Overview
The Finance Specialist develops and maintains processes related to financial aspects, tenders, procurement, and other financial functions, ensuring compliance with FAO norms and procedures.
Tasks Summary
- Coordinate and closely monitor the implementation of Finance activities.
- Coordinate Financial transactions and activities with other ongoing activities, especially those of co-financers.
- Maintain imprest accounts and supervise the reconciliation of expenditures, balances, payments, statements, and other data.
- Assist the Procurement Unit in the process of selection of financial partners responsible for the disbursement of cash
- Supervise the process of cash distribution, and work in close cooperation with technical units to develop solid monitoring systems to mitigate risks associated with CBT programmes.
- Coordinate the regular monitoring of Asset Management and ensure compliance with the Finance Rules and Regulations.
- Supervise the yearly physical verification and coordinate the timely reporting of inventory stock count in close collaboration with REU Asset Management & Inventory focal point and SSC FA Services.
- Act as liaison between the program and financial teams to ensure continuity, accuracy, and adherence to key processes related to grant management, systems used, and reporting
- Monitor financial management of grant funds to ensure consistency with the agreed technical plan and actual implementation.
- Facilitate in designing and preparing competitive and straightforward business proposals, including financial analyses.
- Process and settle payment claims, invoices, and obligations in line with relevant regulations and instructions, ensuring all supporting documents and information are complete.
- Reconcile and review outstanding advances, investigate erroneous charges, and take corrective actions in close collaboration with the Finance division in HQ.
- Extract, consolidate, and analyze expenditures, assets, and liabilities from the accounting system to verify accuracy and validity, and assist in monitoring expenditures to ensure they remain within authorized levels.
- Prepare draft cost estimates and budget proposals and participate in the budget analysis and projections for short and medium-term plans.
- Evaluate ongoing financial support requirements, adapt service provision to meet changing needs, and solve operational problems as required in close collaboration with the Finance Division in HQ.
- Maintain VAT reports and ensure their timely submission to the local tax authorities as required.
- Manage petty cash and credit card transactions, maintain proper records, conduct weekly reviews of project balances to ensure adequate cash to meet the project’s payment and fund commitment needs.
- Approve bank reconciliation of the project’s operational account in a timely and accurate manner, including documented review of exceptions.
- Prepare monthly cash-flow forecasts to fund the local bank and petty cash accounts in a timely and accurate manner.
- Provide procedural guidance to managers and staff, including supervising, guiding, and training other finance support staff.
- Maintain regular communication with the Admin and Procurement team to monitor, track, and facilitate the timely processing of planned and pending payments, ensuring cash availability aligns with operational needs.
- Work in close cooperation with program/projects management, M&E, operations, admin, and procurement units to ensure smooth implementation of activities, aligned monitoring systems, and timely financial processing in line with the organisation’s mandate, standards, rules, and regulations.
- Perform other duties as required.
Experience Requirements
- At least three (3) years of relevant experience in finance, accounting, budget management, and/or financial operations within projects or programmes, including liaison with multiple stakeholders.
- Knowledge of financial rules and regulations in Ukraine.
- Experience in financial operations, cash management, and/or internal controls, preferably in a humanitarian or development context, will be considered an advantage.
Qualification Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.
- An advanced-level degree will be considered an advantage
