Finance and Administration Assistant

• Attractive local package
• Friendly and supportive team environment
• Join the principal development organization in the Pacific region

Description

The Pacific Community (SPC) is the principal scientific and technical organisation in the Pacific region, supporting development since 1947. We are an international development organisation owned and governed by our 27 country and territory members. In pursuit of sustainable development to benefit Pacific people, our organisation works across more than 25 sectors. We are known for our knowledge and innovation in such areas as fisheries science, public health surveillance, geoscience, and conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.

The vision of the Educational Quality and Assessment Programme (EQAP) is to be ‘The agency for educational quality in the Pacific region’. Its mission is to enhance the quality of education and training for Pacific learners, so they realize the benefits of lifelong learning. EQAP seeks to promote the following core values within the context of SPC’s corporate values:

• a culture of quality;
• a culture of continuous improvement;
• cultural and political sensitivity;
• respect for the autonomy and priorities of the education system in each Pacific Island country and territory (PICTs); and
• assimilation of the expressed needs of countries in its delivery of technical services.

The role – Finance and Administration Assistant will provide finance, accounting and administration support to EQAP program/projects in areas such as preparing regular financial reports; assist in budget and audit preparations; assist with events and logistics and provide overall administration and accounting support to the division.

The key responsibilities of the role include:

Project Accounting Support

• Donor Reporting
  • Assist in compiling information for preparation of donor reports.
  • Assist the Team Leader in compiling work plan budgets of project and monitor project implementation.
  • Attend to financial queries raised by project team, donors, SPC corporate.
• Auditing
  • Assist in reconciliation and compiling of financial reports (audit-ready accounts) for project audits.
  • Assist and liaises with auditors on queries.
  • Prepare all necessary reconciliations for audit purposes.

Provide Financial Management and administration support  

• Provide financial management support
  • Work with the Finance Officer to:
    • Oversee overall program and project budget revisions, relocations, monitoring and management for program/ project costed workplans.
    • Monitor financial performance/progress, including reconciling program/ project payments to cash book and reporting and program/ project bank reconciliations.
    • Organize and oversee external audits, in accordance with SPC and donor requirements.
    • Request funding from donor as per grant agreement.
• Provide financial administration assistance
  • Take responsibility for all purchase requisition, invoicing, receipting, payments and reconciliation for all program/project related activities (including posting all program/project vouchers, receipts, invoices, etc.).
  • Maintain program/ project finance information within Navision and other systems, ensuring all financial records are accurate and are stored and managed in accordance with program/project and SPC requirements (including with adequate evidence of implementation as is required for audit purposes).

Provide support for Financial Accounting for regional activities

• Support the Finance Officer and collaborating entities to develop budgets for regional activities, and the subsequent financial management of those activities. Support in-country staffs and EQAP officers with managing country budgets, including building their capacity to use financial templates and apply SPC policies.
• Monitor the financial delivery of the national implementation rate as per country planning documents and agreements.
• Work with EQAP staffs to ensure monitoring and timely clearance of all country acquittals related to the project, including active management of foreign exchange.

Provide Financial Support to EQAP programme and project activities

• Seek opportunities for collaboration with other EQAP administration and financial staff to improve efficiency and effectiveness of the projects, programme and division.
• Participate in training and capacity building provided by SPC.
• Assist with the financial matters for other EQAP and wider Divisional activities where required.

For a more detailed account of the key responsibilities, please refer to the online job description.

Key selection criteria

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, business administration or commerce, or equivalent work experience that is both relevant and current.

Technical expertise

• At least 3 years’ experience in donor program/project financial reporting.
• Experience using Navision Software or similar finance software.
• Demonstrated experience in conference management and event organization, logistics and travel.
• Relevant practical experience in procurement, administration, travel support and financial aspects of large and complex projects.
• Strong PC based computer skills, preferably with Microsoft Programmes (Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Ability to effectively manage information.
• Demonstrated organizational and multi – tasking skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines.          

Language skills  

• Excellent English communication skills (oral and written). 

Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness

• Ability to work in a multicultural, inclusive and equitable environment.

Salary, terms and conditions

Contract Duration – 3 years – subject to renewal depending on funding and performance.

Remuneration – The Finance and Administration Assistant is a band 7 position in SPC’s 2023 salary scale, with a commencing taxable salary range of FJD 2,287-2,859 per month, plus local staff benefits. An offer of appointment for an initial contract will normally be made in the lower half of this range, with due consideration given to experience and qualifications. Progression within the salary scale will be based on annual performance reviews.

Recruitment principles – SPC’s recruitment is based on merit and fairness, and candidates are competing in a selection process that is fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory. SPC is an equal-opportunity employer, and is committed to cultural and gender diversity, including bilingualism, and will seek to attract and appoint candidates who respect these values. Due attention is given to gender equity and the maintenance of strong representation from Pacific Island professionals. If two interviewed candidates are ranked equal by the selection panel, preference will be given to the Pacific Islander.

Applicants will be assured of complete confidentiality in line with SPC’s Privacy Policy.

Application procedure

Closing Date – 20 November 2023 at 11:59pm (Fiji time)

Job Reference: MC000086

Applicants must apply online at http://careers.spc.int/

Hard copies of applications will not be accepted.

For your application to be considered, you must provide us with:

• an updated resume with contact details for three professional referees
• a cover letter detailing your skills, experience and interest in this position
• responses to all screening questions

Your application will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed at shortlisting stage if all the above documents are not provided. Applicants should not attach copies of qualifications or letters of reference. Please ensure your documents are in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format.

Only Fijian citizens are eligible to apply for this role.

SPC does not charge a fee to consider your application and will never ask for your banking or financial information during the recruitment process.

Screening Questions (maximum of 2,000 characters per question):

1. Relating to one procurement system with which you are familiar, identify three main principles of procurement and select the one principle you feel is most important and explain why you selected this particular principle.
2. Please describe your experience with preparing budgets for donor-funded projects?
3. Describe three key steps you would take to set up a reporting system for financial project management to ensure that the Project Manager has timely financial information for risk management