Vacancy:

Job Title:                                         Staff Officer (Fiscal and Accounting)

NATO Civilian Grade:                     NATO Grade 15

Duty Location:                                 Uedem, Germany

Post filling date:                              1 March 2024

Closing date for applications:         15 September 2023

The Civilian Personnel Branch of Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFC) executes the full Life Cycle Management of the two NATO International Civilian positions on the CAOC Uedem establishment including recruitment.

Organisation:

The Allied Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) is to plan, direct, task, coordinate, supervise, assess and report on air operations of all allocated assets in peace, crisis and conflict in accordance with the Commander Allied Air Command’s directives. The Static Air Defence Centre (SADC) will conduct the basis mission of the CAOC, to include Air Policing. The Deployable Air Operations Centre (D-AOC) is available to be deployed to contribute to the formation of a Joint Force Air Component (JFAC). The Command Group is responsible to Commander AIRCOM for the command and control of all NATO and national forces placed under the CAOC authority. It is responsible for Air Policing in its assigned Air Policing Area. Liaises with the appropriate land and maritime forces, and coordinates between national and NATO Agencies. The Finance and Contracting Office (BUDFIN) is responsible for financial planning, budget execution, acquisition support and reporting.

The incumbent is responsible to assist the Director of A8/AIRCOM Financial Controller in the daily budget execution of its financial activities to ensure the integrity of CAOC’s financial controls, accounting, reporting, travel orders and claims processing to ensure that proposed commitments are within the available funds, for the purpose approved in the budget, in accordance with all NATO relevant rules or regulations and supported by adequate justification and documentation.

The Staff Officer (Fiscal and Accounting):

·         Controls and administers the finance operations of CAOC.

·         Determines the propriety of all requests to commit and to expend budget funds by screening requirements for eligibility and affordability.

·         Manages the proper execution of the assigned CAOC budget allocations.

·         Ensures that proposed commitments are within the available funds, for the purpose approved in the budget, in accordance with all relevant rules or regulations and supported by adequate justification and documentation.

·         Ensures that the CAOC’s financial data, documents, records and fiscal accounts are correctly maintained to reflect approved budgetary credits, commitments, payments, unliquidated commitments, holding funds and negotiable documents and sums receivable.

·         Analyses the status of funds to determine utilization, trends and to recommend the reallocation of budget authorizations to meet the CAOC’s peacetime and wartime requirements.

·         Advises the senior management and the fund managers on finance matters, the efficient use of resources and the cost effectiveness and affordability, and affordability of new policies, plans and requirements and the effect that they will have on the current fiscal year’s budget.

·         Proponent for the local Standard Operating Policy and Procedures or supplements for  CAOC’s Travel on International Duty, Hospitality and Financial Management Guide of Fund Managers.

·         Provides financial management training for the CAOC’s fund managers, travel coordinators and CAOC BUDFIN staff.

·         Initiates procedures to facilitate day-to-day financial management administration.

·         Represents the CAOC at internal and external financial meetings, working groups and conferences.

·         Assists in preparation of the CAOC budget, the CAOC CRP and the CAOC MYRs for screening by AIRCOM.

·         Provides guidance and advice to the Commander and the Staff of the HQ on all CAOC financial matters.

·         Supervises the application of internal control, finance and accounting, budgetary policies and controls within CAOC.

·         Establishes inputs into NATO’s automated finance accounting system to execute the international budgets and exercise budgets.

·         Prepares periodic financial reconciliations and inputs relating to CAOC for AIRCOM financial statement and disclosure notes, and other reports.

·         Establishes local CAOC finance policies related to budget execution, accounting, IPSAS and advice on correct application of the financial procedures.

·         Assists AIRCOM A8 in training CAOC finance staffs and Property Accounting Officer (PAO) in International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) accounting and providing status reports.

·         Assists the AIRCOM A8 in conducting reviews and analysis of CAOC financial data and takes or coordinates corrective action to resolve errors and imbalances.

·         Assists the AIRCOM A8 Branch Head (Financial Accounting) and ACO in executing accounting principles, procedures and coordinates routine and non-routine accounting matters impacting the annual AIRCOM financial position and/or performance with other CAOC staff elements and other NATO entities.

·         Coordinates with AIRCOM A8, executes the CAOC’s year-end financial procedures with local staffs, and provides inputs to AIRCOM A8.

·         Due to the limited size of the CAOC BUDFIN branch, the incumbent will be required to assist BUDFIN staff within Segregation of Duties framework and/or deputise and represent the CAOC BUDFIN Chief during his/her absence.

·         Incumbent is responsible for execution of the CAOC budget, delegated and reimbursable budget(s) and recommends budget transfers to be executed in the automated finance system.

Special Requirements

The work is usually performed in a normal NATO office environment. Normal Working Conditions apply. The candidate has to be deployable.

The employee may be required to undertake deployments in support of military operations and exercises, and/or temporary assignments, both within and without NATO boundaries. Such operational deployment may exceed 30 days of duration up to 183 days in any period of 574 days, and may be on short notice. For NATO International Civilian (NIC) staff, acceptance of an employment contract linked to this post constitutes agreement to deploy in excess of 30 days if required.

The incumbent may also be directed to undertake operational duties supporting AIRCOM in its Air Power projection role, and when HQ AIRCOM executes its role as the NCS JFAC. When COM AIRCOM so directs, personnel will be assigned to a JFAC CE position to support operational tasks within the JFAC structure; this will require that the individual undergoes appropriate training and preparation. The expected deployment location will be HQ AIRCOM at Ramstein Air Base.  Personnel may also be directed to support activities in the framework of delivering Air Power for the Alliance.  All additional operational duties take precedence over peacetime tasks, involve regular/frequent operational training, and may lead to operational deployments or TDY assignments within and beyond NATO boundaries.

Required Qualifications

Ø  University Degree  in finance, accounting, business administration, economics, public administration, management or related field / discipline OR

Ø Higher Secondary education and completed advanced vocational training in related field discipline leading to a professional qualification or accreditation.

Ø  Professional experience in accounting, finance or business management.

Ø Minimum of 4 years’ experience in a finance-related field in a management position including at least 2 years of supervisory duties.

Ø  Knowledge and experience in government or commercial accounting.

Ø  Knowledge and experience in computerised finance systems operation and accounting software.

Ø  Very good English language skills both oral and written.

NOTE: The work both oral and written in this post and in this Headquarters as a whole is conducted mainly in English.

Desirable Qualifications

Ø  Professional experience in administration management in a supervisory role.

Ø  In-depth knowledge of office automation software packages.

Ø  Experience and knowledge in the application of NATO financial rules and regulations (within e.g. NATO, EU, …).

Ø  Experience with the NATO automated finance system and/or Oracle Financials.

Ø  Good German language skills

Ø  Relevant courses.

Personal Attributes

The successful candidate will possess following competencies/skills:

·         Very good communication skills both oral and written;

·         Very good interpersonal skills;

·         Proactivity with creative thinking and analytical mind-set;

·         Courtesy – tact – diplomacy;

·         Good negotiation and persuasion skills;

·         Ability to work under pressure;

·         Flexibility – adaptability.

The nominated candidate needs to complete a NATO medical examination and have a NATO security clearance before an employment offer will be released.

The medical examination will take place with our medical consultant and is required to determine if the recommended candidate is fit to perform the duties and is deployable to NATO’s areas of operation.

Due date for receipt of applications: Friday 15 September 2023

Candidates have to apply electronically via the NATO Talent Acquisition Program at: https://nato.taleo.net/careersection/2/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en

Please be aware that a Selection Board will only assess the qualifications and experience of the candidates based on the information provided in the application form. Attachments are supporting documents should not be referred to in the application form.

Results of the initial screening for this post may be expected by end of September 2023. Test and interviews for those invited will be organised in Uedem, Germany, date to be determined.