Finance Assistant - ARE Activity

BACKGROUND

The Lebanon Agriculture and Rural Empowerment (ARE) program is a multi-year project funded by USAID to develop rural economics in Lebanon through support to the agro-food sector and other industries to unlock local and export sales potential while also creating jobs and increasing farmers’ and worker’s incomes. ARE will increase jobs; improve incomes; improve female participation and employment opportunities; increase domestic and export sales; increase private sector investment; improve access to finance; link value chain actors to domestic and international markets; and improve farm production through improved practices, technology, increased volume, and/or decreased cost.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Finance Assistant will serve as a member of the Operations, Finance and Grants component, and will report to the Finance Specialist. The Finance Assistant will work closely with the finance specialist and assist in performing all aspects of the project accounting and financial management. S/he oversees the processing of accounting transactions according to the general principles of accounting and adheres to home office field accounting manual procedures. S/he must also follow USAID and Chemonics policies, procedures, and regulations.

DETAILED RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Supports accounting and financial operations for the Lebanon ARE field
• Ensures that basic accounting operations are sustained in the office while also ensuring project accounting policies are followed.
• Performing detailed review of expense reports as to ensure that all back-up documents and approvals are available prior to processing subsequent payments.
• Works with the Finance Specialist to coordinate and implement proper protocols to ensure the field office is operating under consistent financial practices.
• Records and processes monthly field office project expenditures (locals) in the internal accounting system and submit locals to the home office on monthly basis.
• Processes payment of vendors and check preparation.
• Assists in keeping personnel files complete and accurate.
• Supports in Inventory audits and count as required.
• Call and coordinate with suppliers about their Checks collections.
• Assist in Payroll preparation and Timesheets review as needed.
• Assist in month close processes as required (locals, bank reconciliations).
• Maintain an up-to-date payment request tracker.
• Uses strong interpersonal skills to effectively work with all staff and ensure financial policies are followed.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Finance Specialist or Director of Operations, Finance and Grants .

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance or similar field
• Minimum of two years of experience preferably working on donor-funded projects in a related role and with demonstrated financial skills experience; Applied financial/business skills in agricultural programs are a plus
• Demonstrated experience in assisting technical teams in day to day program operations, basic financial modeling and analysis, and report writing
• Knowledge of USAID, or other donor  preferred;
• Excellent/fluent written and spoken English and Arabic;
• Excellent knowledge in Microsoft Office specifically Excel.

LOCATION OF ASSIGNMENT

The Finance Assistant will be based in the project’s main office in Beirut, with travel throughout the country as needed.

REPORTING

The Finance Assistant will report to the Finance Specialist.