Finance Assistant

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, with 191 member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. IFRC uses the Triple R – response, resilience and respect – to deliver on Strategy 2030. IFRC responds to disasters and crises, ensuring timely, coordinated and locally led humanitarian action. IFRC supports its members in building community resilience in the areas of climate and environment, health and wellbeing, and migration and displacement. IFRC promotes respect for our fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality, including in our work on values, power and inclusion. The IFRC focuses throughout on our core mandate – our raison d’être – of strategic and operational coordination, humanitarian diplomacy, National Society development, and accountability.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General and has its Headquarters in Geneva and five regional offices in Africa (Nairobi); the Americas (Panama); Asia Pacific (Kuala Lumpur); Europe (Budapest); and MENA (Beirut) as well as representation offices, service centres and delegations across the globe.

The IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

As part of the Asia Pacific Region, the Afghanistan country delegation supports Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) through capacity strengthening and program implementation guided by the ARCS’s established strategic plan in the areas of health, disaster risk management, food security and livelihoods, social outreach, organizational development.

In line with the IFRC Strategy 2030 and the Agenda for Renewal, which emphasize influencing humanitarian action through effective partnership engagement, strengthening a united and agile Secretariat, enabling a coordinated IFRC-wide approach, and fostering IFRC as a trusted organization, there is a critical need to strengthen grants management processes within IFRC Afghanistan Country Delegation. This position will reinforce IFRC’s ability to ensure effective grants compliance, systematic tracking large grants, robust financial and programmatic reporting, and proactive risk management across the full grant’s lifecycle. By strengthening oversight, coordination, and accountability mechanisms, the role will support the transparent, compliant, and timely use of Partner/Donor funds in line with IFRC policies, partner/donor requirements, and operational priorities in Afghanistan.

Job Purpose

The finance assistant is responsible for, effective and efficient booking keeping, archiving & scanning of documents, Staff working advance clearance, Support capacity risk review and assessment (CRRA) for Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS).

Job Duties and Responsibilities

To assist in providing financial management services to the Afghanistan Country Delegation and ensure the delivery of day-to-day operational accounting.

• Support the filing of monthly financial documents, ensuring compliance with the IFRC retention policy by listing outdated documents for destruction.
• Digitally archive financial documents by scanning them in an appropriate and sequential order, as requested for audits or by finance analysts.
• Process staff working advances in line with approved requests, policies, and operational requirements.
• Monitor outstanding staff advances and maintain an up-to-date advance tracking schedule.
• Follow up with staff and departments to ensure timely liquidation and settlement of advances.
• Review advance clearance documentation for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with financial procedures.
• Reconcile staff advance accounts regularly and investigate/resolve long-outstanding balances.
• Provide guidance to staff on advance utilization, settlement requirements, and supporting documentation standards.
• Work closely with ARCS to support the implementation of CRRA and provide training to ARCS finance staff as required.
• Support budget holder in financial planning and budget preparation under CRRA modality.
• Monitor CRRA related pledges and funding allocation, ensure expenditure are within approved funding limits and timelines.
• Perform expenditure verification and validation as per Program Grant agreement terms and conditions.
• Process of fund transfer on timely manner.
• Ensure proper allocation of resources in alignment with identified risks mitigation measures.
• Serve as focal point for CRRA implementation and

• Ensure CRRA-related expenditures comply with organizational policies and donor requirements.

• Ensure payroll costs are correctly coded and posted in the financial system and updating payroll coding and staff allocation cost on monthly basis.
• Manage day-to-day treasury operations to ensure adequate cash availability for operational and program needs
• Review supporting documents for financial reports submitted by local staff to ensure alignment with IFRC procedures and standards.
• Act as a backup for the Finance Officer, taking on their duties during leave or absences.
• Support the Finance Officer in managing the financial document archive.
• Assist with closing the books of accounts at month-end.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

• Ensure payroll costs are correctly coded and posted in the financial system and updating payroll coding and staff allocation cost on monthly basis.
• Manage day-to-day treasury operations to ensure adequate cash availability for operational and program needs
• Review supporting documents for financial reports submitted by local staff to ensure alignment with IFRC procedures and standards.
• Act as a backup for the Finance Officer, taking on their duties during leave or absences.
• Support the Finance Officer in managing the financial document archive.
• Assist with closing the books of accounts at month-end.

Perform any other tasks as assigned by the line manager

Education

Required

• University Degree or its equivalent in Financial Management
• Basic accounting knowledge

Experience

Required

• Working with an international organization
• 3-4 years’ experience in Finance
• Working with communication equipment

Preferred

• Previous experience with Red Cross / Red Crescent or knowledge

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required

• Self-supporting in computers (Windows, Lotus, WordPro)
• Fluent spoken and written in English & Dari (Pashtu)
• Good house keeping
• Self-supporting in computers (Windows, Lotus, WordPro)
• Fluently spoken and written English

Preferred

Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic)

Competencies, Values and Comments

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability

Core Competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust