Finance Assistant At ActionAid

• Job Opening –Finance Assistant – Arab Region Office
• ActionAid Arab Region (AAAR) is looking for Finance Assistant Responsible for timely and efficient payment and receipt processing in accordance with policies and statutory requirements. The role involves managing cash flow in the bank and petty cash so that the Arab Region’s operations including donor Funded Projects run smoothly and activities are carried out as planned.
• About ActionAid Arab Region
• At ActionAid Arab Region we work with grass root organizations and civil society actors that have a strong focus on youth and women in local governance. ActionAid Arab Region (AAAR) knows that to create lasting change, the root causes of poverty and injustice must be addressed and that affected communities must become the drivers of the change they want to see. Read more at https://arab-region.actionaid.org/
• Job Title: Finance Assistant
• Reports to: Head of Finance and Administration
• Closing date: 25th May 2023

Job Role:

The main goal of this position is to ensure quality preparation of the audits through systematic checks on the financial documentation to be archived for compliance to AARI and donor regulations, policies, and procedures. The Finance assistant will work closely with finance officers and will receive their guidance to ensure that fundamental principles of financial management are in existence and adhered to in every part of the organization.

Key Activities (Quality Check and Pre-Auditing):

• Check the nature of the document and its presentation (photocopy, original, pro forma, translation, date, signature, stamp, terms used, accuracy of calculations, etc.).
• Check that all invoices and their amounts are present and complete as from their reception.
• During the monthly accounting closure check the accounting codes, the project codes and the budget codes.
• Enter the final codification, proceed to stamping, and correct any errors if necessary.
• Alert the HOFA for any missing documentation that could affect the quality of AAAR Vouchers.
• Assist the Finance officer in reviewing the partners documentation and alerting the Finance officer and HOFA for and issue in the partners monthly financial report along with the supporting documents.

Filling and Archiving :

• Archive the documentation as per the internal archiving procedures. (Digital and physical archive).
• Check that all the invoices are present for each budget line and each contract.
• Proceed with the scanning of the documentation, as per the digital archiving procedure and on monthly basis.
• Reclassify the invoices according to their new budget lines, if necessary, particularly when they have been used in various operations (redistribution of the initial budget lines).
• Ensure compliance of all finance files with Administration and finance procedures before filing and archiving.
• Finalize the dispatch of files by adding labels and adequate packaging
• make sure all vouchers and finance papers are duly signed before the physical and digital archiving process.

Participate in External and Internal Audits :

• Participate in external and Internal audits, by providing auditors with all necessary documentation in coordination with HoFA after properly check it in term of documentation and signatures.
• Responsible of retrieving audit samples and arrange as per auditor request.
• Follow up on recommendations provided by auditors in the finance department;
• Assist HoFA in ensuring a good internal system is in place for audit.

Daily Finance Operations :

• Process and record daily financial transactions in the Accountancy, making sure that all ledgers are updated on daily basis.
• Processing of bank and cash transactions.
• Reconcile AAAR supplier accounts on periodic basis.
• Prepare the tax and social security monthly payment in due time and monitor AAAR account with the social security and tax department on monthly basis to avoid any discrepancies.
• Keep up to date records for staff advances and program advances and track the duly closing of all advances.
• Ensure that all vouchers have all supporting documentation (approval notes, goods received notes, contracts, invoices, receipts, stamped etc.), properly reviewed and approved by concerned personnel and copies of all records are filed.
• Ensure that cash, checks, blank check books and other important documents are probably safe guarded in the office’s safe.
• Maintain good relations with bank officials, Exchange offices, and other intermediaries to resolve problems.
• To improve accounting processing and to highlight errors or omission for the observation of HoFA.
• Disburse and Distribution Checks to the vendors and staff.
• Ensure compliance with AAAR procedures and guidelines.
• Responsible for all the financial records received from other departments.
• To deputize the Finance Officer in day-to-day work during his/her absence.

Person Specification

**Education & Certifications :**A Bachelor degree in Accounting/Finance or Business Administration.

Essential Experience :

• From one to three years relevant experience from a reputable organization, preferably an INGO.
• Monitoring the compliance of Finance system
• Working in multi-cultural environment
• Working in international organisations
• Implementing Finance and archiving system

Essential Knowledge:

• Good knowledge of finance and accounting systems in the country.
• Good understanding of IFRS

Essential Skills :

• Communication and interpersonal Skills
• Planning & Organizing
• Time Management
• Facilitation & Coordination
• Problem Solving
• Very good English language
• MS Office especially Excel.

Essential Abilities :

• Work under pressure
• Strong team player with ability to work in virtual teams
• Work towards tight deadline
• Work independently in remote areas
• Work on own initiative with minimum supervision and to stay on task.
• Engage partners at all levels