Assistant Accountant (PAPS) at the African Union (AU)

The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent. It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organization of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999). We are an Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Assistant Accountant (PAPS) 

Req Id: 2723
Location: Douala, Cameroon
Reports to: Principal Administrative & Finance Officer 
Directorate/Department/Organ: Political Affairs, Peace & Security
Division: AU CLB
Number of Direct Reports: 1
Number of Indirect Reports: 4
Job Grade: GSA5
Number of Positions: 1
Contract Type: Regular

Purpose of Job

• The Assistant Accountant is assigned to support the implementation of the CLB mandate.
• Responsible for maintaining financial, accounting, administrative and treasury services in order to meet legislative requirements and support AU operations.

Main Functions

• Manage a complete financial function of the Office which would include a number of different and diverse operations and inter-related accounts of the financial system;
• Maintain project financial information in SAP system; 
• Maintain cash flow systems that is efficient and responsive, as well as preparing monthly bank reconciliations.
• Participate in the annual planning and budgeting process to ensure allocation of expenditure to the appropriate fund and monitor proper budget utilization to ascertain that budget appropriations are not overspent;
• Prepare financial management reports to track performance against budget and report the results to management.
• Process and verify all suppliers’ payments and ensure that the accompanying supporting documents are complete and accurate; Coordinate procurement process that would ensure the project receives quality and efficient services in line with AU rules and procedures;
• Implement administrative policies, and procedures that lead to efficient service delivery;
• Ensure that accurate and complete accounting, reporting and internal control systems are functioning and that all relevant records are maintained accurately;
• Ensure that all balance sheet accounts are reconciled.
• Prepare cash flow projections and monitor the continued availability of funds to cover the requirements of the project’s operations.
• Ensure the completeness and accuracy of financial data through the establishment of checklists and monthly reviews of financial data;
• Maintain the fixed register and ensure the identification and proper inventory of fixed assets of the project;
• Perform any other financial related duties as may be assigned by supervisors.

Specific Responsibilities

• Oversee and manage the daily accounting and finance functions of the Mission including timely recording of transactions, cash management, banking, payroll, accounts payable and receivable and inventories.
• Prepare and process staff salaries, advances and other entitlements and ensure it is paid on time. 
• Ensure that service providers are paid on time for services performed or delivered
• Maintain the fixed assets register and make sure that all assets are coded and accounted for properly 
• Prepare Financial Reports / Statements for consideration of the AU Headquarters and Donors as well as the certification of general expenditures;
• Supervise and ensure that bank reconciliations are done monthly
• Ensure that accounting records are accurate, complete and properly filed
• Assist during audits by the Office of Internal Audit, AU Board of External Auditors and EC Auditors
• Any other duties assigned by the Supervisor.

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• A Diploma in Accounting or Finance or related filed, with three (3) years of relevant work experience in the areas of Accounting/finance.
• Professional certifications such as CPA, CA, ACCA, CIMA, CIA, etc. would be an added advantage.
• Experience in SAP, IPSAS and accounting packages will be an added advantage. 
• Professional qualifications from a recognized Institute will be an additional Advantage.

      Or

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Finance or related filed, with two (2) years of relevant work experience in the areas of Accounting/finance.
• Professional certifications such as CPA, CA, ACCA, CIMA, CIA, etc. would be an added advantage.
• Experience in SAP, IPSAS and accounting packages will be an added advantage. 
• Professional qualifications from a recognized Institute will be an additional Advantage.

Required Skills:

• Conscientious in observing deadlines and achieving results 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to organize and to work in a multicultural environment.
• Excellent computer skills : Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, etc. 
• Strong communication ability both orally and in writing 
• Good skills in planning and organization
• Ability to successfully manage ambiguity  
• Ability to work across business units / geographies; cultural sensitivity
• Proficiency in one of the AU officials working languages (French, English, Portuguese, Arabic) and fluency in another AU language(s) is an added advantage

Core Competencies:

• Teamwork and Collaboration
• Foster Accountability Culture
• .Learning Orientation

Functional Competencies:

• Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Job Knowledge Sharing
• Continuous Improvement Focus

Tenure of Appointment:

• The appointment will be made on a regular term contract for a period of three (3) years, of which the first twelve months shall be considered as a probationary period. Thereafter, the contract will be for a period of two years renewable, subject to satisfactory performance and deliverables.

Gender Mainstreaming:

• The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Language:

• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (Arabic, English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese, and Spanish) is mandatory and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage.

Remuneration
Indicative basic salary of US$ 15,758.00 (GSA5 Step1) per annum plus other related entitlements e.g. Post adjustment (46% of basic salary), Housing allowance US$ 16,813.44 (per annum), and education allowance (100% of tuition and other education-related expenses for every eligible dependent up to a maximum of US$ 10,000.00 per child per annum), for internationally recruited staff and a maximum of $3,300 per child per annum for locally recruited staff.

Application Closing Date
4th August, 2025;11h59 p.m. EAT.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• Only candidates who meet all job requirements and are selected for interviews will be contacted.
• Consideration will be given only to those candidates who have submitted a fully completed online application with a curriculum vitae (CV), an African passport, and the required academic qualifications, such as Diplomas (Bac+2), Bachelor's degrees (Bac+3), Master's degrees (Bac+5) and any relevant certificate in line with the area of expertise.
• The African Union is an equal opportunity employer, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Candidates from less represented countries within the African Union are strongly encouraged to apply for positions that fit their profiles. These countries include Algeria, Angola, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Sahrawi D.R., Sao Tome and Principe., Seychelles, Somalia and Tunisia.