Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) aims to conserve the world’s largest wild places in 15 priority regions, home to more than 50% of the world’s biodiversity. This is outlined in our 2020 strategy, which positions WCS to maintain its historical focus on protecting species while developing an ambitious plan to engagewith a rapidly changing world. The challenges are greater than ever, but with the focus, dedication, and passion of a committed staff combined with a unique mixture of field, zoo, and aquarium expertise-WCS will continue to set the bar for science, conservation action, and education that has driven our success in protecting wildlife and wild places for over a century. We hold ourselves to the highest standards, adhering to core values of respect, accountability and transparency, innovation, diversity and inclusion, collaboration, and integrity.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Finance Assistant
Location: Calabar, Cross River
Employment Type: Full-time
Job Purpose
- The primary purpose of this position is to provide support and assistance to the Finance team in managing the financial affairs of the Nigeria program of WCS.
- The Finance Assistant works under the guidance and supervision of the Assistant Finance Manager.
Major Responsibilities
The main responsibilities of a Finance Assistant may include:
Internal Control and Documentation:
- Maintain complete accounting records, including completing vouchers, obtaining proper authorizations, and preparing reconciliations.
- Responsible for daily maintenance of petty cash and petty cash replenishment requests.
- Process financial transactions related to office and project expenditures and maintain an effective filing system for financial transactions.
- Prepare journal voucher templates for all cash and field retirement transactions.
- Assist the Assistant Finance Manager in ensuring proper tracking of project advances for staff.
- Assist with other accounting tasks, as assigned by supervisor.
Budget and Annual Plans:
- Assist in preparing budgets for funding proposals and annual institutional budgeting.
- Support preparation of monthly reports/reconciliations and year-end reconciliation of accounts.
Minimum Requirements and Job Skills
- Education: A Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field is usually required.
- A minimum of 4 years of experience in a similar background.
- Basic Accounting Knowledge: Strong understanding of basic accounting principles, concepts, and practices is essential. This includes knowledge of debits and credits, financial statements, and basic financial analysis.
- Computer Skills: Proficiency in using accounting software such as QuickBooks, Excel, and possibly enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems is important for managing financial data.
- Attention to Detail: Accuracy is crucial in accounting. S/he must be meticulous in their work to avoid errors in financial records.
- Communication Skills: Being able to effectively communicate with team members, and other stakeholders is important, as s/he often needs to explain financial information and collaborate with different units.
- Organizational Skills: S/he will often work on multiple projects simultaneously. Good organizational skills are necessary to keep track of various financial data and deadlines.
- Analytical Skills: S/he will analyze financial data, identify trends, and make recommendations based on their findings.
- Time Management: Meeting deadlines is a critical aspect of the role. S/he must manage their time well to ensure timely completion of tasks.
- Ethical Standards: A strong sense of ethics and integrity is important when dealing with financial information.
- Problem-Solving: S/he must be able to identify issues and propose solutions.
- Team Player: S/he must be able to often work as part of a larger team. Collaborative skills are valuable for smooth workflow and communication.
- Certifications (optional): Certifications like ICAN or ANAN are an added advantage.
Values:
- Exemplifying integrity
- Demonstrating commitment to WCS Nigeria
- Embracing cultural diversity
- Embracing change
Core Competencies:
- Achieving results
- Being accountable
- Working in teams/ managing ourselves and our relationships
- Communicating for impact
Functional Skill Set:
- Providing logistical support
- Managing data
- Managing documents, correspondence, and reports
- Managing information and workflow
- Planning, organizing, and multitasking.
Application Closing Date
29th February, 2024.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send a detailed Application / Cover Letter and CV (PDF) to: nigeriaapplications@wcs.org using “Finance Assistant”as the subject of the email.
Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.