Finance Assistant

21032103

Staff in the General Service category are recruited locally from the Primary Location area, which is where the office is located.

• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination　　
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

The Finance Division (CSF) recommends and administers financial policies and procedures that meet the highest professional standards; keeps accounts that accurately record financial activities and meet the requirements of internal and external audits; prepares reports to accurately portray the financial status of the Organization and its activities; ensures that the Organization's financial resources are securely kept and productively employed while in FAO's custody; oversees financial operations wherever performed in the Organization; and ensures that all disbursements are timely and made in accordance with established policies and procedures.

The position is located in the Finance Division at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Main Purpose

The Finance Assistant undertakes finance-related support activities of medium complexity. He/she ensures quality, transparency and consistency of processes. The job role requires in-depth knowledge and interpretation of financial policies, procedures and practices. The incumbent provides procedural guidance to other staff in the Organization as and when needed.

Supervision Received/Exercised

The Finance Assistant performs his/her work autonomously, showing a high degree of initiative, judgment and responsibility. Supervision received is focused on guidance regarding cases of high complexity and on facilitating service delivery and meeting client requirements. The incumbent effectively organizes his/her own work and provides relevant guidance and training to junior colleagues and internal customers.

Working Relationships

The incumbent maintains a wide range of contacts with staff throughout the Organization as well as with colleagues within and outside of core team, providing experienced coordination and delivery of finance support processes and services.

Key Functions/Results

• Review source documents for completeness, accuracy and validity;
• Extract details of transactions from the integrated financial system in order to analyse and verify;
• Investigate errors, take corrective actions; perform reviews and ensure proper clearance procedures;
• Support continuous improvement efforts by participating in testing and implementation of new financial process automations;
• Assist in monitoring transactions, ensure ex-ante or post-factum due diligence is performed;
• Prepare worksheets and assist in preparation of reports by compiling and consolidating data from various sources;
• Draft and prepare correspondence and respond to queries;
• Evaluate ongoing financial support requirements, adapt service provision to meet changing needs and solve operational problems as required;
• Provide procedural guidance to staff; guide and train junior finance support staff;
• Perform other duties as required.

Impact Of Work

The incumbent's work impacts directly on the efficiency, effectiveness, accuracy and timeliness of the services provided by the team. He/she plays a pro-active role in the successful achievement of the unit's mandate.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

Education: Secondary School Education.
Experience: Four years of relevant experience in finance, accounting, cash management and/or asset management related support work.
Languages: Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate - level B) of other FAO official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).
IT Skills: Very good knowledge of MS Office applications, Internet and office technology equipment.

Residency: General Service Staff are recruited locally. To be eligible for this position, candidates must be nationals of the country of the duty station or possess an existing visa/work permit, and reside within commuting distance of the duty station at the time of the application. "Commuting distance" means the distance within which staff members can travel daily between their place of work and their residence.

Competencies

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

Technical Skills

• Good knowledge of financial rules and regulations, accounting policies and practices in order to ensure that all processing controls are strictly adhered to.
• Good knowledge of the processing and approval process of a variety of transactions; ensuring audit requirements are maintained regarding supporting document retention, adherence to rules, accuracy and overall completeness.
• Thorough knowledge of the communication and documentation standards.

Desirable Qualifications And Skills

• Experience with integrated ERP systems (Oracle).
• Experience in Shared Services Centre work environment.

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