Finance Assistant - Local Hire

Project Hope•Town of Chautauqua, NY

About The Position

The Finance Assistant provides day-to-day financial and accounting support to Project HOPE’s program, grants, contract, and field teams. The role helps ensure accurate transaction processing, proper documentation, effective cash management, and compliance with Project HOPE policies, donor regulations, and internal controls. It supports payroll documentation, financial reporting, reconciliations, budget monitoring, contract follow-up, and the upkeep of organized financial records and filing systems. The position works under the supervision of the Finance Coordinator and in coordination with Finance Officers and other departments, contributing to timely financial operations, audit readiness, and accountable use of project funds. The position is based in the State of Palestine. Work is typically in an office environment with minimal noise, though emergency deployments may involve resource-deprived environments and austere living conditions. Intermittent international travel may be required, including travel to locations classified as hardship environments.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
At least 2 years of relevant experience in accounting, finance, or financial administration.
Basic knowledge of accounting principles, financial procedures, internal controls, and supporting-documentation requirements.
Experience maintaining financial records, processing payment documentation, and organizing filing systems.
Good computer skills, particularly in Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications.

Nice To Haves

Experience with an international NGO or humanitarian organization.
Familiarity with financial management systems; NetSuite experience is an asset.
Basic understanding of donor regulations, budget monitoring, and financial reporting requirements.
Strong attention to detail and organizational skills, with the ability to maintain accuracy and confidentiality.
Good communication and coordination skills and the ability to work effectively with multiple departments and field teams.
Ability to work under pressure, manage competing priorities, and meet deadlines in a humanitarian work environment.
Fluency in Arabic and working knowledge of English.

Responsibilities

Provide day-to-day accounting and financial support to program, grants, and contract teams in accordance with Project HOPE and donor regulations.
Prepare transaction documentation and payment-support packages for Finance Officer review, including invoices, receipts, approvals, and other supporting documents.
Support expense-list and transaction-schedule coding using the approved Project–Funder–Cost Element structure and required NetSuite coding fields.
Assist with implementing financial policies, procedures, and internal controls.
Support month-end close, reconciliations, and preparation of close schedules and files.
Maintain accurate financial, program, grant, and contract records.
Organize and maintain digital and physical finance filing systems by month and project, following document-retention requirements.
Follow up with Logistics/Procurement, HR, Programs, and other departments about missing, incomplete, or unclear supporting documents.
Support payroll documentation and filing, including timesheets, contracts, payroll calculations, allocation support, and approvals.
Maintain a contract follow-up sheet and help ensure contracts are renewed, closed, or paid on time.
Serve as custodian for Petty Cash and Controlled Cash where applicable, make approved cash disbursements, and obtain required payee or vendor acknowledgements or signatures.
Maintain Petty Cash and Controlled Cash logs, prepare reconciliations for Finance Officer review, and participate in required witnessed cash counts.
Update cash logs daily to reflect actual cash on hand.
Track cash-based transactions and supporting documents for accuracy and compliance, and promptly escalate discrepancies or control exceptions to the Finance Coordinator.
Prepare weekly cash reports and monthly cash requests in coordination with field teams.
Support financial reports, donor reporting schedules, reconciliations, and month-end files assigned by Finance Officers or the Finance Coordinator.
Support BVA preparation, financial projections, and budget development by compiling expense lists, data, and supporting documents as assigned.
Check transaction packages for required approvals and complete supporting documentation before submitting them to the responsible Finance Officer.
Assist program staff and the finance team with internal and donor reporting requirements.
Communicate with field offices and program staff about finance documentation and requests, and route HQ and Regional Office matters through the Finance Coordinator.
Use NetSuite reports and finance tools accurately, within assigned system access, to support transaction tracking and monitoring.
Perform other finance-related tasks as assigned by the Finance Coordinator based on workload and operational priorities.