Resume

Mesfin Zergaw Nigatu

Educational Background

Master’s in business administration, Sep 19, 2016, to July 7, 2019, Jimma University

BA in Finance & Accounting, Oct 1, 2010, to Jul 08, 2014, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa.

BA in Development Management, Feb 25, 2005, to Apr 1, 2008, Alpha University College, Addis Ababa.

Diploma in Accounting, Mar 11, 2003, to Jan 24, 2005, Alpha University College, Addis Ababa

Diploma in Accounting in Business and Management, Cambridge Tutorial College, Jersey, Britain.

1st Year in Electricity Electronics, 94/95, Adama University, Nazareth.

Training

Tax Training 80 hours: Jackson and Hewitt Tax Service, Sep 11-Nov 29

USAID Rules and Regulations: Grants and Cooperative Agreements, Humentum Oct 21-23, 2019

USAID Proposal Development Training Jan, Save US, 22-23, 2019

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) training 60 hrs., Addis Ababa University Commercial College.

Child Safeguarding online training, Save the Children International.

IPSAS online Training, UN

OIO (Outcome Impact Orientation) Training, Bread for the World Apr 12-15, 2016

Leadership & Personal Development, June 12, 2014, to Sep 30, 2014, Selam Children’s Village

Sun Systems Training, February 19-22, 2008, World Vision Ethiopia, Addis Ababa

Quick-books, 40 Hours Training, SOFTNET PLC Educational Institute, Addis Ababa.

Voucher Interface and Sun Systems Centralization, September 04-05, 2009, World Vision Ethiopia

Commodity Tracking System (CTS), March 12-16, 2007, World Vision Ethiopia, Addis Ababa

Commodity Management Training, January 9-11, 2002, World Vision Ethiopia, Addis Ababa

Summary of Functions

From the time when I have been working in the capacity of Accounting, Financial Management, Award management including budget preparation, financial reports, and Human resource and administration management with more than 15 years of experience, I have gained and practiced a dedicated management skill and ability that contributes to the organization objectives. I was working and passing through from scratch to the top level in the whole process of financial and accounting activities, budgeting, and budget controlling process, and budget analysis on budgeted amount Vs actual. Preparation of the reports for the respective user; Donor, Government, and Management, was my forte; I had gained experience in the management of more than 70 projects’ grants in the area of Horn of Africa, (Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan). I followed up and conducted training on compliance issues. I have been working with the team for the success of the goals of the projects. Furthermore, I have been practicing taking a leadership role within a team, and at the same time, I have been working independently. I have good experience working closely with program staff in proposal development, budget controlling aspects and project management. I had HR experience in taking facilitation and leading roles in the selection of appropriate employees. Not only that, but I am quite familiar with the major financial applications and software used in the industry.

Work Experience

February 1, 2023, to until now: Finance and Grant Manager, Ethiopian and Eritrean Cultural

Resource Center

Finance and Grant Manager

Manage the Organization's financial operations, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting, to ensure fiscal responsibility and transparency.

Develop and implement financial policies and procedures to enhance financial controls and minimize risks.

Prepare and analyze monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements to provide insights and recommendations for financial decision-making.

Collaborate with program managers and department heads to create and monitor program budgets, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.

Lead the grant management process concerning managing grant budgets and reporting requirements.

Successfully managed a million grant funds to support various programs and initiatives.

Maintain compliance with grant terms, regulations, and reporting deadlines, and liaise with funding agencies and donors to provide updates and resolve issues.

have been conducting financial and risk assessments to evaluate the financial health and sustainability of the organization.

Oversee the preparation of annual tax filings, ensuring accuracy and compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.

Develop and maintain strong relationships with donors, foundations, and funding agencies to expand the organization's funding base.

Finance Analyst

Assisted in the preparation of annual budgets and financial forecasts.

Conducted financial analysis to identify cost-saving opportunities and improve financial performance.

Collaborated with program managers to track expenses and ensure adherence to budgetary constraints.

Assisted in grant proposal development, including budget preparation and financial data collection.

Assisted in the grant's report writing process and ensured timely submission to funders.

Conducted periodic financial reviews to assess the financial health of the organization.

November 19, 2022, to January 31, 2023: Accountant, De Rose Community Bridge and Holistic Service

Financial Reporting:

Prepared and analyzed financial statements, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.

Generated regular financial reports for management, board members, and external stakeholders.

Ensured accuracy, completeness, and compliance with generally accepted accounting principles (GASP) or applicable regulatory standards.

Budget Management:

Assisted in the development and monitoring of the annual budget.

Tracked and reported on budget variances and provided explanations and recommendations as needed.

Collaborated with program managers and department heads to ensure alignment of financial goals with organizational objectives.

Accounts Payable and Receivable:

Managed accounts payable functions, including processing invoices, issuing payments, and reconciling vendor statements.

Oversaw accounts receivable, including recording donations, grants, and other income sources. Grant and Fund Accounting:

Maintained detailed records of grants and restricted funds and ensured compliance with granter requirements.

Prepared grant financial reports and assisted in grant proposal budgets.

Audit and Compliance:

Coordinated annual reviews with external CPA.

Ensured compliance with nonprofit accounting standards and regulations, including IRS guidelines for tax-exempt organizations.

Financial Analysis:

Conducted financial analysis to support decision-making, identify trends, and recommend improvements in financial processes.

Assessed the financial health and sustainability of the organization.

Cash Flow Management:

Monitored and managed cash flow to ensure adequate funds for operational needs and planned initiatives.

Prepared cash flow forecasts and projections.

Record Keeping:

Maintained organized and accurate financial records, including general ledger entries, journal entries, and supporting documentation.

Financial Software and Systems:

Utilized accounting software (Quick-books, ADP: payroll software) to manage financial data efficiently.

Stayed up-to-date with changes in accounting technology and recommended software improvements when necessary.

Jul 16, 2020, till Jul 15, 2021: Program Coordinator – Budgeting, DRC

Understand, guide, and coach different departments, field offices, and partners (for consortium projects) on donors’ and governments’ rules and regulations on budget development and revision/ amendment

Develop a standard comprehensive internal budget template

Collaborate with the finance department on master budget coverage and ensure that upon submission of proposals to the budgeting coordinator, s/he reviews the proposal and revision requests from areas ensuring the master budget unit costs are correct.

Work on a cost allocation matrix that shows the budget allocations for the direct costs, flag gaps to the program manager, and ensure proper allocation based on the gap analysis during budget development and revision/ amendment

Manage the monthly resource scheduling of Addis Ababa’s based staff with guidance from the

Head of Program (as Addis budget holder) for allocation of salaries for shared and direct staff

Participate in proposal design meetings and provide budget-related inputs

Lead the CO’s new budget development and revision works in a timely and quality manner; respond to budget-related donor post-submission questions

Coordinate, follow up, and support field offices and other CO departments for a timely provision of budget inputs

With inputs from colleagues in the field and CO, lead the preparation of additional budget-related annexes (example: budget narrative, installment plan, personnel table, Bill of quantities

(BoQs), and cost breakdowns … etc.)

Work closely with the program team in identifying co-funding/ co-financing for those projects where this is a donor requirement

Responsible for identifying, assessing, and flagging budget-related risks that require the senior management’s attention and approval (for example, co-funding, lower CO cost, lower HQ cost… etc.)

Follow up with the CO finance team for a timely budget set-up on the organization’s system Ensure that all budgets and revisions are accurate according to the detailed budget set-up via the project module on the expense forecast (DRC Dynamics)

Work on budget and budget-related annexes like personnel plan for MoU (Memorandum of

Understanding)/ LoU (Letter of Understanding) purpose as per the signing office’s template, rules, and procedures

Mar 7, 2017, Jul 16, 2020: Budget (Grant) Development Coordinator, Save the Children International, Addis Ababa

In the budget preparation process and budget generation of funds from donors and members through proactive involvement in the quality proposal budget development processes; Identified key financial-related risks in concept notes, award proposals, and award agreements; and provided budget analysis, cost estimation, inflation analysis, and foreign exchange management. Grant calls have been got necessary budget formulation support from my side to program staff. All proposals and grant agreement comments were responded to in a timely and as per the requirements of donors. The smooth relationship is maintained within the country donors through budget preparation discussion, comment response, and adherence to compliance. All post-submission questions raised by donors concerning budgets are responded to on time.

Planning and coordination: this includes clearly defining expectations and assumptions and identifying responsibilities for budget preparation; developing a coordinated calendar of activity; communicating well-documented applicable policies and procedures, and determining the budget development approach.

A large amount of development and emergency budget development was done through implementing established and agreed budget methodologies between SCI and donors. In every budget preparation, justifiable cost strategies and pricing that reflect donor and member thematic focus were well addressed from the current market price index, which is available in the Tim view software.

The budget was developed in a consistent and timely approach through:

clear and direct communication at the beginning of the budget process and throughout the budget development process - from preparation through review and revision when applicable,

by sharing and applying key budget assumptions consistently and

by communicating budget guidelines to participating proposal development teams and stakeholders at the commencement of each process.

Before posting the budget on the Award Management System (AMS) for review and approval, it was identified, assessed, and rated the risk of a proposal, Gift in Kind (GIK), grant, or concept note. Teamwork adheres with budget holders in mapping, phasing, re-phasing, budget amendment, and budget modification of awarded budgets.

Proactively participated in the preparation of the country office master budget and in developing an organizational funding strategy for the program and funding gap analysis. Actively participated in the organization's budgetary development and roll-out of the system (emergency and development proposals) in line with SCI policy. Actively participated in the budget template development. Tailoring and justifiable costing strategies for new proposals meeting the Save the Children International (SCI), donors, and members' requirements. Controlled and monitored the use of budgetary tools to support full cost recovery for Save the Children International (SCI) and used the tool to analyze administrative costs and shared program costs so that all aspects of donation. Finally, evaluation and improved budgeting and new proposal development activities of the unit through process improvement using different Excel formulas and adopting the best practices.

Jan 5, 2015, to Dec. 31, 2016: Finance & Office Coordinator – Protestant Agency for Diakonia and Development (Bread for the World), Horn of Africa Regional Office, based in Addis Ababa

Program Finance Coordination (Development and Emergency)

As leader of the finance team, the following was done under my role: more than 70 project documents were reviewed following established procedures, including budgets, audits, financial reports, and release of fund requests. I suggested and took action on the reviewed and analyzed findings from the documents and forwarded the recommendations and action points to program staff, implementing partner staff, and implementing partner and donor. Through the provision of training, the policies and procedures of the donors were understood, and the compliance requirements of donors were adhered to and maintained at an excellent level. With high support from my team and me, the submitted document was consistently accurate and complied with the donor's requirements. Conducted compliance training in South Sudan, Kenya, and Sudan for the implementing partners, and as a result, most of the documents were improved auditing and evaluation. Monitoring and evaluation were done in the Horn of Africa, specifically in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Kenya (for Somalia Partner). Lessons learned. Good practices, which have been obtained from monitoring and evaluation, were shared among partners and donors. Identified and assessed the risk area of the implementation of funds and took corrective action before devastating problems on the fund.

Designed and prepared partners' capacity assessment tools.

Managing the Regional Office Finance

I was the representative of the regional office, and I had a supervision role. Monitored and controlled the overall financial process. Assigning staff to appropriate tasks and activities. The report was done on time according to the requirements of donors, the government, and the organization. Audit work was done based on the required donor, government, and organization timeline (biannually and annually), and the result was always excellent. Bank reconciliation was done in a timely manner and monitored and controlled the cash flow position to ensure that the funds were available, to combat the mismanagement of funds, and to ascertain the compliance issue. The report was done separately for each grant based on the requirements and policies of the organization, government, and donor.

Human Resource Management

The recruitment and selection of staff, including the development of staff retention methods, was done, and newcomers got orientation and training immediately. Time-sheets and all types of leaves were controlled and followed under my role. All staff-related documents were placed neatly and accurately. Staff benefits are administered according to the policies and the requirements of donors. Allocated available and necessary resources to enable successful task performance of staff and coordinated the staff activities to ensure maximum efficiency. Staff evaluation and performance measurement were followed and monitored with the line managers. Maintained healthy internal staff relationships by supervision, coaching, mentoring, and taking a discipline measure.

Office Administration

The regional office administration work is managed smoothly to become a functional office. Maintained an accurate and appropriate filing system in the office followed and monitored the record keeping. Avoided any security, integrity, and confidentiality issues. Controlled and monitored the IT policy and IT usage. All schedules, appointments, and bookings were done according to their scheduling. All office supplies and equipment were reviewed and approved for the user. Inquiries and complaints from partners and business associates were solved and handled. Made the regional office safe and secure to make a pleasant working atmosphere. Used high negotiation skills to influence the vendors and business providers on business contracts.

Procurement Engagement

Ensured and followed up on the Vehicle purchases for partners. Procurement and purchases of goods and services were done efficiently and effectively on the schedule. Insured and followed up on, the requested services and goods were processed on time. Checked and followed up on whether the requester had timely requests within the budgeted amount. Technical support was given to the purchase committee. Lead technical committee and procurement committee. I had assigned and made a delegation of the Purchase Committee. I have prepared and distributed purchasing tools to facilitate transparency and easy and fast processing of procurement.

Level of communications

Ensures good communication among Regional Office staff.

Establishes a good record of contacts with partners and business associates.

Accompaniment

Shows compassion for walking with and working alongside colleagues.

Interacts with a wide range of domestic and international partners.

I had demonstrated insight, vision, and empathy for empowering and working with especially marginalized communities.

Networking

Connects with relevant academic and issue-based networks, such as contacts with social and

professional communities, and participating in relevant conferences,

Teamwork Engagement

Acts as a team player and values teamwork,

Coaches, if required, staff members in all office administration and human resource aspects of the job, ensured the ability to work on my initiative and as part of a team.

May 01, 2014, to Jan. 4, 2015: Budget, Disbursement, and Settlement Chief Accountant; Selam

Children’s Village

All the budgets were prepared by the donor, government, and policy and procedures of the organization. The project cost forecasting/budgeting, cost-tracking, monitoring, and controlling the budget were done. The entire budgets were compiled and distributed to the respective users on time.

I have participated proactively in the process of planning. Before any payment and procurement had to be done, budget checking and verification were done.

Participated and assisted the management and staff in the annual planning and budgeting preparation.

I have assigned tasks and activities to staff members (senior accountants, accountants, and cashiers) in the unit. Supervising, coaching, and technical guidance were given to the subordinates in their daily activities when needed. Daily, large amounts of cash operations were transacted and certified per the established policies and procedures. The whole payments were checked and verified under my duty. Monthly and quarterly closing was done promptly. The outcomes of all expenditures, income, budget, and actual deviations were communicated to the management for further action. I responded to any inquiries regarding accounting that arose from management, clients, and staff. Monitored, followed up, and controlled all the settlements of financial transactions were controlled and monitored, especially travel and work advances, and took action on due travel and work advances.

Any collected money was deposited intact and immediately before the next day. More than 6 bank account reconciliations were done every month. Provide training on compliance with government, organization, and donor's policies and procedures. Coordinate and lead annual audits, including providing all financial information and any requested documents. All the documents related to the organization's financial transactions were recorded and posted in the accounting software and were presented for sample audit. Done the coordination and organization of the finance team assigned tasks within the deadline. Performed financial analysis, generated financial reports and statements, and submitted the report to donors, government, and management. Made close follow on the IT requirements for smooth running of the accounting software and network. My team and I cleared the 6-month backlog work, and It was cleared within two months.

Jan 24, 2012–April 30, 2014: Accountant (Finance Head), Evangelical Theological College

All the budgets were prepared by the donor, government, and policy and procedures of the organization. The project cost forecasting/budgeting, cost-tracking, monitoring, and controlling the budget were done. The entire budgets were compiled and distributed to the respective users on time. I have participated proactively in the process of planning. Before any payment and procurement had to be done, budget checking and verification were done.

Participated and assisted the management and staff in the annual planning and budgeting preparation.

I have assigned tasks and activities to staff members (senior accountants, accountants, and cashiers) in the unit. Supervising, coaching, and technical guidance were given to the subordinates in their daily activities when needed. Daily, large amounts of cash operations were transacted and certified per the established policies and procedures. The whole payments were checked and verified under my duty. Monthly and quarterly closing was done promptly. The outcomes of all expenditures, income, budget, and actual deviations were communicated to the management for further action. I responded to any inquiries regarding accounting that arose from management, clients, and staff. Monitored, followed up, and controlled

all the settlements of financial transactions were controlled and monitored, especially travel and work advances, and took action on due travel and work advances.

Any collected money was deposited intact and immediately before the next day. More than 6 bank account reconciliations were done every month. Provide training on compliance with government, organization, and donor's policies and procedures. Coordinate and lead annual audits, including providing all financial information and any requested documents. All the documents related to the organization's financial transactions were recorded and posted in the accounting software and were presented for sample audit. Done the coordination and organization of the finance team assigned tasks within the deadline. Performed financial analysis, generated financial reports and statements, and submitted the report to donors, government, and management. Made close followed on the IT requirements for smooth running of the accounting software and network. My team and I cleared the 6-month backlog work, and It was cleared within two months.

May 25, 2011-Nov 30, 2011: Senior Accountant (Finance Head), OPRIFS - Organization for

Prevention, Rehabilitation & Integration of Female Street Children

I have analyzed financial statements and identified problems. If there were any discrepancies, I took remedial action. All various payments are authorized under the approved budget and the existing policies. Provided advice and assistance for management to make informed decisions. Prepared the project budget/plan for the donor, the organization, and the government. Established and formulated sound internal financial control systems using GAAP and the organization's policy. Implemented accounting software, customized the database for the suitability of report production, and conducted staff training. Followed up and managed the field office project finances to adhere to the assurance of compliance. Secured and guaranteed the presence and accessibility of all financial documents and project agreements. Reviewed and analyzed budget versus actual in every reporting period and wrote variances explanations to the donors for timely action. Financial statements and information were analyzed for internal and external users. Checked and verified the disbursement of funds compared to the approved budget and the policy. All collections, bank transfers, and funds disbursements were registered and posted in the accounting software intact. I have prepared monthly, quarterly, biannually, and annual financial reports for the government, donors, and management. Coached and supervised the unit staff to empower the achievement of the organization's goal. Adhered to fixed asset policies of the donors, governments, and organizations, and registered and placed on time and in the right place. Done year-end closing based on the organization and donor policy.

Apr 01, 2010-Jun 06, 2011: Accountant, Win Souls for God Evangelical Ministry

I have analyzed the gap in financial systems in the organization. Based on the result, new financial systems were implemented and established per GAAP and the organization's policies. Compiled and analyzed financial information and reviewed the budget against actual expenditure. Payroll was prepared, analyzed, and reviewed in the preparation process, registration, and posting. Financial and accounting data were collected from field office projects and reviewed before the accounting process. All purchases were followed up, reviewed, checked against the budget, and controlled before the purchase process. I have conducted an audit annually. Analyzed fund and expenditure trends and recommended appropriate budget levels.

Trained the staff about the financial system and procedure. Followed up and checked the reconciliation of bank statements and petty cash. Produced financial reports monthly, quarterly, biannually, and annual basis for internal and external users.

Dec 1, 2006-Apr 4, 2010: Finance Officer, World Vision Ethiopia (WVE)

Produced and completed accurate and timely granted funds, fixed assets, vehicles, and commodity reports and submitted them for internal and external users. Monitored, controlled, and ensured that all payments had to be done under World Vision Ethiopia/International (WVE) policy (authorization limit).

I have Monitored, checked, and verified all bank signatories. I have made bank reconciliations and bank deposits. Furthermore, I have ensured the project's financial data processing (registration, posting). Reviewed the payroll and ensured timely payment. Reviewed, monitored, and controlled all travel and work advances and controlled the timely settlements. Prepared the grant's budget, prepared the analysis of cash flow additionally, administered and controlled the budget. Coordinated the pre-audit preparation of internal, external, and Global Center (GC.) audits and ensured the implementation of audit recommendations. Followed up and arranged any necessary things for annual stock and fixed asset inventory. Followed up and controlled cash and coupon requests and management following the target low cash and coupon analysis. Implemented and applied coaching performance tools in biannual and annual staff performance appraisals. Reviewed and submitted insurance data related to staff, vehicles, and motorcycles that were surveyed annually and submitted the data to the National Office. Followed up and monitored the purchased items so that their delivery was as per the requested quantity, specification, and timely manner. Monthly commodity and goods in kind (GIK) inventory were done. Fuel consumption was analyzed and reported to the head office. I have played an advisory role for the Area Development Manager (ADP) about financial and administrative issues.

Skills

Financial planning and analysis

Budget development and management

Grant management

Financial reporting and analysis

Compliance and regulatory knowledge

Donor relations and communication

Risk assessment and mitigation

Accounting software proficiency (e.g., Quick-books, Sage, Sun System, Agresso)

Microsoft Office proficiency.

Computer literate on Sun System database; Peachtree (Sage) DB; Quick-books DB; Commodity

Tracking System (CTS) DB; Voucher Interface; TDI (transformational Development Indicator) DB;

Emergency preparedness Indicator information (EPI info) DB; Planning and Reporting System (PRS) DB; All Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Access, Publisher, PowerPoint), and I have a skill in minor troubleshooting & maintenance of computers. Internet usage skills, and Office machine operation skills (Photocopy, Printer, binding, scanning machine, etc.).

driving license

Contact this candidate