ANERA BACKGROUND:
Since 1968, Anera has helped refugees and others hurt by conflicts in Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan live with purpose and hope.
Anera, which has no political or religious affiliation, works on the ground with partners in Palestine (West Bank and Gaza), Lebanon and Jordan. We mobilize resources for immediate emergency relief and for sustainable, long-term health, education, and economic development. Our staff serve in their communities, navigating the politics that constrict progress to get help where it’s needed most.
That’s how Anera received more than $171 million in support of programs in 2023 alone, and it’s how we will keep building better lives until hope finds its way in the Middle East.
JOB OVERVIEW:
The Accounting Assistant provides day-to-day operational support to the Accounting and Finance team, with primary responsibility for reviewing payment files for completeness, performing daily financial data entry, maintaining payment and accounting trackers, and ensuring proper filing and organization of financial documentation.
The position performs the first-level review of payment packages to confirm that required supporting documents are available, complete, consistent, and properly organized before the file is submitted for further Finance review. The Accounting Assistant also supports timely recording of transactions and maintains accurate and accessible financial records.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Payment File Review & Processing
- Perform the first-level review of payment requests and supporting documentation to confirm that payment files are complete before submission for payment.
- Review payment packages against the applicable payment checklist and confirm the availability of required supporting documentation, as applicable, including:
- Purchase Request (PR)
- Purchase Order (PO)
- Quotations and procurement documentation
- Bid analysis or evaluation documentation
- Contracts or agreements
- Goods Received Note (GRN), delivery note, or proof of receipt
- Supplier invoice
- Payment Request
- Required approvals
- Vendor information and banking details
- Timesheets or attendance records, where applicable
- Other project- or donor-specific supporting documentation.
- Check that key information across the payment file is consistent, including vendor name, invoice number and date, PO/contract reference, quantities, amounts, currency, payment terms, and supporting documents.
- Verify that invoices and payment requests contain the required basic information and approvals before forwarding the file for further review.
- Confirm that supporting documents relate to the relevant transaction and are properly organized within the payment package.
- Identify incomplete files, missing documents, inconsistencies, or obvious errors and follow up with the responsible staff to obtain corrections or missing documentation.
- Ensure incomplete payment files are not forwarded for processing until the required documentation has been provided, unless otherwise instructed by the responsible Finance reviewer.
- Organize completed payment files in accordance with the established Finance filing and payment procedures.
2. Daily Payment Tracker
- Record all payment requests received by Finance in the payment tracker on a daily basis.
- Maintain accurate payment information, including payment request date, vendor/payee, invoice number, amount, currency, project/activity code, payment status, and other required information.
- Update the payment tracker throughout the payment process to reflect the current status of each payment.
- Track incomplete or pending payment files and follow up on missing information or documentation.
- Ensure the payment tracker remains complete, accurate, and up to date and can be used by the Finance team to monitor outstanding and completed payments.
3. Daily Accounting Data Entry
- Perform daily entry of approved financial transactions into the accounting system in accordance with established procedures.
- Enter invoices, payments, journal information, and other assigned accounting transactions accurately and within established timelines.
- Ensure information entered into the accounting system agrees with the approved supporting documentation.
- Accurately enter vendor/payee information, invoice details, amounts, currency, project/activity codes, account codes, and other required accounting information.
- Attach or link supporting documentation to accounting transactions where required by the accounting system.
- Flag unclear coding, missing information, duplicate invoices, unusual amounts, or other discrepancies to the Accountant or Accounting Manager before completing the entry.
- Support corrections to accounting entries when instructed and maintain appropriate supporting documentation for any changes.
4. Filing & Financial Documentation
- Maintain complete, accurate, and well-organized electronic and physical financial files in accordance with Finance filing procedures.
- File payment documentation and accounting records on a timely basis and ensure documents can be easily retrieved when required.
- Scan, upload, label, and archive financial documents using the established naming and filing conventions.
- Ensure each payment file contains the final approved documentation and evidence of payment before it is considered complete and archived.
- Maintain appropriate filing of invoices, payment requests, bank documents, journal entries, and other accounting records.
- Support the retrieval of financial documents required for donor reports, spot checks, audits, verification exercises, and management reviews.
- Assist in identifying and retrieving missing documentation from archived financial files.
5. Accounting & Finance Support
- Assist the Accountant and Accounting Manager with basic account reconciliations, transaction listings, schedules, and other routine accounting tasks as assigned.
- Support the preparation and organization of documentation required for month-end closing.
- Assist in compiling supporting documents and transaction samples requested for internal, external, donor, or statutory audits.
- Follow up with relevant departments on missing invoices, payment documentation, approvals, and other financial records.
- Maintain confidentiality of financial, vendor, employee, and organizational information.
- Follow established Finance procedures, internal controls, authorization requirements, and document-retention practices.
- Perform other routine accounting and finance duties as assigned by the Accounting Manager.
QUALIFICATIONS and COMPETENCIES
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
- Approximately 2 years of relevant accounting and administrative experience.
- Strong understanding of accounting principles and financial controls.
- Experience with accounting software and Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
- Fluency in English and Arabic is preferred.
Competencies:
- Accuracy and attention to detail
- Integrity and confidentiality
- Financial analysis and reporting
- Customer service orientation
- Problem-solving skills
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Time management and organization
Equal Employment Opportunity
Anera strives to be an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, creed, political or national views or background, ethnicity, religion, age, handicap, sex, or any other factor unrelated to ability to perform the required work. Anera does give strong preference in employing Lebanese, Palestinian, or other resident Arab nationals (other than for the country director position and internships). In all cases, recruitment decisions are first and foremost based on merit and qualifications. Anera holds local project institutions to the same standards.
Code of Conduct
Anera is committed to conducting its operations with the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and professionalism across all contexts in which we work. We strive to deliver high-quality services and maintain a reputation built on fairness, respect, responsibility, and sound judgment. All employees, managers, officers, and representatives are expected to uphold these standards at all times and act per their duty of loyalty to Anera. No individual may misrepresent the organization or speak on its behalf without proper authorization. Confidential and sensitive information—including financial data, strategic plans, or information related to partners and beneficiaries—must be handled with the utmost discretion and only shared on a need-to-know basis, in line with Anera’s confidentiality and privacy policies. Any violation of the Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. The level of disciplinary response may take into account whether the violation was self-reported and whether the individual cooperated in the investigation process.
Our values
We are inspired: We are committed to energize, engage, and motivate others to forge the best outcomes for the diverse communities we serve.
We are people-centric: We are respectful and empathetic. We believe that each person, no matter their circumstances, embodies promise and has the power to shape the lives of their community and world.
We are collaborative: Teamwork and collaborative action are at the heart of how we do our work and deliver results.
We are versatile: In a region burdened by obstacles, we make the right connections to find a way and bring can-do, innovative approaches to everything we do.
We are impactful: We make a lasting difference in the lives of those we serve by delivering impactful solutions at the local community level.
We are accountable: Our words, actions and results stay true to our mission and values.
