Job Description - Finance Assistant

Job Title: Finance Assistant

Location: Kismayu

Job Holder Reports To: Project Support Officer administratively and technically to Deputy Finance Manager

Overall Purpose: Working as an important member of a diverse team who are committed to serve the world’s most vulnerable with practical and compassionate care, the Finance Officer is key to the efficient and effective running of the Kismayo programme. This role involves managing the Medair finances in Kismayo under the guidance of Project Support Manager.

Project Overview

Implementation of Health, Nutrition and WASH programmes in Kismayo, and several other regions within Lower Juba Somalia. Community health and WASH projects including Care Group Model and ICCM, and rehabilitation of health facilities. Potential projects may include emergency responses and/or expansion of initial programmes into areas with critical needs.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Finance and Accounting

• Perform day to day accounting functions such as payments and cash transfers including regular cash verification and weekly reconciliations with the related records and reporting discrepancies.
• Perform daily and periodical transaction posting on the finance system and reconciliation of the transactional reports with cash and bank balances.
• Perform monthly account closures in a timely fashion and communicate any deadline exceptions to the DPM
• Collate financial needs from different sectors and consolidate the weekly cash needs forecast observing optimum liquidity levels
• Process supplier invoices either directly or in conjunction with colleagues and in accordance with agreements made.
• Ensure that supporting documents for each level of expense and financial transactions are in line with

Medair’s procurement and financial guidelines before expenditure is incurred.

• Execute cash and bank payments, withdrawals and inter-bank/account transfers. Obtain approval from authorities for all payments and money transfers.
• Prepare payment of salaries and pay local staff on pay day each month.
• Support colleagues in cash handling and financial transactions, providing coaching and guidance as required.
• Prepare for and support internal and external financial audits, providing all information required by local legislation, donors, HQ or other bodies.
• Maintain a digital archive for all financial records in accordance with the Medair archiving and data retention policies.
• Any other Finance and Accounting duties that arise as Medair grows and changes.
• Assist the program staff with finance related queries as needed

Administration

• Liaison with bank officials on matters relating to banking.
• Briefing new staff (programme, field staff, logs staff, etc) on Medair finance procedures.

Communication

• Develop and maintain a transparent, honest and supportive communication structure with colleagues to ensure they are kept informed of finance guidelines
• Communicate regularly with other finance staff in the program
• Develop and maintain relationships with authorities, bank, auditors and donors