The British Embassy Riyadh has a vacancy for a Finance Officer on a fixed term contract for two (2) years.

The jobholder will be part of the Finance team within the British Embassy, supporting the delivery of finance operations and activities which includes, but not limited to, payroll processing, banking administration, financial reporting, and purchase-to-pay processing. The jobholder will report to the Corporate Services Manager (CSM) Finance and will line manage two staff at AA job grade.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Provide support to the CSM Finance to ensure efficient and effective service delivery, i.e. shared mailbox management, reports generation, organisation of meetings, analysis of housekeeping reports, etc. Assist the CSM Finance in providing proactive guidance on accounts processes, cascading best practices to all staff at Post, and preparing the Accounting Return. Act as the point-of-contact when CSM Finance cover is required.
• Timely, accurate, and compliant processing, monitoring, and adjusting of payroll and end of service benefits
• Maintain professional relationship with the Global Transaction Processing Centre (GTPC) through regular communication and meetings, resolving issues, and ensuring that Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are being met. Liaise with Jeddah and GTPC to resolve issues related to procurement and payments
• Support Purchase-to-pay (P2P) process at Post, ensuring all sections comply with Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) procurement guidelines and highlight areas of opportunity. Overall responsible for the administrative work of P2P process of all Embassy expenditure.
• Ensure that budget lines use the appropriate charging codes and that correct codes are used to process journal requests as necessary.
• Responsible for Post banking including deposit, withdrawal, and account signatories. Review and authorise debit memos and miscellaneous receipts prepared by CS Assistant.
• Act as the cashbox custodian. Responsible for the accounting of cash disbursement and receipts and replenishment of imprest accounts, ensuring strict controls are in place as directed by Overseas Cash Management guidance. Also act as the holder of the POS machine, handling payments via POS, calculating additional bank charges and VAT, and reconciling payments against invoices.
• Complete the appropriate documentation for sponsorship income and income generation.
• Monitor and account for all King’s Birthday Party (KBP) income and expenditure.
• Assist the CSM Finance in the collation of data for the Mid-term Financial Planning (MTFP) and the annual cash funding profile.
• Prepare reports for Budget Holders (Direct Entertainment Expense/ Representational Requirements) and record services to Partners Across Government (PAG) and produce monthly invoices.
• Together with CS Assistant, provide administrative support to the Defence Section/ MOD for their procurement activities and address GTPC-related procurement/ payment issues. Manage DBT sponsorship receipts, maintain records, review, and upload to the GTPC processing site.
• Update all corporate governance letters
• Line management of two (2) members of staff. Ensure that the direct report has the right skill set to complete their role effectively and support the completion of the staff member’s SMART objectives.
• Provide cover for CSM Finance.
• Any additional responsibilities as requested by CSM Finance, Deputy Director, or Director of Corporate Services.

The above list is not exhaustive, and the jobholder will be required to be flexible as specific responsibilities could change in the future and this would be at the discretion of the line manager or head of section. The job description may be reviewed to meet changes in business needs. The jobholder may also take on other ad hoc tasks as required, including participating in the Embassy’s emergency planning and any other response to a crisis.

Key behaviours required:

• Delivering at Pace – Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.
• Changing and Improving – Seek out opportunities to create effective change and suggest innovative ideas for improvement. Review ways of working, including seeking and providing feedback.
• Managing a Quality Service – Deliver service objectives with professional excellence, expertise, and efficiency, taking account of diverse customer needs.
• Working Together – Form effective partnerships and relationships with people both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds, sharing information, resources, and support.

Eligibility:

The position is available to Saudi nationals and to current holders of valid Saudi residence permits or transferable iqama. The successful candidate will be required to transfer their sponsorship to the British Embassy/ Consulate General.

• Previous experience in a relevant finance, accounting, or similar role, ideally for at least three (3) years.
• Strong IT skills and literacy in Microsoft Office applications (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams), particularly Excel which will be used for recording data and producing reports. Accurate typing and proofreading skills.
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken. Able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely, both orally and in written communication.
• Excellent customer service skills, with demonstrated experience in dealing with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrates good judgement and resourcefulness in solving problems.
• Strong organisation skills and ability to manage competing priorities. Self-starter, comfortable with strategy and delivery with minimal support.
• Demonstrates initiative, adaptability, and the ability to work flexibly to organise and prioritise workloads, organise records, meet deadlines and maintain close attention to detail.
• Strong team player with partnering skills with a diverse range of customers.