Accounts Officer at British High Commission

Main Purpose of Job

• To ensure the integrity of the British Deputy High Commission (BDHC) accounts section and its efficient running in accordance with FCDO policies and guidance. Making sure that all finance policies are adhered to and communicated to both external and internal stakeholders on a monthly basis.

Roles and Responsibilities
What will the jobholder be expected to achieve?:

•  Assist in ensuring all finance and procurement processes are followed in line with network policies and guidelines, including timely supplier and staff payments, reconciliations, official bank liaison, finance returns to London on request, providing general network finance and Procurement guidance.
• Assist in the reconciliation of Direct Debts in official bank account.
• Work closely with network teams, Regional Hub and Global Transaction Processing Centre (GTPC) Manila on consolidated, regionalised and self-service finance and Procurement processes.
• Assist in ensuring the Network’s Financial Performance and Compliance Indicators are kept to a high standard.
• Preparing and monitoring an accurate Funding Profile for the Financial Year and to proactively analyse the accounts and highlight discrepancies
• Managing the budget for Bank Charges;
• Running the cash office efficiently and in compliance with audit/financial best practice requirements, promptly processing all cash receipts, replenishing the imprests, preparing financial returns, bank runs;
• Processing and recording all cash payments and receipts as per the guidance, including correctly accounting for spend and reducing the risk of fraud.
• Receiving funds into the BDHC Accounts according to the FCDO guidance and procedures.
• Performing the Cash-In-Transit transactions and working with the GTPC on bank accounts reconciliation
• Checking/approving the payment batches, payment reminders; processing of invoices
• Carrying out account reconciliation with Suppliers and report issues with GTPC
• Receiving, reviewing and submitting invoices for processing.  Investigating invoicing problems and resolving within 15 days.
• Working with the GTPC to ensure balance sheet accounts are reconciled on a regular basis 
• Perform the End of Month tasks according to the FCDO guidance
• Accounting for internal residence-hosted events, payment of extra staff invoices and yearly checks
• Supporting the Nigeria Network with finance related questions, e.g. in relation with submitting cash expense claims, handling the incoming mail;
• Record keeping / filing of paperwork in accordance with guidelines;
• Covering for the Finance Assistant when necessary
• Assisting Corporate Services Manager and Procurement/Contract Manager with maintenance of the Local Budget records by preparing and submitting the Budget Amendable and Forecasting returns as per the published guidelines and calendar when necessary.
• Managing the relationship with the local bank
• Payroll administration and support
• Other duties that may reasonably be required and which are in accordance with the grading and success profiles of the job.

Essential Qualifications, Skills and Experience 

• Experience in Finance and administrative work in a similar environment
• Excellent hands-on knowledge of MS Excel and other MS Office programmes
• Good analytical and team-working skills
• Ability to multi-task and support multi-faceted teams in a shared corporate services environment
• Ability to effectively communicate with internal and external stakeholders, verbally and in writing
• Precision in implementing tasks, meticulous attention to detail.

Desirable Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• Ability to effectively communicate with internal and external stakeholders, verbally and in writing
• Precision in implementing tasks, meticulous attention to detail
• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting Business Administration or related field.
• Familiar with Oracle based systems.

Required Behaviour:

• Changing and Improving, Making Effective Decisions, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace

Other Benefits and Conditions of Employment
Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

• Induction
• Mandatory e-learning courses
• On the job development
• E-learning portal and courses routinely organised by the Regional Learning and Development Team

Working Patterns:

• Full time position, with core working hours between 07:30 – 15:30 hours, Monday to Thursday and 07:30 – 12:30 hours on Friday. However, the job holder will need to be flexible to respond to incidents and operational demands as the need arises.

Remuneration

• WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 75,602 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 3194 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.