Travel and Finance Assistant

Organizational Setting

The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

Reporting Lines

Under the Overall Supervision of Sub Regional Coordinator, the incumbent will report to the Administration Officer.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will provide financial support to the daily operations for FAO SAP

Tasks and responsibilities

• Provide guidance and advice on travel rules and procedures to the Field Office staff; • Maintain the travel data base for international and local travel request ; • Systematically process travel authorizations and expense claims in accordance with the organization’s rules and policies; verify travel performed against appropriate entitlements; • Process authorized lump sum payments, travel advances and post-factum travel claims and verify their correctness; • Assist in clearing outstanding travel-related balances through reviewing travellers’ recovery lists and taking the necessary follow-up action; • Liaise with relevant travel agents to ensure that the organization obtains the best service and price for all travel and make sure the time issuance of the tickets to the travellers ; • Identify, review and claim refunds of travel costs from travel agents or travellers and take necessary follow up action; • Review the Long Term Agreements(LTA) with the travel agents and work with Procurement unit for timely renewal; • Analyse and investigate technical problems, rejections and queries relating to recoveries, payments, rates related to the travel authorization etc. to verify correctness and alignment of records including adjustments and settlements of outstanding items in corporate systems; • Review and reconcile monthly recovery reports, taking corrective action where necessary and validating items for recovery; • Extract, input, maintain and verify correctness of travel records in the organization’s corporate travel system to ensure proper accounting transactions related to travel costs and staff travel; • Assist in the preparation of budgets on travel costs and maintain travel budgetary and statistical control records • Supervise junior level General Service staff assigned to the Travel Unit, providing training where necessary; • Brief/de-brief staff members on issues relating to related administrative matters such as visas, security clearance, documentation procedures ,etc; • Create invoices and receipts of goods in the system to facilitate the smooth payment function in the Finance • Assist Accounts Payable on clearances of consultants’ honoraria payments, providing details performing necessary accounting adjustments; • Perform accounts reconciliation; review and approve expenditure documents ensuring conformity with FAO regulations and procedures; request journal vouchers for adjustments; • Participate in the design and implementation of automated accounting and financial management systems; recommend operational procedures and methodologies to accomplish the work;

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• National of Samoa or Resident with a valid working permit; • University degree in a field related to business management or public administration, finance, accounting, social science or other relevant field; • Three years of relevant experience in office management, administration, accounting and/or audit, budget or finance • Working knowledge of English

FAO Core Competencies

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