Finance Assistant (PROACT) at Oxfam

Req ID: 5542
Location: Kebbi
Internal Job Grade: E1
Contract type: 1 Year Fixed Term
Job Family: Business Support
Reporting to: PROACT Finance Officer

Job Purpose

• The Finance Assistant will support the delivery of all financial management functions according to Oxfam Financial Manual, including but not limited to petty cash management, timesheets recording, and requirements as they relate specifically to Oxfam’s relationship with partner organizations.
• S/he will check all expense supporting documentation to ensure compliance with the organization’s policies and related law, prior to obtaining approvals and payment processing. 
• S/he will work with the PROACT Finance Officer to coordinate and act as a focal point for issues relating to finance for the PROACT project in Kebbi State.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities
Financial Planning, Budgeting, and reporting:

• Assist in the preparation of the phased budget for the project.
• Assist with regular forecasting of project budget utilization and in effectively managing the resources for the respective projects.
• Supports on the finance implementation of project.
• Coordinates with Finance Officer on the finance implementation of the grants implemented by counterparts.
• Produce accurate, complete, and consistent financial accounts, comments and supporting documentation for inclusion in donor reports, ensuring that all donor reporting deadlines are met and that reports adhere to donor requirements.

Financial Transaction and Cash Management:

• Ensure the management of cash and treasury including timely and accurate payments of suppliers and locally hired short and long-term staff. Ensure cash and bank accounts are regularly reconciled. Manage and oversee projects inventory, capital equipment and issues related to offices and guest houses management
• Ensure detailed and accurate records of all financial transactions are maintained physically and electronically in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
• Review payment vouchers to ensure that correct budget codes are charged and also approvals have been made with appropriate delegated authority.
• Ensure that all vouchers are stamped, scanned, properly filled for easy retrieval, uploaded into OXFAM’s Share file/Box for Supervisor review and internal audit purpose.

Financial Control & Risk Management:

• Proactively review and identify any potential issues which would interfere with reporting requirements and/or meeting compliance standards and take appropriate action to resolve them.
• Maintain an effective reports monitoring system, ensuring adherence to Oxfam policies and procedures on partner management.

Donor and Partner Management:

• Proactively review and identify any potential issues which would interfere with reporting requirements and/or meeting compliance standards and take appropriate action to resolve them.
• Visit partner organizations to fully understand the context and operating environment they work in to ensure effective support is provided.
• Participate in regular meetings with partner organizations to ensure that the working relationship between them and Oxfam is positive, open and conducive to the successful achievement of agreed objectives.

Person's Specification
Essential:

• First degree or equivalent in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics or any Social Science discipline.
• Minimum of 2 years experience in handling of all core financial management activities, including accounts payable, bookkeeping cash management, budget development, statutory requirements, and standard accounts
• 1 year proven knowledge and experience of grant accounting and sound experience with donors funding regulations, procedures, and reporting requirements
• Strong numerical skills and experience using a computerized financial management information system
• Good analytical skills and experience using a computerized information management system (Ms. Word, Excel, Accounting software, etc.)
• A critical focus on providing a superior service level to managers and colleagues and delivering agreed results within time and budget constraints and to expected standards
• Excellent organization skills and flexible approach to planning comprehensively, managing and prioritizing effectively a high workload and multiple tasks and deadline
• Ability to adjust to constantly changing situations while maintaining focus on delivery and follow-through
• Good analytical and conceptual thinking skills with a proven proactive approach to identifying and resolving problems and suggesting improvements that continuously seek to provide a better service to Oxfam.
• Excellent personal communication skills, in written and verbal English
• Ability to represent Oxfam in a professional and competent manner with external individuals and organizations
• Proven experience as a team worker and demonstrably cooperative with members of other teams, responding quickly and accurately to queries and issues
• Commitment to Oxfam’s overall aims and policies and experience of promoting women’s rights and the interests of marginalized people in all aspects of Oxfam’s work

Desirable:

• Knowledge or experience of Oxfam's (or similar organization’s) program work, including field experience and/or with institutional donors
• Knowledge and/or experience of common Oxfam norms objects, standards, and tools

Organizational Values:

• Accountability - Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions.
• Empowerment - Our approach means that everyone involved with Oxfam, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen.
• Inclusiveness - We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences.

Key Behavioral Competencies

• Decisiveness: We are comfortable to make transparent decisions and to adapt decision making modes to the context and needs.
• Influencing: We have the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders in a way that leads to increased impact for the organization We spot opportunities to influence effectively and where there are no opportunities we have the ability to create them in a respectful and impactful manner.
• Humility: We put ‘we’ before ‘me’ and place an emphasis on the power of the collective, nurture the team and play to the strengths of each individual. We are not concerned with hierarchical power, and we engage with, trust and value the knowledge and expertise of others across all levels of the organization.
• Relationship Building: We understand the importance of building a relationship, within and outside the organization. We have the ability to engage with traditional and non-traditional stakeholders in ways that lead to increased impact for the organization.
• Listening: We are good listeners who can see where deeper levels of thoughts and tacit assumptions differ. Our messages to others are clear and consider different preferences.
• Mutual Accountability: We can explain our decisions and how we have taken them based on our organizational values.  We are ready to be held to account for what we do and how we behave, as we are also holding others to account in a consistent manner.
• Agility, Complexity, and Ambiguity: We scan the environment, anticipate changes, are comfortable with a lack of clarity and deal with a large number of elements interacting in diverse and unpredictable ways.
• Systems Thinking: We view problems as parts of an overall system and in their relation to the whole system, rather than reacting to a specific part, outcome or event in isolation. We focus on cyclical rather than linear cause and effect. By consistently practicing systems thinking we are aware of and manage well-unintended consequences of organizational decisions and actions.
• Strategic Thinking and Judgment: We use judgment, weighing risk against the imperative to act. We make decisions consistent with organizational strategies and values.
• Vision Setting: We have the ability to identify and lead visionary initiatives that are beneficial for our organization and we set high-level direction through a visioning process that engages the organization and diverse external stakeholders.
• Self-Awareness: We are able to develop a high degree of self-awareness around our own strengths and weaknesses and our impact on others. Our self-awareness enables us to moderate and self-regulate our behaviors to control and channel our impulses for good purposes.
• Enabling: We all work to effectively empower and enable others to deliver the organization's goals through creating conditions of success. We passionately invest in others by developing their careers, not only their skills for the job.  We provide freedom; demonstrate belief and trust provide appropriate support.