Organizational Unit: FAO-Somalia

Duration: 3 Months, with possible extension

• Maintain a commitments register (contracts, purchase orders, travel authorizations, operating expenses) for assigned projects for the purpose of providing charge information to the Payments Desk. In consultation with project managers, charge payments to appropriate codes if not covered by commitments.
• Monitor expenditure against assigned project budgets and FBAs, and identify need for new FBAs, review and forward to HQ. Keep projects advised of status.
• Maintain the budget control sheets for all assigned projects, certify availability of funds for financial commitments and prepare Field Budget Authorization (FBA) requests when additional funds are needed.
• In consultation with managers of EC-funded projects, convert codes for field expenditure into EC format.
• Consult regularly, at least monthly, the official FAO financial records for all assigned projects available in its Data Warehouse, and reconcile local budget control sheets with them.
• Assist in the analysis of expenditure patterns and identify opportunities for cost containment.
• Report monthly to the Operations Manager on overall budget performance for all assigned projects using the Data Warehouse.
• Prepare budget reports as needed and on instruction from the Operations Manager or project managers.
• Assist project managers in developing budgets for project proposals.
• Identify need for budget revisions, and assist project managers in their preparation and review.
• Draft correspondence related to the above responsibilities.

• Secondary school education or equivalent commercial school.
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting or Commerce will be an advantage.

• Working knowledge (level C) of the FAO official language used for communication within the country (English, French or Spanish) and working knowledge of the local language(s) is required.

• Ability to effectively use standard office software, such as MS Office (Windows, Word, Outlook, Excel, Exchange) etc.
• Ability to use accounting software and other information systems and databases to insert data, make enquiries, retrieve/define ad hoc reports and analyses and edit results in appropriate format.

• Systematic, well structured and efficient approach to work assignments.
• Analytical ability, accuracy and consistency.
• Exercise diligence and care in dealing with records and expenditures.

• The incumbent must possess a cooperative spirit, flexibility and openness to work in an international environment.
• Tact and courtesy.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of different national and cultural background.