Finance Officer at Americares Tanzania

Finance Officer

Finance Officer at Americares Tanzania June 2025

POSITION DESCRIPTION
TITLE: Finance Officer
DEPARTMENT: Tanzania Country Office
REPORTS TO: Country Director with dotted line to the HQ- Country Office Accounting Manager
ASSIGNMENT TYPE: Full-time
LOCATION: Mwanza, Tanzania

About Americares:
Americares
is a health-focused relief and development organization that helps
people and communities around the world access health in times of
disaster and every day. Each year, Americares reaches 85 countries on
average, including the United States, with life-changing health
programs, medicine, medical supplies, and emergency aid. Americares is
one of the world’s leading nonprofit providers of donated medicine and
medical supplies. For more information, visit americares.org.

Americares Values:

• We create global community, treating people as they want to be treated.
• We respond effectively and responsibly, putting plans into practice.
• We embed ethics and equity in our work and workplace.
• We are better together; partnership is at our core.
• We ask and listen, to create sustainable solutions for a healthier tomorrow.
• We commit to quality, growing and improving to ensure individuals and communities thrive.

POSITION SUMMARY
The
Finance Officer will perform finance, accounting, compliance, internal
control and risk management functions in line with Americares procedures
and policies. S/he is responsible for the overall financial management
of the country office budget including administration of sub-grant in
Tanzania. The Finance Officer will monitor the use of financial
resources, expenditures and preparation of the monthly and quarterly
reports.

In the first 90 days, the role is expected to:
– Learn and live the Americares values
– Complete all required new hire onboarding training
– Build strong working relationships with the HQ finance team, Tanzania leaders, and key stakeholders across the organization
–
Review and assess current financial systems, reporting processes, and
internal controls, and identify opportunities for improvement
– Take ownership of the monthly close and financial reporting process, ensuring accuracy and timeliness
–
Provide clear, organized financial reporting to support leadership
decision-making and help align the budget with strategic goals

In the first 6 months, the role is expected to:
– Undergo Onboarding & Process Familiarization
– Strengthening Controls & Partner Support
– Lead a budget reforecasting and reallocation effort based on project realities.
–
Review internal control systems; implement risk mitigation steps,
including improved segregation of duties and reconciliations.
– Lead the planning phase for the upcoming annual budget, coordinating input from all departments.
– Finalize and submit comprehensive financial reports with variance analysis.
–
Conduct a review session with the Country Director and HQ to assess
achievements, challenges, and set priorities for the next 6 months.

In the first year, the role is expected to:
– Review and internalize Americares Financial Procedures, donor compliance policies, and the chart of accounts.
– Familiarize with accounting software, budget templates, and reporting tools.
– Start reviewing current year budget and expenditures to understand financial health and gaps.
– Begin monitoring expenditures against the approved budget for Tanzania.
– Lead preparation of the monthly budget request for submission to HQ via the Country Director.
– Support monthly closure activities including preparation of supporting schedules and reconciliation tasks.
– Initiate tracking of liquidated vs. outstanding travel/activity advances.
– Review and validate sub-grantee expenditure and submit it for approval.
– Monitor partner financial reports and begin capacity-building support on grant financial management.
– Lead preparation and submission of financial reconciliations to HQ.
– Assess and alert SMT to any budget performance variances.
– Ensure adherence to procurement and financial authorization protocols, seeking approvals as needed.
– Lead a budget reforecasting and reallocation effort based on project realities.
– Ensure accurate and compliant use of chart of accounts and exchange rates in all financial records.
– Support the development of a corrective action plan for any budget deviations.
– Continue ongoing support to partners on donor rule compliance and reporting.
–
Review internal control systems; implement risk mitigation steps,
including improved segregation of duties and reconciliations.
– Begin preparations for internal or external audit by coordinating with HQ Compliance and Risk teams.
– Finalize and implement updates to local finance procedures.
– Intensify review of advance liquidation and update the tracking tool.
– Lead the planning phase for the upcoming annual budget, coordinating input from all departments.
– Finalize and submit comprehensive financial reports with variance analysis.
– Monitor and report on the findings of sub-grantee pre-award assessments.
– Ensure disbursement of funds to sub-grantees and activities are in compliance with procedures.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Financial Management
– Monitor expenditure against approved country budget
– Prepare budget review and pipeline analysis
–
Review budget allocation/reallocation requests from Tanzania team and
submit to the Country Director for review and to Field – -Accounting
Manager based at HQ
– Lead annual budget planning effort in
collaboration with the Tanzania Country Director, People and Talents
Manager, and Project managers
– Lead financial reports and financial reconciliation
– Ensure proper templates are used for budget/funding requests from project team and partners
– Review, validate sub-grantees expenditure and budget request and submit to the Country Director for approval
– Submit monthly budget request to the Country Director for review before submission to HQ
– Ensure allowability and eligibility of expenses in accordance with Americares’ field finance policies and procedures
– Strengthen partners in financial management of grants

Accounting
– Maintain general Ledger account, payroll, account payable and month-end close procedures
– Ensure proper use of listed and approved chart of account codes for all projects in Tanzania
– Ensure month end closure of project accounting, including use and follow of month end checklist
–
Ensure day exchange rate from Oanda is used to convert transaction from
Tanzanian Shilling to US Dollars if transaction is in Tanzanian
Shilling
– Prepare and provide supporting schedules and month end
balance reconciliation and maintain records of checks, mobile money
payment and wire transfer transactions using Americares approved
accounting software
– Contribute to capacity development efforts for local partners related to compliance with donor rules and regulations
– Contribute to the monthly submission of financial report to HQ

Internal Control
–
Follow global Americares guidelines and financial processes and
procedures in the Tanzania country office regarding procurement,
administrative and People and Talent activities
– Review invoices, documentation from vendors
– Seek Country Director approval prior to processing payment
– Lead forecast efforts to ensure adequate cash flow for the country office and its projects
–
Monitor budget performance and alert Tanzania SMT of any deviation and
variances and support the development of corrective action plan
– Monitor findings of pre-award assessment of sub-grantee in accordance with sub-grant management plan
– Select and check bank transactions to the general ledger and cash receipts on a weekly basis
– Advise colleagues on the handling of non-routine reporting transactions
–
Partner with the Country Director and HQ teams to update as needed
local employee Finance procedures and policies to ensure risk mitigation
and systems for separation of duties and accounting checks and balances

Audit and Compliance
– Check chart of account coding for accuracy and compliance with Americares Field Financial Procedures and Policies
–
Partner with HQ Legal, Compliance, and Risk Management Team as well as
HQ Finance to establish internal and external audit calendars and
collaborate on best practices and findings
– Lead local review of financial and audit reports, including vetting of audit vendors and services as needed
–
Ensure liquidation of activity and travel advances according to
Americares field financial policies and update advance tracking tool
accordingly
– Alert the Country Director and HQ-based Country Office
Accounting Manager on any outstanding advances not liquidated according
to Americares field finance procedures
– Prepare and process disbursement of funding for activities and to sub-grantee following Americares field finance procedures

General
–
Bring leadership, fostering organizational culture and effectiveness,
working with peers and counterparts across the organization to identify
areas for continuous improvement, suggest and implement solutions
– Actively model and contribute to Americares values, policies, work culture and mission.
–
Demonstrate integrity, ethical decision making, and
accountability-based practices and interactions both in country and with
HQ
– Partner with HQ Programs and operational teams to coordinate key financial decisions and updates
– Engage in and contribute to team spaces with openness, global competencies, and a growth mindset
– Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

MINIMUM Qualifications:

• A
  bachelor’s degree in the field of finance or accounting and a minimum
  of 8 years’ experience as a CPA. Masters is an added advantage
• At least 6 years’ experience managing finances and accounting of donor funded projects
• Impeccable integrity and decision making that aligns with sound ethical leadership
• Experience in management and auditing activities
• Experience in the use of QuickBooks, NetSuite, Financial Edge or any accounting and financial software or ERP system
• Experience training in finance and non-finance team on finance management.
• Experience in Payroll processing
• Experience in financial report, budget monitoring
• Excellent interpersonal skills and strong communications skills; ability to develop partnerships across sectors and cultures. Job Type: Full-time
• Strong organizational skills, capacity to think strategically and attention to detail
• Excellent English-language writing skills and demonstrated experience meeting donors reporting requirements
• Proficiency in Office 365 including Word, Excel, Teams, PowerPoint and SharePoint
• Willingness and ability to travel at least two weeks per month

Americares
is committed to ensuring safe and accountable workplaces and programs.
Our code of conduct, organizational values, and policies and procedures
help to safeguard the welfare of everyone working for and participating
in Americares programs. Americares is committed to the prevention of all
types of abuse, discrimination, harassment, and exploitation.
Employment with Americares will be subject to appropriate screening,
reference, credentials, and background checks. By applying to our
organization, job applicants confirm their understanding of and consent
to our procedures during recruitment, and to adhering to our values and
commitment to safe and accountable workplaces and programs as an
employee.

This job description may not be inclusive of
all assigned duties, responsibilities, or aspects of the job described,
and may be amended at any time at the sole discretion of Americares. At
any point in the recruitment process, we may request additional
information to confirm qualifications. Any misrepresentation of
qualifications in any stage of the process will prevent the applicant
from moving forward in the process.

If you have a specific
request or need assistance to fully participate in the application or
recruitment process, please email us at talentcenter@americares.org
How to Apply:
Job type Full-time Job, To submit your application, please follow the link provided below.