Treasury Officer

1.         SUMMARY

The Office of Financial Control (OFC) is responsible for the management of financial and budgetary control systems for several NATO entities, primarily the NATO International Staff (IS) civil budget. As the custodian of member Nations’ funds, the OFC provides reliable and value adding financial and procurement services in support of front-line Divisions, enabling them to achieve their objectives. It works to comply with the NATO Financial Regulations (NFRs), International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and other best practices, including the management of enterprise risk.

The OFC is responsible for procurement, financial operations, budgeting and reporting for: the NATO IS civil and reimbursable budgets (including satellite offices); all NATO-wide pensions and related funds; bodies and projects located at NATO HQ (NHQ) for which OFC is responsible for providing procurement, budgetary, financial and accounting services. The OFC is also responsible for providing procurement, cash management, finance and accounting support to a number of extra budgetary funds (including trust funds) and bilateral arrangements, including the Tax Reimbursement Agreement with the United States (U.S.). The NATO-IS budget includes Brussels Headquarters 2 operations as well as NATO Satellite Offices (NASOs). The OFC is organized around five functions, with a Front Office overseeing these functions:

- Budget Planning and Analysis and Procurement;

- Control, Accounting and Finance including Missions (Duty Travels);

- Treasury;

- Strategic Analysis and Reporting (SAR); and

- ERP Competency Centre.

OFC uses an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution (Oracle EBS) and is in the process of implementing a Treasury Management System to support the management of resources and daily Treasury activities. The Treasury Service consists of six posts, including its Head. This Service executes treasury functions such as the management of the bank and Asset Managers’ relationships, treasury and foreign exchange operations, cash management, funding, and reporting & analysis.

In accordance with the rules in force in the Organization, the Treasury Officer, under the supervision of the Head of the Treasury Section, is involved in the execution of treasury operations relating to NATO international funds and Extra-Budgetary Funds (EBFs), including Trust Funds (TFs).  The incumbent also takes part in the cash and investment management activities, manages relationships with banks and fund managers, and supports the recovery of funds for the entities that fall within OFC’s scope of responsibility. They are involved in the production of relevant financial reporting information, per agreed standards and contribute to the production and preparation of financial statements or other official documents. The incumbent ensures that NATO budgetary regulations, accounting standards, internal control rules and principles of sound financial management are complied with. They are also a key player in contributing to the successful delivery of Treasury-related projects. Moreover, the incumbent is in charge of the preparation of the yearly calls for contribution to the Civil, Military, Pension, and several other budgets as well as for the Management of the Tax Reimbursement Agreement with the United States.

The Treasury Officer replaces the Head of Treasury during their absence in committee meetings such as the Budget Committee or the OFC Investment Committee.

2.         QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL

The incumbent must:

• have a university-level degree from an institute of recognised standing in treasury, economics, accounting, business administration, public administration, finance, management or related discipline;
• have at least 3 years’ experience in a private or public organization in a similar treasury position;
• have experience in corporate treasury, managing and controlling banking operations, cash management and forecasting;
• have a good customer service approach;
• demonstrate very good communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills;
• have strong analytical skills;
• have excellent drafting skills;
• have the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks;
• have proven experience in the use of ERP systems such as Oracle e-Business Suite or SAP;
• have good knowledge of and working experience in MS Word and Excel;
• possess the following minimum levels of NATO’s official languages (English/French): V (“Advanced”) in one; III (“Intermediate”) in the other.

DESIRABLE

The following would be considered an advantage:

• experience working in financial management functions within an international organisation and/or in a national government;
• demonstrated experience in the use of professional treasury and cash management tools such as Treasury Management Systems, electronic banking software for corporate clients, cash forecasting tools;
• knowledge of a specific set of accounting standards (e.g. International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) or IPSAS);
• proven experience in the use of Oracle Financials;
• professional certification on cash or treasury management from a recognised professional association (e.g., Certified Treasury Professional or equivalent).

3.         MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES

Expertise Development

Contribute to documents of an accounting and budgetary nature, including tables of statistical data and the financial statements for NATO-IS and other NATO entities. Handle all operations and queries relating to payments and receipts, treasury processes, calls for contributions, financial reporting on cash and investments, and U.S. tax reimbursement operations and reporting. Develop and maintain knowledge of IPSAS, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), notions of risk management and internal control. Together with the Head of Treasury, determine bank account and treasury account structures that will permit the most efficient management and operations. Keep abreast of, evaluate, and implement, as appropriate, innovative and cost-effective bank services, transactional tools and methods. Communicate, both internally within OFC and to stakeholders, revised/new working methods. Support implementation projects, typically (but not exclusively) involving the development and implementation of business processes to meet treasury-related COSO and IT identified needs. 

Information Management

Initiate, guide and advise on the management of treasury procedures within the Service and implement thereafter. Prepare documents of financial and analytical nature for endorsement by the Head of Section, including inputs into key documents such as financial reports and reports to the OFC Investment Committee or memos to the Budget Committee. Follow up on the evolutions of the financial markets, the regulatory framework and general Treasury trends. Meet with external stakeholders as deemed necessary.

Knowledge Management

Ensure that International Board of Auditors for NATO (IBAN) observations and recommendations are taken into account in the appropriate fashion. Provide the information falling within own area of responsibility when needed for reports requested by Nations and the Budget Committee. Document procedures and keep up to date according to recognized best practices.

Stakeholder Management

Build and maintain efficient working relationships within the OFC, with NATO Allies’ representatives and with other Divisions participating in administrative and financial processes, to ensure efficient and timely operations in support of their activities. Work with officials responsible for budget and program execution to ensure timely and efficient operations supported by the Treasury Service. Maintain customer confidence by respecting deadlines, paying attention to detail, and maintaining confidentiality when appropriate. Develop the role of the OFC as a service provider to other Divisions and member Nations. Play a key role in the support and supervision of the Treasury operations of the NATO Satellites Offices such as the NATO Representation in Ukraine.

Project Management

Assist the Head, Treasury in supervising and controlling the activities of the Section to ensure timely delivery and compliance with the rules of the Organization ensuring that proper controls are in place and executed and in particular that segregation of duties is properly respected. Establish and follow up calls for contributions (Civil Budget Military Budgets, and Pensions Budget). Work in close collaboration with colleagues in OFC and other areas of the NATO HQ and NATO Satellite Offices (NASOs) to clarify treasury and related financial management issues as they arise. Be a key player in the implementation process of the new Treasury Management system as well as other Treasury-related projects. Manage the US Tax Reimbursement process in close collaboration with the external service provider as well as other NATO bodies. Be in charge of the quarterly preparation and processing of reimbursable staff-related invoices. Provide support in the operation of bank accounts; the monitoring and forecasting of cash requirements and currency needs; the investing of funds of NATO IS and other entities served by the OFC; the oversight of outsourced investments and treasury operations. Ensures that NATO budgetary regulations, accounting standards, internal control rules and principles of sound financial management are complied with.

Perform any other related duty as assigned.

4.         INTERRELATIONSHIPS

The incumbent reports to the Head of the Treasury Section. They assume the necessary coordination with other Divisions of the IS, Agencies, Allies’ representatives as well as external stakeholders such as banks or asset managers. As required, they assume the co-ordination with the other Sections in the OFC.

Direct reports: N/a

Indirect reports: N/a

5.         COMPETENCIES

The incumbent must demonstrate:

• Achievement: Works to meet standards;
• Analytical Thinking: Sees multiple relationships;
• Clarity and Accuracy: Checks own work;
• Conceptual Thinking: Applies learned concepts;
• Customer Service Orientation: Takes personal responsibility for correcting problems;
• Empathy: Is open to others' perspectives;
• Impact and Influence: Takes multiple actions to persuade;
• Initiative: Is decisive in a time-sensitive situation;
• Teamwork: Solicits inputs and encourages others.