Finance Assistant

Organizational Setting

FAO Afghanistan is investing, across all 34 provinces, in resilience reinforcing actions that focus on protecting agriculture livelihoods and local ecosystems, boosting local production of nutritious foods and cash-incomes, and safeguarding critical agriculture sectoral development gains achieved over the past couple of decades through revitalizing rural markets and economy. In 2023, FAO will contribute to the humanitarian components of the UN Strategic Framework 2023-2025 through four priority actions: (i) Safeguarding Wheat Seed Security, (ii) Enhancing Local Production of Nutritious Food, (iii) Livestock Protection and Dairy Sector Support, and (iv) Restoring Irrigation Structures to Boost Cash Incomes. FAO will also contribute towards resilience building activities and longer-term transformational processes as part of the implementation of the UN Strategic Framework 2023-2025.

There are two positions with duty station Kabul: this is a National Project Personnel – SB3.

Reporting Lines

Overall supervision of the FAO Representative, the direct supervision of the Regional Coordinator, and the technical supervision of the Assistant FAOR (Administration) and National Professional Officer (Administration – Finance)

Technical Focus

Provide full support to the finance team on financial matters, ensuring that activities are implemented quickly and effectively.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Ensure that accounting records are kept up to date, are reliable and are maintained according to FAO accounting practices; • Internal Controls: ensure that FAO policies and procedures are followed, the control system is effective, and the accounting system is reliable; • Review the commitments and expenditure documents and prepare periodic as well as ad hoc financial report/ data; • Reconcile of Petty Cash ensuring all disbursements at Kabul and provinces and maintain a database for keeping track of all kinds of advances disbursed and follow up on their settlements in accordance to FAO rules and regulations • Analyze, control and maintain relevant general ledger accounts, including scrutinizing source documents for completeness, accuracy and validity of charges; • Prepare request for payments (fund release orders), ensure all the supporting documents are available and in accordance with FAO financial rules; • Write cheques and/or prepare and print Bank Transfer Letters based on the payment vouchers derived from the system (GRMS) obtain signatures of delegated signatory panel members. Release cheques to beneficiaries upon a valid identification documents and send the bank transfer letter to bank accordingly. • Review and liquidate obligations; investigate erroneous charges and take corrective accounting actions; reconcile and review suspense accounts and ensures proper clearance procedures; • Consolidate data into financial statements and assist in monitoring expenditures to ensure they remain within authorized levels; • 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; • Project Financial and Management Accounting System: Ensure that accounting records are kept up to date, are reliable and are maintained according to FAO accounting practices; • Monitor cash flow and initiate the request for call for fund and inform the management of any budgetary constraints; • Disbursements from the project fund: ensure that withdrawals from the project are made only to meet expenses in connections with the project as they are actually incurred; • Prepare financial reports: follow the usual FAO practices for the timing of the reports and audit; • Maintain relation with bank official on obtaining market operational exchange and interest rates and apply to organization rules if applicable • Carry out any other duties as requested by the organization.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree (Bachelor) in business administration, economics, finance, management or closely related areas; • At least three (3) years of relevant experience in administrative and financial management and accounting with a financial institution or in an international organization in a financial or Administrative position; • Familiarity with accepted practice for financial transactions in Afghanistan; • Working knowledge (level C) of English and local languages (Pashto and/or Dari); • National of Afghanistan.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Ability to analyze financial/administrative information; • Excellent finance and budgeting skills; • Outstanding organizational and administrative skills; • Ability to organize and coordinate work; • Experience in managing workshops, meetings, travel, and other logistical matters; • Ability to work harmoniously under pressure with people of different national and cultural backgrounds; • Previous work experience with the UN is considered a strong asset; • Strong professional command of Microsoft Office, in particular Word and Excel; • Experience in handling web-based management systems is desirable.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help please contact: [email protected]
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.