OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The WHO Kobe Center (WKC), based in Kobe, Japan, is part of the WHO Headquarters Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Health Systems Cluster. The WKC's objective is to carry out quality research on innovations that promote UHC in light of demographic change. The endpoint of such research is to accelerate UHC to promote long and healthy lives and prevent health-related financial hardship.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

As Finance/Budget Assistant of WKC, under the general supervision of the Administrative Officer and the overall supervision of the Director of the WHO Kobe Center, the incumbent will perform the following duties:

Promote quality and compliance and specifically: examine documents and records related to budget implementation to ensure completeness of information, budget line coherence, availability of funds, and conformity with WHO rules and policies. Address issues on outstanding or incorrect payment / accounting as needed.

Maintain and monitor WKC imprest account, including:

• initiate local bank transactions through e-banking,
• record imprest transactions and prepare imprest vouchers for payments made and credits received, and prepare the monthly imprest returns to be submitted to GSC;
• arrange petty cash payments and record reimbursements upon approval;
• reconcile bank / cash book records, investigate if any unreconciled item, and process monthly imprest closure;
• closely monitor imprest balance to ensure the sufficient funds in the account and request for ad-hoc replenishment as needed;
• update the local bank signatory and complete the necessary formalities for HQ and the bank.

Maintain, update and monitor records, including:

• track status of payments for contractual agreements to ensure timely payment for WKC contracts;
• update annual travel plan of staff duty travels and track the travel request / travel claim status;
• update annual procurement plan and track the requisition status.

As Project Administrator of WKC workplans:

• create and submit WKC workplans and HR plan for new biennium in the system in the biennium opening and complete the necessary formalities;
• monitor and implement necessary changes in workplans as needed during the biennium;
• allocate initial funds in the workplans before beginning of the biennium and add / reduce the funds as needed;
• monitor the appropriate use of financial resources and create the workplan budget implementation reports from the system data regularly and as needed;
• initiate closure of workplans upon closure of all the encumbrances and completion of all the expenditure payments.

As Award Administrator of WKC funds:

• initiate award creation for new donor agreement;
• submit the donor agreement related documents to HQ for archiving;
• distribute / undistribute award to appropriate programme area or budget centre;
• amend award information as needed;
• endure timely submission of donor financial report if reporting requirement;
• perform reconciliation and initiate closure of awards upon completion of activities funded by the award.

In terms of overall management support:

• prepare and submit documents, reports and inputs required for audit, HR, planning, budget, finance, travel and other matters as needed;
• analyse the financial data for the past period and provide projection for the future period for reporting requirement and for project management.

Review and accounting adjustment -and specifically:

• regularly review open encumbrances and liquidate those encumbrances upon confirmation of payments;
• process transfers of actual expenditures through expenditure batch for appropriate cost allocation to the relevant budget lines regularly and as needed.

Prepare correspondence on accounting/finance matters in either English or Japanese for WHO and bank communications. Liaise with bank personnel to routinely follow-up banking matters, provide translation and interpretation support to Administrative Officer and Director in relation to banking documents and during meetings with local suppliers, bank personnel and service providers where administrative matters are discussed.

Arrange per diem payment in cash to meeting participants as needed; ensure application of insurance coverage for cash transit; request HQ for hospitality expenses for Director and courtesy expenses for meetings; issue WHO invoice for reimbursement of staff duty travel cost to the external parties; and prepare correspondence to HQ and other offices of the Organization as required.

Safeguard the petty cash and checks, bank card, credit card, pre-paid train cards and taxi coupons. Also ensure the confidentiality of the codes.

As Leave Administrator for WKC, initiate leave request on behalf of WKC staff, validate the leave balance of staff leaving WKC, monitor the leave balance of WKC staff, annually run the leave report for leave verification and provide assistance to WKC staff for leave issues.

In respect of general staff support:

• carry out on-entry briefings for new staff (GSM and procedures) on general administration overall, finance, travel, service procurement, GSM self-service, workplans and leave;
• summarize the updates of WKC rules, policies and procedures for consistent understandings and reflect the updates to the WKC local context as needed;
• refresher training to existing staff as needed;
• troubleshooting for travel, payment processes, service procurement and other GSM related issue;
• liaise with GSC and HQ as necessary for reporting and to resolve user issues;
• create Excel template for WKC administrative documents as needed and troubleshooting of Excel application.
• Maintain responsibility for handling tax exemption certificates for goods/service purchases and for income of WKC staff, monitor insurance policies and ensure insurance coverage for WKC official car.
• Organize, maintain and update WKC Finance and Accounting files.
• Perform other related duties as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Essential: Completion of secondary school education or equivalent.
• Desirable: Additional diploma or certifications in accounting and book keeping.

Experience

• Essential: A minimum of eight years experience in applying administrative and financial procedures through progressive work in administration, finance, budget and/or compliance activities. Proven experience handling financial documents, drafting concise summaries and discussions as well as documents of a non-technical nature, such as minutes of meetings, as well as correspondence. Experience in managing an office dealing with a large volume and a wide variety of subjects.
• Desirable: Relevant experience in WHO or another UN agency an asset. Experience in Oracle-based or other ERP systems an asset. Basic knowledge of WHO's or UN's administrative procedures. Good knowledge of local protocol would be an advantage.

Skills

The incumbent is proficienct in the use of modern office technology through in-house courses, on-the-job training and self-training. S/He/keeps abreast of changes in procedures and practices, rules and regulations, and organizational structure in the department, the cluster and WHO to be able to brief others and explain procedures.

WHO Competencies

• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication
• Ensuring the effective use of resources
• Setting an example

Use of Language Skills

• Essential: Expert knowledge of English. Expert knowledge of Japanese.
• Desirable: Beginners knowledge of French.

Source:https://tl-ex.vcdp.who.int/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=1801232&tz=GMT%2B05%3A30