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Post Description:      PROJECT ACCOUNTANT

Background

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is an independent intergovernmental agency that provides assistance and technical advisory services to Pacific Island countries, territories and administrations in the protection and management of their environment to ensure they achieve sustainable development for present and future generations. The organization is based in Apia, Samoa and has a total staff body of about 70 comprised of about even number of professional and support staff. SPREP has a total annual budget of about USD8 millions. SPREP’s membership comprises 21 Pacific Island countries and territories and 4 developed countries 1 .

1 American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, France, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, United Sates of America, Vanuatu and Wallis and Futuna.

Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

The Project Accountant will be responsible to the Corporate Services Manager, through the Finance Manager, to perform the following primary duties:

•  Developing and managing of appropriate financial accounting records for projects and programmes;

•  Preparing projects and programmes financial reports, consistent with donors and SPREP’s procedural and reporting requirements (monthly, quarterly, six monthly, annually);

•  Attending to Project Officers’ queries regarding projects and programme reports/budgets;

•  Calculating and allocating monthly administration fees charged to projects;

•  Checking /Verifying Requests for Payments and Purchase Orders, to ascertain whether sufficient Project/Programme funding are available and that requests are charged to correct budget lines;

•  Preparing ‘ad hoc’ management and financial information and reports, as and when required internally by Management and Officers;

•  Compiling monthly performance output reports;

•  Preparing Donor/Projects Reconciliation;

•  Assist the Finance Manager in the following:

•  Supervision of Finance Officers;

•  Coordinate and monitor process for finance staff;

•  Compilation of SPREP’s work programme and budget;

•  Reconciliation of general ledger accounts;

•  Preparation of annual financial accounts for audit;

•  Update the Accpac financial system;

•  Maintain and update the chart of accounts;

•  Train and update staff on the financial system;

•  Dealing with the banks;

 

•  Relieve the Finance Manager in the discharge of his/her duties when necessary;

• Other duties as assigned by the Director or his designated representative.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Essential

•  Applicants should have a Degree in Accounting, or equivalent qualification from a recognised university;

•  practical experience of at least five years in a similar sized organisation;

•  experience in spreadsheets and word-processing packages;

•  a good knowledge of and experience with computerised accounting systems, preferably ACCPAC; and

• a proven ability to prepare reports to meet deadlines, often under difficult circumstances.

Highly Desirable

Ø    a proven ability to work as part of an inter-disciplinary and/or multi-cultural team without the need for supervision, and to live and work within Pacific island communities.

Terms and Conditions

Duty Station: Apia, Samoa.

Duration:   Appointment is for a term of 3 years initially with a possible renewal for a further 3 year period depending upon the officer’s performance during the first term, continuity of related programme activities and availability of funds.

Grade:   Appointment will be at the Grade I of SPREP’s authorised salary scale for professional staff.

Salary: The basic salary range for this position is expressed in International Monetary Fund Special Drawing Rights (SDRs). The salary range is from 25,681 SDRs to a maximum of 35,084 SDRs (including COLDA), depending on the successful applicant’s qualifications and experience. In October 2005, the equivalent salary in Samoan Tala is SAT$101,157 to a maximum of SAT$138,196 per annum (including COLDA).

Adjustments: Professional staff salaries and appropriate allowances are paid in Samoan Tala and adjusted every month based on the monthly average in the value of the SDR relative to the Samoan Tala (SAT) at the time the salary payment is processed. SDR movement however is limited to within 5% above or below a reference point set annually. Remuneration is paid monthly in SAT equivalent. The international currency exchange rate at the time of writing is approximately USD1.00 = SAT2.79.

Term: For those recruited from outside Samoa, the term begins from the day the appointee leaves his or her home to take up the appointment.Appointment is subject to a satisfactory medical examination, as well as a 6 months’ probationary period.Termination is by way of either (i) completion of term of contract or (ii) by way of one month’s notice by either party.

For staff recruited from outside Samoa, the following applies:

Relocation Expenses: SPREP will meet certain appointment and termination expenses for professional staff recruited from outside Apia, Samoa, including transport and accommodation en-route for the appointee and accompanying dependent(s) between home and Apia, and return, by the shortest and most economical route. This includes:- economy class airfares; and- reasonable cost of packing, insuring, shipping and unpacking furniture, household and personal effects as follows:- 6m3 for the staff member;- 2m3 for dependent spouse;- 1m3 for each dependent child; and- up to 20 kilos of excess baggage per person for all professional staff recruited from outside of Apia.

Establishment Grant: A lump sum, of SDR1,100 is payable upon taking up appointment and arrival in Apia.

Temporary Accommodation and Assistance: On arrival in Apia, the appointee and dependent(s) are entitled to temporary accommodation at a suitable hotel or other fully furnished accommodation for up to 6 working days.Appointee will be assisted to settle into Apia. This will include help in finding suitable rental accommodation.

School Holiday Travel: One return economy class airfare between the place of education or recognized home and Apia each year (except the last) to enable a dependent child being educated outside Samoa to visit parents, or either parent to visit the child.

Home Leave Travel: One return economy class airfare home after completing 18 months of service (for a 3-year term) except the last year, for the appointee and dependent(s).

Privileges and Immunities: SPREP remuneration is tax-free for non-citizens or non-residents of Samoa, including duty-free importation of household and personal effects which have been owned and used by them for no less than six months, within 6 months of taking up appointment.

Repatriation allowance: The appointee is entitled to a repatriation allowance equivalent to two week’s salary, upon successful completion of contract.

For ALL professional staff, the following applies:

Cost of living differential allowance: Cost-of-living differential allowance reflects the difference in the cost of living between Suva and Apia. This allowance is reviewed periodically based on data determined by an independent reviewer.

Education Allowance: Education expenses maybe reimbursed against actual receipts for dependent children. For expatriate officers, the entitlement is limited to tuition and boarding fees up to a maximum of SAT15,600 per child with a maximum of SAT46,800 per family per annum. For local professional officers, the entitlement is limited to a maximum of SAT3,200 per child with a maximum of SAT9,600 per family per annum. This allowance is currently under review.

Housing Assistance: A rental assistance of 75% of the rent payable in Samoa for expatriate executive furnished housing is a component of remuneration for all professional staff. This supplement is currently under review.

Annual Leave: 25 working days a year (up to a maximum accumulation of 50 days).

Sick Leave: 30 working days a year (up to a maximum accumulation of 90 days).

Other Leave: Provisions also exist for maternity, family (compassionate and paternity) and special (without pay) leave.

Duty Travel: SPREP meets travelling expenses at prescribed rates necessarily incurred by staff required to travel away from Apia on official business.

Personal Accident Insurance: All employees are covered by SPREP’s 24 hour Life and Personal Accident Insurance Policy.

Medical Insurance: All employees and their dependents are entitled to have all reasonable medical, dental and optical expenses met by SPREP or by SPREP’s medical insurance scheme.

Superannuation: An expatriate contract staff member will receive a superannuation allowance of 7% of basic salary. For local contract staff, SPREP will pay 7% of basic salary to the Samoa National Provident Fund.

Definitions:

“Dependent” means the financially dependent spouse or dependent child of an employee.

“Dependent child” means an employee’s unmarried legally and financially dependent natural or legally adopted child who is:- under the age of 16 years; or- under the age of 19 years if undertaking full-time study at a secondary school; or under the age of 22 years if enrolled and undertaking full-time study at a university or other tertiary institution; or mentally or physically incapacitated.

“expatriate” means a professional staff member, not a citizen or permanent resident of Samoa, who resides in Samoa only by virtue of employment with SPREP.

Equal Opportunities: SPREP is an equal opportunities employer. Men and women are equally eligible for all posts in SPREP.

General: Appointment will be under the terms and conditions of SPREP’s Staff Regulations, a copy of which will be made available to the successful applicant.

Applications

Applications should be accompanied by a detailed curriculum vitae containing full personal details (birthdate, sex, nationality, marital status, number of dependents and age/s, health status, home address, and full contact numbers); qualifications and experience relevant for the position; previous and current appointments with salaries, names and contact addresses/numbers/E-mail of three professional referees who are prepared to provide testimonials. References, if available, are to accompany your application from three recent employers and/or supervisors. In addition, application should include copies of academic qualifications. Application should also indicate how soon you are available to start if successful, and must be addressed to:

The Director
SPREP                       Telephone: (685) 21 929
PO Box 240                 Fax:          (685) 20 231
Apia, Samoa                E-mail:      SPREP@sprep.org

Closing Date: 16 December 2005. Late applications will not be considered.