Finance Officer

Job purpose
Under the supervision of the Senior Finance Officer, the incumbent is responsible for providing support to the Regional Office in various finance issues to ensure the smooth day-to-day operation. The Finance Officer provides support to the Finance Department in the delivery of financial services in support of the zone’s operational programs.

Job duties and responsibilities

The incumbent shall be responsible for day-to-day operations related to petty cash, daily accounting entries, review of supporting documentation, including working advances and supplier invoices, performing reconciliations. The tasks are detailed below. The incumbent shall:

1. Be responsible for all aspects of petty cash in all currencies, receipts into and payments out of petty cash, including ensuring that all transactions are correctly authorized and fully documented.

• Follow up on the cash reimbursement of private calls by employees of the Regional Office.
• Follow up on the petty cash availability and validate payments when requested.
• Follow up on the petty cash availability and validate payments when requested.
• Monitor the balance of petty cash, and advice on any need to re-feed the petty cash on a timely manner.
• Monitor the monthly cash count and obtain the required management signature. 
• Perform surprise cash counts to ensure compliance and effective controls are in place.
• Perform reconciliations of bank balances and make sure all payment has been recognized.

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  2. Ensure daily data input into CODA financial system in an accurate, efficient and timely manner.
   

• Ensure daily data input of supplier invoices into the financial system in an accurate, efficient & timely manner.
• Check that financial codes are correct before booking the transactions and inform line manager of any codes that are unavailable in the system.
• Monitor and organize CODA documents, according to the standard filing system.
• Review and make sure all cash, banks, and other CODA entries are validated into books.
• Assist in month-end closing (booking SOSC entry based on the data provided by Senior FO, assist in booking & reconciliation of the prepayments, supplier matching process, balance sheet clearing, ALC, OJF)
• Draft the delegation checklist with the month-end closing, and draft replies to the checklists A from RFU. 
  
  3. Ensure payment authorizations are complete with full supporting documentation
   
• Follow up on any requirement for the authorizers if needed and ensure support in providing authorization when deemed necessary
• Prepare retrospective authorization for the Regional Director (and other staff members reporting to line managers in different geographic locations) on a quarterly basis

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  4. Ensure daily review and authorization of travel expense claims.
   

• Review and back up in the provision of travel advances, and preparation of reconciliation, provision of final payment for locally recruited staff and seconded staff members in line with the prevailing procedures.
  
  5. Be responsible for all aspects of accounts payable
   
• Check all supplier invoices and perform compliance review in regard to but not limited to coding and supporting documentation.
• Ensure that all supplier invoices are validated by the Senior Finance Officer, and approved by the budget holder, and by the line manager or HR manager where applicable, prior to accounting and payment.
• Coordinate and keep contact with the supplier in regard to provide SOA for proper monthly or quarterly reconciliation before any payments.
• Check pending invoices received from suppliers and advise on the required action.
• Prepare reconciliation and payment request with all necessary supporting documentation and respect to procedures.
• Report on the supplier’s balances to the Senior Finance Officer when deemed necessary for proper follow up.
  
  6. Be responsible for all aspects of working advances
   
• Follow up on working advance’s reports received from NS’s and prepare comments if any, input adjustments into CODA and provide clarifications – when applicable after the induction phase is fully finalized.
• Assist in Advising project managers/country/clusters head on any pending working advance which requires action to solve the issue – when applicable after the induction phase is fully finalized.
• Assist with the preparation and coding and booking of staff working advance journals where necessary
  
  7. Other
   
• Review supplementary services invoices before submitting them to SFO/RFU and report any issues/errors to the Senior Finance Officer
• Establish and ensure effective working relationships with the staff and management of the MENA Regional Office.
• Ensure and promote compliance with the Federation's financial procedures, budgeting system, monthly accounts closure, bank reconciliation & processes.
• Provide reports from Business Object (B.O.) to staff members as requested.
• Provide briefing about the finance systems, procedures and processes when requested.
• Any other tasks assigned by the Senior Finance Officer or the Regional Financial Controller.
  
   

  Position Requirements
   

  Education

    Required

  Preferred

  University degree or equivalent in Finance and accounting or related field

  X

   

  Relevant professional /academic qualification in finance or accounting

   

  X

  Experience

   

  Required 

  Preferred

  At least 5 years relevant working experience in a financial role

  X

   

  Experience in working with web-based accounting systems

  X

   

  Work experience with other international organisations, large NGOs and/or governmental development agencies, multi-cultural environment

   

  X

  Knowledge and Skills

  Required 

  Preferred

  Advanced computer skills, working knowledge with windows, spreadsheets, word processing and accounting packages

  X

   

  Ability to work under pressure and to deadlines

  X

   

  Accuracy and fine attention to detail

  X

   

  Organised and self-starter in work prioritising

  X

   

  Experience working with CODA or similar accounting software

  X

   

  Languages

  Required 

  Preferred

  Fluently spoken and written Arabic

  X

   

  Fluently spoken and written English

  X

   

  Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic) or Russian

   

  X