Accounting Assistant

The incumbent performs a variety of complex financial support functions related to the accounts payable activities of the Organization and provides support in the control and maintenance of accounts for financial, statistical and reconciliation purposes.

This includes processing complex transactions (initiation and approvals processes) related to accounts payable activities. The incumbent provides briefings and guidance regarding applicable procedures and methods, explains rules and regulations, and assists in the establishment/ update of internal control procedures.

The incumbent utilizes and provides guidance in the use of WIPO financial systems, and contributes to an efficient, transparent, and controlled financial process.

Reporting Lines:

The incumbent works under the supervision of the Accounts Payable Manager.

Work Relations:

The incumbent interacts with a wide range of colleagues within the work unit, with clients within the Organization and with external parties, such as other UN organizations, Member States, customers, financial institutions and/or social suppliers to obtain/provide information, to resolve problems or to clarify issues.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The incumbent will perform the following principal duties:

• Analyze, verify, and process financial data and associated correspondence, ensuring adherence to financial and staff regulations, rules, anti-fraud policies, and established procedures.
• Ensure the accuracy of financial transactions and vouchers, such as calculations, system inputs, master data and payment processing, related to commercial invoicing, staff entitlement travel and official travel for both staff and non-staff. Facilitate matching of accounting documents and related records for vendors, staff, and customers, including advances, credit advices, invoices, reimbursements, travel claims etc. Verify, analyze and process associated account postings.
• Monitor periodic and timeliness of reconciliations, including reconciliation processes as part of the financial closures, such as general ledger and/or suspense accounts. Review obligations and expenditures, identify anomalies and take necessary corrective actions. Report discrepancies to supervisor.
• Collaborate with the IT department to address data entry, accounting operations, within the context of accounts payable functions. Assist in data extraction and analysis, assess data retrieval methods and queries for efficiency, and propose streamlined procedures to maintain consistent and accurate data analysis.
• Ensure proper maintenance of accounting records; collate and compile financial and statistical data to accurately provide financial and transactional activities within the accounts payable domain, including vendor data, staff and non-staff travel entitlements, reimbursements, advances, recoveries, etc.
• Address inquiries and provide explanations/resolutions to problems in a timely manner,
• forwarding disputed, complex, or unusual cases to the supervisor; manage correspondence to clarify discrepancies, obtain explanations and provide information on the financial and/or staff rules and regulations.
• Propose and contribute to operational improvements by suggesting and implementing enhanced work methods and procedures. In addition, actively participate in testing/upgrading of financial systems and database.
• Provide backup assistance to colleagues across the Accounts payable function and treasury section fostering collaborative and efficient work environment.
• Perform other related duties as required including backing up other staff members of the Unit.

Requirements:

Education Essential:

• Completion of secondary education supplemented by training or post-secondary education in accounting and/or finance.

Education Desirable:

• First-level university degree in accounting/finance.

Experience Essential:

• At least eight years of accounting or finance-related work experience.

Experience Desirable:

• Related experience within the United Nations common system or another international organization.

Language Essential:

• Excellent written and spoken knowledge of English.

Language Desirable:

• Knowledge of French and/or another official UN language.

Source:https://wipo.taleo.net/careersection/wp_1/jobdetail.ftl?job=25066-FT_LT