Near East Foundation (NEF) - Iraq 

Job Title:        Senior Accountant

Reports to:     Program Director

Location:        Baghdad, Iraq 

Type:              Full-time

Travel:           10%

Near East Foundation’s (NEF) mission is to promote more prosperous, inclusive, and resilient communities through innovative, sustainable, community-led economic and social development. A key feature of NEF’s work is developing resilient, locally led, and market-based solutions across the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) Nexus by leveraging private sector engagement, innovative finance, and transformative partnerships, ensuring a seamless transition from emergency relief to sustainable development and long-term peace, self-reliance, and prosperity. Through strategic partnerships and outcome-based programming, NEF is redefining how humanitarian, and development actors collaborate with and invest in local economies for cost-effective and sustainable impact.

Position Description

The Senior Accountant is a member of the Near East Foundation team in Iraq, reporting directly to the Iraq Country Team Lead /Director with a functional reporting relationship to the Finance and Administration Director based in Belgium. This is a direct accounting position responsible for all day-to-day accounting entries and is also responsible to ensure that all accounting, procurement, and other cost-related activities are performed in accordance with NEF policies and local regulations.

The Senior Accountant will be in charge of all accounting tasks and will provide oversight to payroll administration to ensure all costs are eligible and compliant prior to approval and payment. The accountant will perform his/her duties and responsibilities in accordance with the NEF policies and the approved project budget. 

Responsibilities

The Senior Accountant will have the following responsibilities:

• Compile entries into the accounting software on a daily basis;
• Verify procurement process by reviewing invoices for accuracy and ensuring that appropriate procurement authorization and supporting documentation are attached and in accordance to NEF procurement process;
• Review all staff expense reports and advance requests to ensure compliance to NEF policies prior to payment;
• Manage accounts payable process within Sage Intacct and submit weekly (or as needed) requests for payments to HQ;
• Complete and submit monthly bank reconciliations and bank statements to the Finance and Administration Director.
• Provide oversight to the administration of payroll to ensure the accuracy of salaries, social security, income tax, bank transfer, and reporting; and to maintain accurate reconciliations of all payroll liabilities 
• Maintain control of petty cash and reconcile monthly;
• Complete monthly reconciliation of all other balance sheet accounts;
• Assist in the preparation of disbursement vouchers, checks and bank transfer requests and ensure all the supporting documentation is attached and bank account information are correct and updated;
• When required review expenditure reports submitted by partners and sub-grantees for accuracy and compliance to donor requirements;
• Maintain NEF fixed assets inventory; 
• Support the Finance and Administration Director in the preparation of annual audits and quarterly forecasts;
• Other accounting related tasks as requested by the Iraq Country Team Lead or the Finance and Administration Director.

Qualifications and Requirements: 

The successful Senior Accountant must be a self-directed individual with the following qualifications:                                     

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance or related field, or equivalent combination of education and work experience; 
• Minimum 3-years accounting experience preferably from the International NGO sector;
• Effective team player, able to develop and maintain effective working relationships within a distributed and dynamic team;
• Competence with accounting software, preferably Sage Intacct and with MS Office applications, including Word, Excel and Outlook; 
• Proficiency in written and oral English and Arabic required;
• Able to read and interpret documents, and communicate with others as necessary to perform job duties effectively;
• Current knowledge of local regulations related to accounting, payroll and benefit administration, and taxes as they apply to International NGOs;
• Strong interpersonal skills;
• Strong numerical skills and attention to detail; 
• Flexibility in accepting work assignments, while maintaining focus on critical tasks.

NEF will accept a rolling application until the position is filled. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible before July 19, 2025. 

To apply:

Please apply by submitting the following documents on the Near East Foundation's career page at:

https://neareast.bamboohr.com/careers/463?source=aWQ9MTY%3D 

1. Cover letter outlining relevant experience and availability 
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. List of three references (including one from current, or most recent, employer)

Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Near East Foundation by visiting the NEF website at www.neareast.org.

The Near East Foundation promotes Equal Employment Opportunities for all applicants seeking employment and NEF employees.

Pre-employment Checks

Any Employment with the Near East Foundation will be subject to the following checks prior to start date:

• A satisfactory Restricted Party Screening;
• Receipt of satisfactory references;
• Proof of eligibility to work in the national location for this role.

NEF's strength is its people. Our team is our fuel to achieving the innovation, quality programming, community focus, mutual trust, sustainability, and learning needed to realize our mission. To help our team thrive, we support a working structure that prioritizes flexibility, personal commitments, and staff well-being while promoting a work culture of teamwork, collaboration, respect, integrity, and excellence.

As an international organization, we value a truly diverse workforce and prioritize a culture of inclusivity and belonging. We strive to create a high-achieving work environment informed by different cultures, perspectives, and experiences. With a commitment to diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion in all we do, our aim is to ensure that people feel heard, protected, and empowered to contribute to NEF's mission from day one.