Finance Specialist

Описание

Reporting Lines

Technical Focus
The Finance Specialist develops and maintains processes related to the financial aspects, tenders, procurement, and other financial functions, ensuring compliance with FAO norms and procedures.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Coordinate and closely monitor the implementation of Finance activities.

• Coordinate Financial transactions and activities with other ongoing activities, especially those of co-financers.

• Maintain imprest accounts and supervise the reconciliation of expenditures, balances, payments, statements, and other data.

• Assist the Procurement Unit in the process of selection of financial partners responsible for the disbursement of cash

• Supervise the process of cash distribution, and work in close cooperation with technical units to develop solid monitoring systems to mitigate risks associated with CBT programmes.

• Coordinate the regular monitoring of Asset Management and ensure compliance with the Finance Rules and Regulations.

• Supervise the yearly physical verification and coordinate the timely reporting of inventory stock count in close collaboration with REU Asset Management & Inventory focal point and SSC FA Services.

• Act as liaison between the program and financial teams to ensure continuity, accuracy, and adherence to key processes related to grant management, systems used, and reporting

• Monitor financial management of grant funds to ensure consistency with the agreed technical plan and actual implementation.

• Facilitate in designing and preparing competitive and straightforward business proposals, including financial analyses.

• Process and settle payment claims, invoices, and obligations in line with relevant regulations and instructions, ensuring all supporting documents and information are complete.

• Reconcile and review outstanding advances, investigate erroneous charges, and take corrective actions in close collaboration with the Finance division in HQ.

• Extract, consolidate, and analyze expenditures, assets, and liabilities from the accounting system to verify accuracy and validity, and assist in monitoring expenditures to ensure they remain within authorized levels.

• Prepare draft cost estimates and budget proposals and participate in the budget analysis and projections for short and medium-term plans.

• Evaluate ongoing financial support requirements, adapt service provision to meet changing needs, and solve operational problems as required in close collaboration with the Finance Division in HQ.

• Maintain VAT reports and ensure their timely submission to the local tax authorities as required.

• Manage petty cash and credit card transactions, maintain proper records, conduct weekly reviews of project balances to ensure adequate cash to meet the project’s payment and fund commitment needs.

• Approve bank reconciliation of the project’s operational account in a timely and accurate manner, including documented review of exceptions.

• Prepare monthly cash-flow forecasts to fund the local bank and petty cash accounts in a timely and accurate manner.

• Provide procedural guidance to managers and staff, including supervising, guiding, and training other finance support staff.

• Maintain regular communication with the Admin and Procurement team to monitor, track, and facilitate the timely processing of planned and pending payments, ensuring cash availability aligns with operational needs.

• Work in close cooperation with program/projects management, M&E, operations, admin, and procurement units to ensure smooth implementation of activities, aligned monitoring systems, and timely financial processing in line with the organisation’s mandate, standards, rules, and regulations.

• Perform other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements  
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.
• At least three years of relevant experience in finance, accounting, budget management, and/or financial operations within projects or programmes, including liaison with multiple stakeholders.
• Good knowledge of MS Office applications and office technology equipment. Ability to enter data, perform queries, prepare ad hoc reports and analyses, and present results in an appropriate format.
• Working knowledge (Level C or native) of English 
• Working knowledge (Level C or native) of Ukrainian and/or Russian 
• National of Ukraine

FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills 
• Proficient user of office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.).
• Knowledge of spreadsheet and data analysis would be considered an advantage.
• Knowledge of financial rules and regulations in Ukraine.
• Experience in financial operations, cash management, and/or internal controls, preferably in a humanitarian or development context, will be considered an advantage.
• An advanced-level degree will be considered an advantage
• Ability to work effectively under pressure, adapt to evolving and complex humanitarian contexts, and operate within multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
• Strong interpersonal, facilitation, and motivational skills, with a proven ability to work as part of a team.
• Capacity to meet tight deadlines and work independently with minimal supervision.
• Good knowledge of humanitarian principles.
 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.