FRANCE – MIDDLE EAST DESK FINANCE ASSISTANT (H/F) – PARIS/CLICHY

Desired start date: January 2021.

Duration of the internship: 6 months

Location: Solidarités International HQ (Clichy)

SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is a French humanitarian organization which provides aid and assistance to victims of war or natural disaster. For over 35 years the association has focused on meeting three vital needs – water, food and shelter – by carrying out emergency programs followed by longer-term reconstruction projects. Whilst fully respecting the assisted populations’ customs and culture, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL’s programs are implemented through the joint expertise of over 2,000 employees. Solidarités International is currently present in Africa (Central African Republic, Cameroun, South Sudan, Mali, Nigeria, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo), in Asia (Bangladesh, Myanmar), in Haiti, and in the Middle-East (Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen).

The internship will take place within the Middle-East Desk, as part of the direction of operations (30 persons – also including 4 geographical desks and a technical department). The Middle East Desk is in charge of following the missions in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen and is comprised of: a Desk Manager, a Program Manager, a Project Development and Accountability Manager, a Logistics Manager, a Supply Manager, two Finance Managers, and a Regional Access and Security Advisor. The Middle East Desk Finance Assistant will work under the joint supervision of the two Finance Managers, and will take part in regular weekly and monthly meetings.

ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP

MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE INTERNSHIP:

• To assist in the review of accounting and financial management tasks;
• To assist on reviewing and submitting project proposals and financial reports,
• To assist in the regular updating of trackers and follow-up tools;
• To ensure proper filing, archiving and centralization of finance documentation;
• To facilitate communication between missions and HQ on finance related matters.

DUTIES:

1. Accounting

2. Support the finance managers in all missions-related accountancy tasks

3. Check the analytical and accounting allocations for all missions

4. Assist missions’ Financial Coordinators in:

   • The analytical allocation of HQ invoices for missions purposes
   • The analytical allocation of salaries/indemnities, insurance fees, flight tickets and other travel expenses of the expatriates

5. Contribute to the year-end accounting closure (if needed)

6. Learn to use accounting software like SAGA (mission)

7. Check the contract parameters (Excel file)

8. Financial management

9. Support to missions: daily management of Financial Mission teams’ queries

10. Contribute to the missions’ budget follow-up check and to the validation of cash flow forecasts

11. Contribute to the budgetary check of proposals to donors

12. Contribute to the validation of the missions’ interim and final financial reports to donors

13. Assist in the preparation of financial audits
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OUTCOMES OF THE INTERNSHIP:

• Discover how a NGO Headquarters works;
• Understand the relationships between the Field and Headquarters;
• Understand the relationships between the different humanitarian actors;
• Develop knowledge of humanitarian donors’ requirements;
• Develop finance related knowledge and skills;
• Discover the finance tools used on the field by a humanitarian NGO;
• Discover the functioning of a mission and its specific constraints;
• Discover the various working positions in the field.

YOUR PROFILE

• Master’s degree in a relevant field (for instance international development, humanitarian action, international relations, political science, project management, business or financial management);
• Excellent written and spoken English and French;
• Strong attention to detail, and excellent analytical, skills;
• Accounting and financial training is not essential, but a facility with numbers and a strong willingness to learn is required;
• Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially of Excel and Word, and
• Proactive and critical mind;
• Ability to organize and plan effectively;
• Interpersonal skills and diplomacy;
• Ability to work under pressure;
• Genuine commitment to the principles and work of SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL.

SI WILL OFFER YOU

• Monthly compensation: Legal bonus of 15 % upper limit of the Social Security hours in force. The compensation is calculated in proportion with the actual hours of presence during the month (On average 1month = 154h, or 22 days of 7h/day).
• Benefits: 50% of transportation costs (Navigo Pass), and 60% of the monthly cost of food vouchers (tickets restaurant of a value of 8,90 € per working day)
• Paid leave policy: 2 paid leaves per month
• Desired start date: Mid December 2020/Beginning of January 2021
• Duration: 6 months minimum
• This internship is a fulltime position
• Internship agreement with a university is mandatory.
• The intern must have a French “titre de séjour étudiant