Staff Assistant (Travel and Disbursing)

Post Context

The Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre (JALLC) is NATO’s Centre dedicated to support Alliance-wide implementation and sustainment of NATO’s lesson learned (LL) policy and to improve NATO’s ability to operate and adapt, through LL analysis, training, advising and assessment activities enabling the establishment of effective lessons learned capabilities across NATO.

The Office of Chief of Staff is responsible for managing all the activities of the staff.

The BUDFIN Office is responsible for the overall financial management operations of the JALLC, financial risk management. Subject to separate agreements authorized by HQ SACT and within existing means and capabilities, the JALLC may be tasked by HQ SACT to provide or assist with of financial-related services to other NATO entities on Portuguese soil.

The Head of the BUDFIN Office is the principal financial advisor to the Commander JALLC on matters concerning prioritization and effective and efficient allocation of resources and exercises financial control functions as delegated by the ACT Financial Controller.

The incumbent is responsible for the day-to-day management and administration of all activities related to NATO funded temporary duty travel by Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre (JALLC) staff members, and all authorized disbursing actions on behalf of JALLC.

Principal Duties:

• Assisting the Head (Budget and Finance) in overseeing expenditure and the in-year execution of funds allocated for travel;
• Acts as JALLC Travel Officer, assisting Head (Budget and Finance) in running the Centre’s Travel Office, by approving staff Travels on Duty (TDY) ensuring full compliance with the NATO Financial Regulations (NFR), NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations (NCPR), ACT Travel Policy and applicable JALLC Standard Operating Procedures (SOP);
• Issues and signs NATO Travel Orders (TO) on behalf of JALLC Chief of Staff (COS), processes all JALLC staff Travel Requests (TR) and Travel Claims (CLM) in the Travel Module of the Oracle Financial System (FINS), maintains employees and travelers database up to date and provides support to System Administrators as required;
• Accounts and reconciles all the travel-related transactions (TR, CLM, advances, credit card payments) in FINS submitting them for Head (Budget and Finance) approval;
• Ensures that NFR, ACT Financial Manual, and Host Nation legal requirements are observed in all aspects of disbursing activities;
• Liaises with the JALLC Travel Agency and other travel services providers ensuring that JALLC Staff’s mission requirements and policy and procedures are achieved through the most cost-effective travel arrangements.
• Under supervision of Head (Budget and Finance), executes all treasury operations relating to NATO International Funds and extra-budgetary funds (e.g. non-appropriate funds);
• Manages and executes the full disbursing process in the FINS for all JALLC Operating Units;
• Operates commercial bank payment systems to initiate all authorized payments and treasury operations as first signatory;
• Supports Head (Budget and Finance) in drafting the Annual Budget Submissions with cost estimates and expense analysis;
• Supports Administrator (Procurement and Finance) in drafting the Commitment Plans with input on Travel planning and costs;
• Reconciles all JALLC bank and other accounts in FINS and off-line on daily basis;
• Assists Head (Budget and Finance) in the administration and monitoring of JALLC suspense/reimbursable accounts;
• Providing support to Head (Budget and Finance) by intermediating with financial institutions, regarding JALLC’s bank and other accounts;
• Assists Head (Budget and Finance) in the preparation/update of Standing Operating Procedures (SOP), instructions and notes on financial matters related to Travel, Disbursing and Credit Cards as appropriate;
• In coordination with Administrator (Procurement), assists Head (Budget and Finance) in the management of JALLC Advance Account and credit/purchase cards;
• Conducts regular training, lectures, or briefings to JALLC staff in Travel and Disbursing matters.

Essential Qualifications / Experience:

• Higher Secondary education and completed higher vocational training  in accounting, finance, management, business administration, public administration or related discipline  leading to a formal technical or professional certification with 3 years function related experience, or Secondary education and completed advanced vocational training  in that discipline leading to a professional qualification or professional accreditation with 5 years post related experience.
• Minimum of three years experience in accounting or financially related position;
• Practical experience of automated commercial financial accounting practices;
• Formal training in accounting or disbursing functions;
• Secondary education supplemented by formal theoretical and practical accountancy training.

Language:

English – SLP 3322 - (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing)

Desirable Qualifications / Experience:

• Experience with the NATO Automated Financial System (FinS) or other financial ERP (e.g. SAP) and MS 365;
• Experience in organizational financial operations;
• Experience with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS);
• Knowledge and experience in NATO or any other international organization comprising both civilian and military personnel.
• Training in Oracle EBS (FinS);
• Knowledge of banking accounting and legal procedures;
• Courses/seminars in the field of disbursing, treasury and travel, hereunder also the relevant IPSAS training;
• Proven experience with customers creation, cash management receipts, travel, and disbursing transactions in an ERP software suite.
• English - SLP 3333 (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing);

Attributes/Competencies:

Personal Attributes:

• Very good interpersonal, communication and personal integrity due to dealing with commercial banks and responsibility for all JALLC’s bank accounts. Maturity, firmness and balanced behaviour are required. Good professional judgment is required;
• Must be capable of working harmoniously in a multi-national environment, possessing good human skills, considerable understanding, tact and persuasion in dealing with all level of civilian and military staff;
• Capable of representing JALLC in a professional manner before military and civilian audiences.

Professional Contacts:

Represents JALLC to a broad range of external entities/companies. Receives functional guidance and responds to tasks from Head (Budget and Finance) and coordinates regularly with System Administrators at HQ SACT and other HQs. Co-ordinates work closely with BUDFIN staff. Deals with a wide range of JALLC Staff who have identified travel requirements.

Contribution To Objectives: 

The incumbent is responsible to the Head (Budget and Finance) for the efficient and effective execution of his/her duties. Provides continuity, support and assistance to the accomplishment of the Budget and Finance Office mission. Assists the efficient use of international resources by skillful and cost-effective expenditures.

Security Clearance

The successful applicant will be required to apply for and receive a NATO SECRET Security Clearance prior to final confirmation of contract and commencement of employment.

Contract

Serving NATO International Civilian staff will be offered a contract in accordance with the NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations.  Newly recruited staff will be offered a three year definite duration contract.

Notes for Candidates

The HQ SACT web site gives full details on the eligibility criteria and application processes to be adopted by all candidates.  However, candidates should particularly note:

Please answer each of the pre-screening questions completely in English. Expressions such as: “please see attached CV, please see annex, please see enclosed document, etc” are not acceptable; this is a cause of immediate rejection of the application.

Particular attention should be given to Education and Experience section of your application form, which should be populated with details of your career to date and educational achievements and certifications as they relate to your application.

The candidature of NATO redundant staff at grade G10 will be considered with priority.

NATO will not accept any phase of the recruitment and selection prepared, in whole or in part, by means of generative artificial-intelligence (AI) tools, including and without limitation to chatbots, such as Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (Chat GPT), or other language generating tools. NATO reserves the right to screen applications to identify the use of such tools. All applications prepared, in whole or in part, by means of such generative or creative AI applications may be rejected without further consideration at NATO’s sole discretion, and NATO reserves the right to take further steps in such cases as appropriate.

NATO is committed to diversity and inclusion, and strives to provide equal access to employment, advancement and retention, independent of gender, age, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, cultural background, sexual orientation, and disability. NATO welcomes applications of nationals from all member Nations, and strongly encourages women to apply.

This vacancy will close on 10 August 2026 @ 17:59hrs (EDT)/11:59hrs (CEST).