request and settlement process.
•  Assist on preparation of payroll related taxes.
•   Make sure that all government taxes & other obligations are deducted & assist on the payment process.
•   Assist on requests for VAT reimbursement with USAID per the established procedure.
•   Handle petty cash funds according to Palladium petty cash policy and always keep petty cash funds in a safe box.
•  Replenish petty cash fuds before it reaches below the minimum level set.
•  Count a petty cash funds with a person assigned by the Finance Manager at the end of every month and makes reconciliation.
•  Perform other duti

Required Qualifications:

•    BA in Accounting/Business Administration/Banking and Finance or related fields
•     2-3 Years’ of relevant experience in similar responsibilities.
•     Knowledge of US government regulations for USAID funded NGO is preferred.
•     Ability to organize and prioritize several tasks at the same time.
•     Very good computer and Microsoft Office skills
•     Proficiency in English, both oral and written
•     Excellent interpersonal skills

Preferred Qualifications

•     Knowledge and understanding of USAID and local rules and regulations, 
•    Intermediate experience of Microsoft Excel