View Vacancy - Finance and Procurement Officer (Maternity Cover)

The British Embassy, Muscat has a vacancy for the post of Finance and Procurement Officer (Maternity Cover), Grade A2 (L) to start as soon as possible.

Main Purpose of the Job:

To run an efficient, cost effective and professional Corporate Services Accounts Department for BE Muscat. Ensure correct implementation of FCO financial policies with local conditions while best meeting the needs of internal customers in a fair and effective manner. Ensure successful and effective day-to-day operations of the accounts department. Gather and provide information for budgeting, forecasting and planning.

The jobholder will reports to the Head of Corporate Services.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Finance and Procurement

• Maintain a professional relationship and work in partnership with the Global Transaction Processing Centre (GTPC). Duties include: regular meetings, communication, resolving challenges and ensuring queries are resolved within the service level agreement timeframe.
• Ensure timely and compliant monthly, annual and end-of-service payroll process; adjusting for any changes as necessary.
• Support Purchase to Pay process at Post, ensuring that departments comply with the finance elements.
• Responsible for P2P for utilities, telecoms and schools.
• Monitor all Corporate Services budget lines to ensure the correct coding is used. Assist with journals as required.
• Banking - deposit and withdrawal of funds as required. Approval of payment batches as required.
• Cash accounting - managing the cash box, monthly reconciliation of cash accounts (NPA) and replenishment of imprests. Ensuring strict controls are maintained.
• Complete the appropriate documentation for accounts receivable (functions and other income).
• Ad hoc finance & P2P support, as required, to support the Embassy.

Management Information and Corporate Governance

• Budgeting and forecasting - duties to include assisting in the preparation and compilation of the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) process, assist with the preparation of the annual cash funding profile and work with HCS to complete the monthly budget amendments and forecasting.
• Hold forecasting meetings as required with delegated budget holders and attend the Senior Budget Holder meeting.
• Maintain high standards on the Financial Performance and Compliance Indicators (FPCIs). Duties will include monitoring reports and addressing invoices on hold, open purchase orders, retrospective purchasing and accruals.
• Provide a quality customer service. Provide pro-active guidance on accounts processes to the team and wider mission. Familiarising, understanding and cascading best practice and / or training of all FCO accounting standards, processes and internal audit requirements.
• Update and maintain all corporate governance documentation as set out in FCO guidance. This includes updating the budget holder letters, stamp letters, the list of GPC and CCC card holders etc.

Key Competencies:

The candidate will need to demonstrate the following competencies during the interview:

• Making Effective Decisions: Effectiveness in this area is about being objective; using sound judgment, evidence and knowledge to provide accurate, expert and professional advice. It means showing clarity of thought, setting priorities, analysing and using evidence to evaluate options before arriving at well-reasoned justifiable decisions.
• Collaborating and Partnering: People skilled in this area are team players who create and maintain positive, professional and trusting working relationships with a wide range of people within and outside the Civil Service to help get business done.
• Managing a Quality Service: Effectiveness in this area is about being organised to deliver service objectives and striving to improve the quality of service, taking account of diverse customer needs and requirements. 
• Delivering Value for Money: Involves the efficient, effective and economic use of taxpayers’ money in the delivery of public services.  It means seeking out and implementing solutions, which achieve the best mix of quality and effectiveness for the least outlay. 

• Fluent in written and spoken English
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, multi-tasking and self-motivated, be able to work as part of a team.
• Confident in the use of Microsoft office applications
• Minimum 2-3 years of experience in accounting and procurement
• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or other related field/qualification