Finance admin officer

BACKGROUND:
HelpAge International is a global network of not-for-profit organisations with a vision of a world where older people fulfill their potential to lead active, dignified, healthy and secure lives. With over 70 affiliates and 300 partners across more than 50 countries the HAI network brings together hundreds of organisations worldwide. HelpAge has a secretariat with offices in London and Brussels, six regional centres in Africa, South Asia, SE Asia, Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.
HelpAge provides age-specific essential relief items, advises and supports agencies to ensure that services are age-appropriate, works with healthcare providers to improve older people’s access to health services, and supports older people’s capacity to maintain livelihoods and contribute to community support, works with other agencies to ensure the care and protection of vulnerable older people through intergenerational activities.
HelpAge started working in oPt (the Gaza Strip) in February 2009 following the December 2008 – January 2009 conflict. It is providing a humanitarian response for older people including provision of food, psychosocial support, livelihoods support and physical rehabilitation. HelpAge has also addressed the dearth of information on the situation of older people with a focus on assessing the needs of older people as this has not been a prime concern for other stakeholders. Through its work, HelpAge aims to educate other organisations and agencies about the needs of the older people and the importance of including them in humanitarian response programmes.
Currently HelpAge is in the process of opening an office in East Jerusalem and is looking for a part- time (up to 32 hours per week) Finance Admin officer
 

JOB TITLE: Finance admin officer
DUTY STATION :JERUSALEM
RESPONSIBLE TO: Programme Director oPt
CONTRACT LENGTH    12 months


Main JOB PURPOSE:
The Finance admin officer provides for general financial management for any ongoing activities, the management of the financial risk and opportunities and the analysis of the financial aspects for future proposals and/or reports.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
-To establish and maintain effective procedures and systems for financial management and control in compliance with HelpAge International and donor requirements.
-To manage daily cash book and bank accounts, to ensure all transactions are properly accounted for and financial transactions are up to date
-Maintain and ensure that all financial and administrative information is effectively filed to meet HelpAge and donors’ requirements.
-To produce monthly accounts and bank reconciliations (including journals) in accordance with HelpAge monthly financial cycle, ensuring the correctness of coding and reconciliations.
-To liaise with London Secretariat Finance with regards to HelpAge financial guidelines and policies.
-Review and process procurement requests related to the programme for approval.
-To maintain systems of monthly monitoring of project expenditure against budget using HelpAge formats and support the Programme Director/Programme Manager to be familiar at all times with the financial status of the projects.
-Assist in the preparation of interim and final donor reports.
-To oversee the year-end procedure, ensuring that all financial returns are completed accurately and to the required timescale.
-To liaise with Audit staff (internal and external) ensuring that any recommendations and changes are fully implemented.
-To ensure - in close liaison with the Programme Director, Gaza programme Manager and Gaza finance officer - that thorough and effective budgetary control is undertaken in the oPt programme.  Highlighting the key variances, reasons for these, and any remedial action that is required.
-To co-ordinate and oversee the budgeting, forecasting processes, liaising with Gaza programme Manager, Gaza finance officer and oPt Programme Director to ensure that procedures are understood and timetables communicated.
-To support Programmes staff in the production of project budgets and proposals, advising on assumptions, risks and opportunities contained within the budgets. 
-To review and authorise the financial aspects of all funding proposals.
-Identify the financial information needs of the programme and to set up systems to ensure that these needs are met.
-To identify and assist in meeting the financial training needs of local staff and partner staff.
-To work with programme teams and partners, helping set up accounting systems and procedures that are required by HelpAge. To monitor this work, highlighting any shortfalls and agree required management actions with relevant staff.

Logistic functions
-To oversee, develop and implement systems and procedures relating to logistic operations, for examples: computer-based procurement, storage and distribution with supplier database; rigorous assets and materials controls compliant with donor requirements; scheduling of all transport, flights and the control and monitoring of vehicle and fuel usage;
-To ensure security procedures, material, and equipments are in place; to keep abreast of security developments by attending relevant cluster and/or working group meetings.

Administrative functions
-To oversee, develop and implement systems and procedures relating to office management, material and services management, for examples: sourcing office equipments and supplies - including computers, furniture and stationeries and maintaining inventories, liaising with contractors and service providers for efficient and cost effective servicing and repairs of material and equipments, and ensuring procedures are followed and adhere to;
-Source and manage office accommodation and accommodation for international staff and visitors, ensuring rental contracts are signed and current; Liaise with the relevant authorities for office registration, Work Permits and visa/coordination applications for international /national staff;
-To maintain awareness of admin developments in oPt which may impact the program by attending relevant cluster and/or working group meetings.
-Translation of office documentation (Arabic or Hebrew into English, English into Arabic and/or Hebrew)

Other duties: Perform other duties, including logistics as assigned by oPt Programme Director 


Minimum requirements:
-Strong understanding of humanitarian policy and principles and challenges
-Strong understanding of security/safety
-Strong analytical and interpersonal skills/team player
-Ability to prioritise work and meet deadlines
-Fluent Arabic, English and Hebrew (written and spoken).
-Excellent computer skills in MS Word, Excel (or other spreadsheets) and word processing.
-Knowledge and experience of operating computerised accounting systems
-Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Accounting
-Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience;
-Accounting/financial management
-Developing financial systems
-Producing budgets and financial monitoring reports
-Providing financial training to non-finance and finance staff
-Donor reporting
-Proven management, administrative and organizational skills
-Previous Budget Management Responsibilities
-Ability to travel around West Bank

Desirable
-Ability to travel to Gaza
-Knowledge and experience of ageing and issues facing older people in emergencies.

HOW TO APPLY:
Please send CV (in English), cover letter and 3 references to [email protected], no later than 27th of October 2011.
Clearly mark “vacancy Finance admin officer” in the subject header of your email.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted