Finance Officer at Arms Trade Treaty Secretariat

The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) was adopted by the UN General Assembly to regulate the international trade in conventional arms by establishing the highest international standards and to prevent and eradicate illicit trade and diversion of conventional arms. The ATT entered into force on 24 December 2014, and contributes to international and regional peace, security and stability, reducing human suffering, and promoting cooperation, transparency and responsible action among the international community.

Article 18 of the Treaty calls for the establishment of a Secretariat to assist States Parties in the effective implementation of the Treaty. The Treaty specifies that the Secretariat shall be adequately staffed and that the staff shall have the necessary expertise to ensure that the Secretariat can effectively undertake the responsibilities outlined in Article 18(3) of the Treaty.

On 16 April 2021, the Council of the European Union adopted decision 2021/649 to give support for the following activities of the ATT Secretariat in support of implementation of the ATT:

• (a) support for capacity building of ATT national points of contact;
• (b) establishing an expert roster to build the capacity of local and regional ATT experts to provide advice and training on ATT implementation at local and regional levels (‘training the trainers’);
• (c) support for a database to match needs and resources.

Against this background, the ATT Secretariat is recruiting a part-time ATT Finance Officer (EU Project) to manage the budget and project expenditure, in close collaboration with the Project Manager.

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager (EU Project) and overall guidance of the Head of the ATT Secretariat, the successful candidate will manage and be responsible for tracking and managing all financial aspects of the ATT EU Project, including reporting, in accordance with the EU requirements.

Applications are invited for the position of ATT Finance Officer (EU Project) to undertake the duties and responsibilities listed hereunder:

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Establish and maintain project financial management and accounting system
• Maintain financial files and records
• Keep accurate records for all daily transactions
• Prepare the project’s financial statements including balance sheets
• Process invoices and project-related payments
• Book accounts payable and accounts receivable
• Update internal systems with financial data
• Prepare regular financial reports (in accordance with EU requirements)
• Reconcile bank statements
• Prepare for and facilitate internal or external audits
• Track bank deposits and payments
• Review and implement financial policies
• Monitor project service contracts, including monitoring timesheets, staff costs and project’s subcontracts
• Contribute in the preparation of financial documents for new proposals
• Ensure compliance with and coordinate implementation of the specific guidelines and financial requirements of the EU
• Act as the contact point for the project staff and other members of the ATT Secretariat regarding the EU guidelines for the financial and contractual implementation of the project

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Education

Advanced university (Masters) degree in project management, public administration, business administration, finance, accounting or any other related fields of study. A first level university degree (Bachelors) in combination with a minimum of 5 years’ relevant professional experience may be accepted.

Experience

• At least 4 years of professional experience in financial management and implementation of donor funded projects.
• International development experience preferred.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies

• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Excellent organizational skills: the ability to multi-task, learn quickly, and work independently and productively in a fast-paced and detail-oriented environment.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (oral and written): the ability to effectively liaise with and motivate a variety of people in a multi-cultural environment and across various time zones.
• Excellent computer skills: MS Word, Excel. Proficiency in Excel preferred.

Language skills

Strong written and verbal communication in English is required. French and/or Spanish proficiency/working knowledge is desirable.

Travel Requirement

The Finance Officer (EU Project) must be willing to travel to Brussels as part of the EU project monitoring and reporting.