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Amrote Alula
Senior Accounting, Finance And Grant Professional
Addis Ababa
Summary
I have over 7 years of experience in the private and INGO sectors of Accountancy and Finance. I have worked in various settings and organizations, allowing me to acquire valuable skill sets. I have worked in senior positions in very large international organizations financially and administratively managing multi-year, multinational, multimillion-dollar projects funded by DFID, USAID, EU, UNWFP, UNOCHA, and many other private organizations. I am detail-oriented team player with strong organizational skills. Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously with a high degree of accuracy.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
10
10
years of post-secondary education
2
2
Languages
Work History
Senior Grant and Compliance Specialist
Mercy Corps
Addis Ababa
09.2022 - Current
- Adequately train new budget holders on donor compliance matters as well as on Mercy Corps’ internal policy and procedures and organize periodic refresher training for the existing staff.
- Lead the project-specific audit work for more than 15-multimillion-dollar multiyear projects.
- Make quarterly field visits to ensure practices are compliant with donor and internal policy and implement recommended actions based on findings. Evaluate the implementation and impact of recommended actions.
- Monitor and follow up on the implementation of internal audit recommendations.
- Evaluate the monthly Commitment Tracking sheet and perform status updates including tracking Navigator GL Register for the actual costs moved from the commitment tracking sheet.
- Prepare VAT claims report.
- Be the accounts focal person for grants assigned by Finance Director.
- BVA/BVE analysis for grants and provide this information to the Project Manager.
- Perform consistent and standard-level financial reviews for documents submitted for review. During the review process, ensure that all documents are properly signed by the assigned budget holders, they are compliant with Donor policies and procedures and compliant with Mercy Corps’ HQ and Local procedures.
- Budgeting for new proposals during grant applications.
- Conduct sub-grantee pre-award assessments and recommend modifications to the sub-grant agreement and/or monitoring plan to lessen financial and compliance risks.
- Prepare and review of sub-grant agreements.
- Train and support Mercy Corps sub-grantees’ financial procedures and conduct formal sub-grantee training workshops.
- Review sub-grantee financial reports.
- Sub-grantee site audits and prepare site visit reports.
- Follow up on all sub-grant compliance, audits, and document resolutions.
- Process sub-grantee payments and reconcile sub-grant financial tracking to general ledger reports.
- Sub-grant close-outs by ensuring that all requirements of the subaward agreement have been met and that Sub grant funds have been properly settled.
Senior Accountant
Population Council
Addis Ababa
01.2020 - 09.2022
- Oversee project finances and budget allocations of a large multi-year project including large subgrants to partners.
- Correspond with the fund managers and auditors from PwC - Nairobi regarding any financial queries and requests, including a quarterly audit of financial reports and documentation submitted to the Fund Manager.
- Control and manage downstream partners’ expenditures, budget allocation, and project progress against budget and forecast.
- Prepared monthly journal entries and reconciliations.
- Handled month-end and year-end end finances by managing and reporting fixed assets and other data.
- Reconciled balance sheets and streamlined best practices for balance sheet processes.
- Completed year-end closing processes with controllers and external auditors.
- Updated general ledger with latest entries.
- Assisted in upgrade and conversion of in-house financial systems.
- Reviewed budgets and communicated discrepancies to senior management.
- Reconciled accounts and created documents for monthly closure procedures.
Accountant
ABIG
Addis Ababa
03.2018 - 12.2019
- Completed daily cash functions like account tracking, payroll and cash, and banking reconciliations.
- Documented cash, credit, fixed assets, accrued expenses, and credit transactions.
- Reconciled accounts and reviewed expense data, and assets.
- Reviewed business operations and obligations to help organization function at acceptable level.
- Prepare, declare and pay monthly VAT, Excise and Withholding Taxes
- Control fleets’ refuel receipts according to their allotted budget
- Supervise Petty cashiers and oversee petty cash fund replenishment
Finance Officer
Ethiopian Government affairs Communication Ministry
Addis Ababa
08.2017 - 03.2018
- Monitored budget and revenue trends, compiling reports for company leadership to inform decision-making.
- Prepared monthly reconciliation of bank accounts and took corrective actions on deviations.
- Completed filings and upheld strict compliance with regulatory agencies and supervisors.
Accountant
Elite Trading
Addis Ababa
06.2016 - 02.2017
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Accounting And Finance
Unity University
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 09.2013 - 07.2016
Master of Science - International Business
Addis Ababa University
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 09.2020 - Current
Certification - ACCA
ACCA
07.2019 - Current
Skills
Compliance and regulatory
Project finance
Account reconciliation specialist
Budgeting
Budget Analysis
Bookkeeping
MS Office Suite
Financial Management
IPSAS
Teamwork and Collaboration
IFRS
Grant compliance
Budgeting and finance specialist
Quantitative analysis
Accounting principles
Documentation requirements
Operational decision making
Reporting expertise
Financial administration
Business Development
Multitasking Abilities
Strategic planning
Business administration
Analytical and Critical Thinking
Software
Excel
SAP
Dynamic NAV
MS Office
Tableau
Timeline
Senior Grant and Compliance Specialist
Mercy Corps
09.2022 - Current
Master of Science - International Business
Addis Ababa University
09.2020 - Current
Senior Accountant
Population Council
01.2020 - 09.2022
Certification - ACCA
ACCA
07.2019 - Current
Accountant
ABIG
03.2018 - 12.2019
Finance Officer
Ethiopian Government affairs Communication Ministry
08.2017 - 03.2018
Accountant
Elite Trading
06.2016 - 02.2017
Bachelor of Arts - Accounting And Finance
Unity University
09.2013 - 07.2016