Head of Accounting Division at African Union (AU)

The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent. It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organization of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999). We are an Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Head of Accounting Division

Req Id: 2766
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Contract Type: Regular
Reports to: Director PBFA
Directorate/Department: Finance
Division: Accounting
Number of Direct Reports: 2
Number of Indirect Reports: 15
Number of Positions: 1
Job Grade: P5

Purpose of Job

• Directs and manages the daily operations of the Accounting Division in order to achieve the strategic objectives of the directorate and the AU’s overall goals. 

Main Functions

• Designs and implements policies, programs and projects to achieve the directorate’s strategic objectives. 
• Manages and supervises employees within the division, ensures the timely delivery of the directorate’s goals and effective staff performance evaluation; 
• Designs policies, strategies and programs to contribute to the effective implementation of relevant AU Policy Organs Decisions; 
• Ensures the delivery of the division’s annual targets in line with the directorate’s overall goals and ensures robust and timely monitoring and reporting;
• Provides technical leadership and ensures efficient functioning of all Units within the Division
• Manages the work of the Division and supervises direct reports to ensure their effective performance in line with the organization’s performance management policy and system;
• Engages stakeholders within Members States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs)/Regional Mechanisms(RMs) and relevant international organisations in designing and implementing strategies. 
• Maintains thematic partnerships in support of the mandate of the Division;  
• Maintains regular working relations with senior stakeholders in Member States and partner institutions in the execution of the Division’s mandate.  
• Represents the organisation and communicates its position at conferences. 
• Contributes to the preparation of periodic financial and budget execution reports and monitor budget execution at division level. 
• Ensures the effective management of funds contributed to the organization;  
• Manages risk within the division and recommends mitigation strategies 
• Contributes to the development of the departmental business continuity plan and ensures implementation at division level 
• Maintains a positive work environment that facilitates collaboration and information sharing and is conducive to attracting, retaining, and motivating diverse talent. 

Specific Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership for the effective planning and coordination of  both the  internal and external audits and ensure proper application of the Financial Rules and Regulations of the African Union; 
• Supervises and manages the general accounting activities, establishment of effective internal controls while ensuring statutory compliance in all accounting initiatives;
• Leads end-of-period accounting closure activities and supports the analysis of the periodical business performance, budgets, and forecasts;
• Plays a leading role in creating and enhancing financial policies and procedures across the accounting department as well as the wider Finance department. 
• Ensures that there is consistency in procedures and policies across the accounting department and that these policies are appropriately set for the achievement of the business’s overall goals and objectives;
• Engages stakeholders within Member States and RECs in designing and implementing strategies;
• Manages compliance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) of the complete financial reporting function of the Organization including a number of different and diverse operations and interrelated accounts of the financial system;
• Monitors changes in regulatory framework of Accounting and initiate relevant updates to the IPSAS Policy Framework, AU Financial Rules and Regulations, Administrative Instructions, Circulars and to the Accounting Manual;
• Represents the Director as financial advisor to relevant Sub-Committees of the Permanent Representatives of Member States and advise Policy Organs on matters of financial policy implications and service delivery issues;
• Supervises end-of-period processes and supports the analysis of the periodical business performance, budgets, and forecasts;
• Prepares annual financial report/statements of African Union Commission and African Union; 
• Oversight duty over the finance unit of Organs, Pan African Universities, regional and representational offices and specialized offices;
• Produces monthly management report and any adhoc report as requested;
• Ensures timely reconciliation of bank accounts, payables and receivables & settlement of Travel and Imprest Accounts;
• Coordinates internal and external auditors for audit of the AU Financial Reports and records and ensures implementation of audit recommendations;
• Ensures proper maintenance of Chart of Accounts, Master Ledger and GLs; 
• Provides advice, financial interpretations and corrective actions in response to audits and other queries to ensure adherence to AU Financial Rules and Regulations (FRR) and IPSAS.,
• Custodian of documentation of all financial books and records.

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• Master’s Degree in Accounting, Finance or Business management/Administration or related field with twelve (12) years of relevant work experience, seven (7) years should have been served at managerial level and five (5) years at supervisory level; 
• Membership of an internationally recognized professional accounting body such. as CA, CPA, ACCA, CIMA is mandatory.

Required Skills:

• Ability to initiate and promote collaborative approaches between geographically and culturally disparate partners
• Ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations both internally and externally
• Ability to develop and delegate clear program goals, plans and actions, including budgets, that are consistent with agreed strategies
• Ability to effectively lead, supervise, mentor, develop and evaluate staff
• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (English, French, Arabic, Portuguese or Spanish), fluency in another AU language is an added advantage

Leadership Competencies:

• Strategic Perspective
• Developing Others
• Change Management
• Managing Risk.

Core Competencies:

• Building Relationship
• Foster Accountability Culture
• .Learning Orientation
• Communicating with impact.

Functional Competencies:

• Conceptual Thinking
• Job Knowledge and Information Sharing
• Drive for Results
• Fosters Innovation.

Tenure Of Appointment

• The appointment will be made on a regular term contract for a period of three (3) years, of which the first twelve months shall be considered as a probationary period.

• Thereafter, the contract will be for a period of two years renewable, subject to satisfactory performance and deliverables.

Remuneration

• Indicative basic salary of US$ 50,746.00 (P5 Step 1) per annum plus other related entitlements e.g. Post adjustment (46% of basic salary), Housing allowance US$ 26,208.00 (per annum), and education allowance (100% of tuition and other education-related expenses for every eligible dependent up to a maximum of US$ 10,000.00 per child per annum), for internationally recruited staff and a maximum of $3,300 per child per annum for locally recruited staff.

Application Closing Date
19th September 2025; 11: 59 P.M.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• Only candidates who meet all job requirements and are selected for interviews will be contacted.
• Consideration will be given only to those candidates who have submitted a fully completed online application with a curriculum vitae (CV), an African passport, and the required academic qualifications, such as Diplomas (Bac+2), Bachelor's degrees (Bac+3), Master's degrees (Bac+5) and any relevant certificate in line with the area of expertise.
• The African Union is an equal opportunity employer, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Candidates from least represented countries within the African Union are strongly encouraged to apply for positions that fit their profiles. These countries include: Algeria, Angola, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, DR Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Sahrawi D.R., Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, and Somalia
• The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.