Finance Associate

Organizational Setting

The Shared Services Centre (SSC) recommends and administers process management and procedures that need to be executed effectively; ensures the management of quality assurance activities associated with the transactional processes and implementation of service delivery; continuously improves the satisfaction of its customers, internal or external, while pursuing a continuous improvement agenda that will drive up service excellence while driving down the costs of service delivery through process standardization, process automation and self-service capabilities.

This position is located in the FAO Shared Services Centre (SSC) and based in Budapest, Hungary.

Main Purpose

The Finance Associate undertakes high-level and specialized finance-related support activities. He/she leads and coordinates the financial support work of the unit, ensuring the 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 managers and staff in the Organization and guides other finance support staff.

Supervision Received/Exercised

The Finance Associate reports to a Finance Officer (Shared Services Centre). Work is performed autonomously, showing a high degree of initiative, judgment and liability. Supervision received is focused on facilitating service delivery and on meeting client requirements. The incumbent effectively organizes and supervises other finance support staff and provides relevant guidance and training.

Working Relationships

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

Key Functions/Results

• Review transactions; investigate errors, take corrective actions; reconcile and review accounts and ensure proper clearance procedures; • Extract details of transactions from the corporate finance and accounting system in order to analyse and verify accuracy and validity; • Assist in monitoring transactions to ensure they remain within authorized levels; • Prepare worksheets and assist in preparation of reports by compiling and consolidating data from various sources; • Participate in continuous improvement efforts by acting as focal person for the analysis, testing and implementation of new financial process automations; • Ensure smooth processing of electronic payments, returns and payment rejections; • Liaise with FAO's corporate banks in case of payment issues; • Act as an alternate approver review and validate high amount invoices within delegation of authority; • 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 managers and staff; supervise, guide and train other 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 work unit's mandate.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

Education: Secondary School Education. Experience: Five years of relevant experience in finance, accounting and budget-related support work. Languages: Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of English. IT Skills: Very good knowledge of the 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

• Thorough knowledge of financial rules and regulations, accounting policies and practices in order to ensure that all processing controls are strictly adhered to; performs due diligence regarding eligibility, compliance, and transactions limits. • Thorough 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 ERP corporate financial systems.

Desirable Qualifications and Skills

• Very good knowledge of the organizational structure. • Knowledge of Oracle. • Limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of other official FAO languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).