Staff Assistant (Accounts Payable)

Post Context

ACT contributes to preserving the peace, security and territorial integrity of Alliance member states by leading, at Strategic Command level, Warfare Development required to enhance NATO’s posture, military structures, forces, capabilities and doctrines.

The Command Group provides general support, coordination, management, administrative service and specialist advice to SACT, DSACT and COS.

Chief of Staff (COS) is responsible to SACT and DSACT for the staff activity necessary to execute ACT’s mission. It is the focal point for the implementation of the Commander’s direction and guidance as well as the initiation and co-ordination of all ACT staff efforts.

The Staff Advisory Group (SAG) is comprised of different competencies grouped into several offices (Political Advisor, Legal Advisor, Gender Advisor, Financial Controller, Command Auditor, Communication Branch and Pentagon Liaison). It works under the direction and guidance of COS and provides general staff support, coordination, management, administrative service, and specialists’ advice to SACT.

As part of the Staff Advisory Group, the Office of Budget and Finance (BUDFIN) is the executive agent for ACT in all matters of budget and finance policy and execution. Responsibility includes all matters pertaining to Budget and Finance at HQ SACT, JALLC, JWC, JFTC and subordinate SACT elements (STRE and SEE).

Within the BUDFIN Branch the incumbent's main responsibility is to process invoices to ensure timely payments to suppliers, staff members and contractors. The post holder is also required to support the annual production of the ACT Consolidated Financial Statements and the audit by the International Board of Auditors for NATO (IBAN).

Principal Duties:

• Responsibility for the accounting functions relating to processing payments to include:
  • Overseeing the payment process, including charge card purchases, in order to ensure compliance with NFRs and the approved ACT Budget.
  • Following up unpaid invoices.
  • Accruing the cost and reconciling costs with payments.
  • Identifies and resolves problems related to AP transactions suggesting corrective action.
  • Maintain vendor payment sites.
  • Undertakes month-end closing & reconciliation for accounts payable in the USD ledger.
• Process Consultant & NATO Civilian payments. Including staff payroll, based on records supplied by Civilian Personnel.
• Process and recover Tax reimbursements to US NATO Civilians as directed by NATO HQ.
• Maintenance of SACT subordinate commands’ operating fund balances including monitoring over-expenditures and processing replenishments.
• Assisting fund managers on the proper use of funds.
• Produces cash expenditure profiles to enable management to make decisions on cash liquidity in a timely manner
• Provides assistance to BUDFIN personnel (Budget, P&C and Audit) on an ad hoc basis as directed by Line Management.
• Provides analysis and input to support the ACT Chief Accountant with the requirements of the audit by the International Board of Auditors to NATO (IBAN).
• Assists in development of ACT accounting policies and production of disclosure documents.
• Provides advice on the effects of newly promulgated International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), NATO Financial Regulations or the requirements or statements of central oversight agencies such as the NATO International Board of Auditors.
• Assists Head of Accounting Operations in the preparation of year-end financial statements and year-end closing financial procedures. 

Essential Qualifications

• Higher Secondary education and completed higher vocational training  in accounting, finance, management, business administration, public administration or related discipline  leading to a formal technical or professional certification with 3 years function related experience, or Secondary education and completed advanced vocational training  in that discipline leading to a professional qualification or professional accreditation with 5 years post related experience
• Knowledge of computerized financial systems.
• Minimum of three years of combined government and commercial accounting experience including a minimum of two years of double-entry accounting.
• Strong educational background with some financial accounting training.
• 3 years’ experience of working with Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) or other recognized formal Accounting Standards.

Language

English - SLP 3322 - (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing)

Desirable Qualifications / Experience

• Knowledge of NATO Financial Accounting System and procedures.
• Familiarity with an international working environment

Attributes/Competencies

Personal Attributes: Capable of working harmoniously in a multi-national environment, while representing and projecting the needs of ACT in a tactful and firm manner. Must be prepared to travel occasionally in support of the listed duties. Knowledge of computerized financial systems. Strong educational background with some financial accounting training. Minimum of three years of combined government and commercial accounting experience including a minimum of two years of double-entry accounting.

Professional Contacts: Liaise effectively with military and civilian personnel up to and including the rank of OF5 / A5

Contribution To Objectives: This post will be critical to ensuring the timely analysis and processing of invoices against contracts made between HQ SACT and various suppliers. There is a clear and direct link between the Command Mission and the role that this post will perform. If there are delays in paying suppliers and contractors, the deliverables against the Command mission are placed at risk. This post is key to supporting the Section Head and Branch Head in meeting acceptable service levels

Security Clearance

The successful applicant will be required to apply for and receive a NATO SECRET Security Clearance prior to final confirmation of contract and commencement of employment.

Contract

Serving NATO International Civilian staff will be offered a contract in accordance with the NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations.

Newly recruited staff will be offered a three-year definite duration contract.

Notes for Candidates

The JFC Norfolk Career Site gives full details on the eligibility criteria and application processes to be adopted by all candidates.  However, candidates should particularly note:

Please answer each of the pre-screening questions completely in English. Expressions such as: “please see attached CV, please see annex, please see enclosed document, etc” are not acceptable; this is a cause of immediate rejection of the application.

Particular attention should be given to Education and Experience section of your application form, which should be populated with details of your career to date and educational achievements and certifications as they relate to your application.

The candidature of NATO redundant staff at grade G10 will be considered with priority.

NATO will not accept any phase of the recruitment and selection prepared, in whole or in part, by means of generative artificial-intelligence (AI) tools, including and without limitation to chatbots, such as Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (Chat GPT), or other language generating tools. NATO reserves the right to screen applications to identify the use of such tools. All applications prepared, in whole or in part, by means of such generative or creative AI applications may be rejected without further consideration at NATO’s sole discretion, and NATO reserves the right to take further steps in such cases as appropriate.

NATO is committed to diversity and inclusion, and strives to provide equal access to employment, advancement and retention, independent of gender, age, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, cultural background, sexual orientation, and disability. NATO welcomes applications of nationals from all member Nations and strongly encourages women to apply.

This vacancy will close on 12 June 2025 @ 17:59hrs (EDT)/11:59hrs (CEST).