Health Sector Improvement Program, Finance Assistant

The Finance Assistant under the Health Sector Improvement Program (HSIP) will provide finance, administrative, and operational support to strengthen timely implementation, financial accountability, documentation, reporting, and compliance for provincially funded health activities in Papua New Guinea. The role involves managing funds, supporting documentation and reporting, and coordinating with various health authorities and stakeholders to ensure effective use of funds and compliance with WHO and donor requirements.

Responsibilities

• Support the processing and follow-up of Direct Financial Cooperation (DFC) agreements and related documentation to facilitate the timely release of funds for approved provincial activities.
• Assist in coordinating with relevant NDoH program officers and Provincial Health Authorities (PHAs) regarding availability and transfer of funds for approved activities.
• Follow up with PHAs on submission of acquittals, supporting documentation, and outstanding financial records.
• Support coordination with the WHO program teams and provincial Finance officers regarding FACE Forms and DFC-related documentation.
• Participate in provincial monitoring visits and spot-check activities related to DFC-supported activities.
• Assist in documenting findings, preparing monitoring summaries, and following up on identified issues.
• Support provincial and PHA staff in maintaining documentation and reporting records in line with WHO and other donor requirements.
• Support processing of provincial fund transfers, including preparation of authorization documents and follow-up on approvals.
• Assist in HSIP Trust Account desktop review activities and provincial monitoring visits to review utilization of development partner funds and support follow-up on identified issues and corrective actions with provincial staff.
• Raise requisitions and assist in processing payment claims for HSIP provincial activities in accordance with established procedures.

Requirements

• Diploma in business administration or related field.
• Degree (Bachelor’s) in Finance, Management, Business Administration or related field is desirable.
• Minimum of two years of progressively responsible experience providing finance, administrative, or operational support.
• Experience working and supporting government institutions, development partners, UN agencies, NGOs or donor funding programs.
• Experience with WHO/United Nations or other international organization is desirable.
• Experience supporting program implementation at national and sub-national/provincial levels is an advantage.
• Strong organizational, coordination, and time management skills.
• Ability to monitor implementation progress and follow up on multiple actions simultaneously.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain organized documentation and evidence management systems.
• Ability to work collaboratively with government counterparts, WHO teams, and other stakeholders.
• Knowledge of administrative, financial, and management principles, procedures, and policies of large, international, public-sector organizations.
• Strong knowledge of the principles and practices of administration and program management.
• Ability to compile, review and maintain financial and administrative records and prepare routine reports.
• Ability to maintain excellent interpersonal working relations.
• Excellent knowledge of English (written and spoken).

Skills

• Financial Reporting
• Budget Management
• Project Implementation Support
• Documentation Management
• Evidence Management
• Financial Accountability
• Administrative Support
• Operational Support
• Coordination
• Time Management
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Analytical Skills
• Problem Solving
• Stakeholder Coordination
• Government Relations
• Donor Fund Management
• Knowledge of Public Sector Finance
• Report Preparation
• Interpersonal Relations

Languages

English