WFP delivers food assistance in emergencies and work with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. WFP provides life-saving food assistance and livelihood opportunities to refugees in Uganda. In addition, WFP assists the most vulnerable people in Uganda with food and nutrition assistance. Finally, WFP works with smallholder farmers and links them to markets. As Uganda strives to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030 and become a middle-income country by 2040, WFP is also assessing its relevance and repositioning its role in Uganda.

ARE YOU UP TO THE CHALLENGE?

We are seeking a qualified individual for the position of  Finance Associate to be based in Arua Selected candidates will be employed on a Service Contract

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

These jobs are found in Country Offices (COs), Regional Bureaux (RBs), and Headquarters (HQ), and report to the Head of Unit, Chief, or Finance Officer.
At this level job holders are expected to demonstrate responsibility and initiative to respond independently to queries with only general guidance. There is a requirement to use judgment in dealing with unforeseen problems on a daily basis. Job holders are expected to manage resources and coach and coordinate a team of support staff, or specific support service(s).

JOB PURPOSE

The Finance Associate SC6 will provide the much-needed support to Arua Area Office programmes and operations and supply chain to achieve programme excellence, business continuity, operational efficiency, and effectiveness.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

a) Assist staff in the areas of finance and budget with procedural and technical support to guarantee compliance with WFP financial policies, rules, and regulations.
b) Assist in the development, implementation, and monitoring of budgets, expenditures, and budget forecasts to ensure that future financial needs are fulfilled.
c) Work with other teams to ensure that all financial and administrative services are provided efficiently and in accordance with the team’s needs.
d) Assist in the setup and execution of adequate accounting methods, systems, and cash controls, as well as support the application of financial policies and procedures.
e) Manage the area office’s financial transactions in compliance with the standard operating procedures.
f) Assist in the formulation and monitoring of budgets, as well as the delivery of accurate and comprehensive financial reports on monthly expenditures.
g) Ensure that all expenditures are within budgeted quarterly forecasts, and that any variances are reported and approved as needed.
h) Maintain the web-based invoice tracking system and ensure that all payments and advances to staff, as well as bills to suppliers and cooperating partners, are processed in a timely and WFP-compliant manner.
i) As part of the monthly minimum closure requirements, perform bank reconciliation and monthly financial reporting.
j) Monitor account balances and process financial transactions in an accurate and timely manner, to avoid the occurrence of an overdraft.
k) Allocate tasks to other support staff, provide guidance and on-the-job training in the management of financial resources (e.g., managing the petty cash/sub-imprest account, reviewing and analyzing vendor payables and receivables etc.), to ensure services are delivered consistently and to the required standards.
l) Perform other duties as may be assigned from time to time

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• A university degree in any of the following areas: Accounting, finance, Economics or social sciences from a recognized institution
• A postgraduate certificate in accounting packages (CFA/ACCA) would be an added advantage.

4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Coaches team in the most effective ways to communicate WFP’s Strategic Objectives to WFP team and partners in the field.
•  Be a force for positive change: Implements new methods or tools to improve team’s work processes and productivity.
•  Make the mission inspiring to our team: Maps team’s activities and tasks to specific successes in beneficiary communities to showcase positive impact.
•  Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Explains to teammates how each unit contributes to the overall WFP mission.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people’s skills: Identifies skill development opportunities such as training modules or on-the-job experiences for self, colleagues and direct reports.
•  Create an inclusive culture: Facilitates team building activities to build rapport in own unit.
•  Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Facilitates the pairing of junior colleagues with coaches within own team.
•  Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Proactively anticipates potential challenges and develops mitigation plans to ensure that team meets goals and targets.

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Identifies opportunities to be creative in own work and to help team be more innovative and accurate in their respective tasks and areas of work.
•  Focus on getting results: Monitors team’s deliverables and provides feedback to ensure outcomes are delivered consistently and accurately.
•  Make commitments and make good on commitments: Provides accurate guidance to team on expected responsibilities and tasks, whilst also upholding own commitment to the team.
•  Be Decisive: Sets an example and provides guidance to junior team members on when to escalate issues when faced with challenging issues in the workplace or in the field.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Facilitates partnerships with other WFP units to accomplish missions in the field.
•  Build strong external partnerships: Sets an example and provides guidance to team on how to build relationships with external partners.
•  Be politically agile & adaptable: Articulates to colleagues or direct reports the value of contributing to other WFP teams and agency partnerships in fulfilling WFP’s goals and objectives.
•  Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Organizes, monitors, and prioritizes own and team’s efforts to ensure that they will fulfill the needs of internal and external partners.