Finance Assistant

Job Posting Organization:
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is an international organization that aims to achieve security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. Established in 1945, FAO works in over 130 countries and has a mission to support the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems. The organization is committed to environmental sustainability, which is integral to its strategic objectives and operations. FAO's Finance Division (CSF) is responsible for recommending and administering financial policies and procedures that meet the highest professional standards, ensuring the safe custody of the Organization's financial assets, and overseeing financial operations across the organization.

Job Overview:
The Finance Assistant plays a crucial role in the Finance Division at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy. This position involves performing a variety of routine administrative and financial duties that support the control and maintenance of accounts, as well as the processing of finance, accounting, and budget-related transactions. The incumbent is expected to exercise judgment, identify errors, and support sound financial practices. The Finance Assistant operates independently in routine matters, with supervision focused on the quality of work performed, allowing for on-the-job learning. The role requires interaction with colleagues within the work unit and immediate clients served within the Organization, providing routine assistance to promote effective and efficient delivery of finance-related services.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Finance Assistant is responsible for a comprehensive set of duties, including processing claims or invoices and other payment requests in accordance with relevant regulations and instructions. The incumbent must ensure that all supporting documents and information required to justify payments, such as receipts and banking details, are complete before releasing payments. Additionally, the Finance Assistant will settle invoices and claims after verifying supporting documents, compile and verify budget and accounting data by checking files, calculating costs, and estimating anticipated expenditures. Following authorization, the incumbent will make disbursements from petty cash as per delegation, maintain records of such disbursements, and balance accounts as required. The role also involves assisting in the preparation of periodic accounting records, finance, and budget documents, recording receipts and disbursements in ledgers, cash books, and vouchers. The Finance Assistant will reconcile data for recurring or special reports, maintain contacts with local banks, verify account status and currency exchange rates, and obtain approval for cheque clearance. Other duties may be assigned as required, and the incumbent's work will significantly impact the timely and efficient delivery of financial support services and the overall output of the work unit.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a secondary school education as a minimum requirement. Additionally, three years of relevant experience in finance or budget-related support work is necessary. The role requires a working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English, as well as good knowledge of MS Office applications, internet, and office technology equipment. Candidates must also 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 application.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position is a secondary school education. This foundational education is essential for understanding the basic principles of finance and accounting, which are critical for the tasks that the Finance Assistant will undertake.

Experience:
The position requires three years of relevant experience in finance or budget-related support work. This experience is crucial for the candidate to effectively handle the responsibilities associated with the role, including processing financial transactions, maintaining accounts, and ensuring compliance with financial regulations.

Languages:
A working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English is mandatory for this position. Additionally, it is desirable for candidates to have intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of one of the other official FAO languages, which include Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish. This multilingual capability can enhance communication within the organization and with its diverse stakeholders.

Additional Notes:
The position is classified under the General Service Staff category, which means that candidates must be recruited locally. To be eligible for this position, candidates must be nationals of Italy or possess an existing visa/work permit and reside within commuting distance of the duty station at the time of application. The term 'commuting distance' refers to the distance within which staff members can travel daily between their place of work and their residence. The role is likely to be full-time, and candidates should be prepared for a work environment that emphasizes teamwork, communication, and continuous improvement.