Senior Finance Assistant (G6)

Background:

OSCE field operations are the front line of the OSCE’s engagement on the ground, supporting host authorities in fulfilling OSCE commitments and implementing a comprehensive approach to security. The OSCE Mission to Skopje is the Organization's longest-serving field operation working on inter-ethnic relations, early warning, the rule of law, democratic governance and transnational threats and organized crime.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of the National Finance Officer, the incumbent will be responsible for processing a wide variety of complex financial transactions, verification of supporting documentation and providing input into the Oracle system, while ensuring strict adherence to the OSCE Financial Rules and Regulations, more specifically:

1.    Processing of payment vouchers, through:
a.    Reviewing incoming financial documents for verification of completeness, accuracy and validity of the budget information, and compliance to the OSCE Financial Rules and Regulation prior to inputting in Oracle; Contacting the responsible office in case of discrepancies and obtaining written explanation before processing;
b.    Classification of the documentation received and delegating to the Finance Assistant, as appropriate;
c.    Preparation, monitoring, reconciliation and verification of the General Ledger, asset and liability accounts prior to submitting to National Finance Officer;
d.    Monitoring outstanding operational advances, advances to Mission Members and advances to vendors and ensuring their timely closure.
e.    Providing guidance to new Mission Members on financial rules.

2.    Financial administration of ExB and UB projects, through:
a.   Uploading project proposals and project summaries; assigning required project information; reviewing budget proposals for completeness and providing advice on adjustments to meet project requirements; assigning codes to budget allotments ensuring compliance with applicable rules and procedures;
b.   Receiving requests for budget proposal adjustments, earmarking budgetary allotment to meet donors' specifications and administrating the changes (ExB); extending duration of projects, receiving letters of acceptance of pledge or donors’ agreements, as well as receipt of ExB income;
c.   Checking the technical and accounting details of the Implementing Partnership Agreements (IPA), settlements of advances by ensuring validity and accuracy of the supporting documentation, proposing corrective actions to the National Finance Officer and the relevant programme in cases of any inconsistencies, addressing any delays, and maintaining regular contact with the Implementing Partners and if needed providing training to them;
d.    Maintaining up-to-date record of all Implementing Partnership Agreements in order to maintain full oversight and control over issued prepayments and settlement to advances;
e.    Maintaining and updating ExB/UB project module with relevant information.

3.    Performing other budgetary/financial control related functions, such as:
a.   Providing input and financial snapshot of the ExB and UB projects for analysis of the Budget and Expenditure reports with Programme Managers; Extracting numerical data from IRMA for the Mission’s forecasting tools and the Budget and Expenditure Reports; Summarising financial statistical data, as required;
b.    Performing the reconciliation of accounts and payroll;
c.    Acting as alternate on the approval tree for up to € 10.000.

4.    Coordinating and distributing the work to other Financial Assistants and when necessary providing guidance.

5.    Performing other duties as assigned.
 

Necessary Qualifications:

• Citizenship of or permanent residence in the Republic of North Macedonia;
• Secondary education supplemented by specialised training in accounting or in the area of finance;
• Minimum six (6) years of relevant working experience in accounting and finance preferably in an international setting;
• Established knowledge of the local accounting system including the IPSAS standards; 
• Knowledge of ERP modules;
• Computer literate with practical experience with Windows applications and computerised accounting systems;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and in local languages;
• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities;
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to work as a member of a team, with people of different cultural and religious backgrounds, different gender, and diverse political views, while maintaining impartiality and objectivity.
   

Remuneration Package

Monthly remuneration, subject to social security deductions, is approximately EUR 1,564.00. 

Social benefits will include participation in the Cigna medical insurance and the OSCE Provident Fund. 

Appointments are normally made at step 1 of the applicable OSCE salary scale. At the discretion of the appointing authority a higher step may be approved up to a maximum of step 3 subject to specific conditions.
 

If you wish to apply, please use the OSCE's online application link found under https://jobs.osce.org. 

Please note that applications received after the deadline, submitted in different formats than the OSCE Online Application Form or in other languages than the English language would not be considered.

The recruitment procedure may take up to two months and we will be in further contact with you only if you are selected for an interview. The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment, or offer the position with modified terms of reference or a different duration.

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages the nomination of qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious, ethnic and social backgrounds.

The OSCE is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. For more information on the values set out in OSCE Competency Model, please see https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/our-competency-model 

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.