Fiscal Assistant

The East-West Center (EWC) promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue. Established by the U.S. Congress in 1960, the Center serves as a resource for information and analysis on critical issues of common concern, bringing people together to exchange views, build expertise, and develop policy options.

The Center’s 21-acre Honolulu campus, adjacent to the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, includes conference facilities, three residence halls, and an office building that houses research, program, and administrative activities. The Center also has an office in Washington, D.C., that provides accessibility to U.S. regional government stakeholders and program partners with innovative training, analytical and dialogue exchange, and public diplomacy products to meet U.S. policy priorities and expressed needs in the Indo‑Pacific region.

Our Finance team is looking for a Fiscal Assistant to help manage budgetary and financial oversight for the East‑West Center’s appropriation of various external contracts and grants. This role includes performing routine clerical accounting tasks related to the preparation, processing, and maintenance of statistical, financial, billing, and other related fiscal records for the Center. The Fiscal Assistant will also assist Fiscal Officers in performing other tasks related to payroll, financial reporting, records retention, and data entry to ensure smooth and efficient operations.

• Collaborates with the fiscal officers in the preparation of program/project budgets for EWC programs, drafting a portion of the budgets on own initiative. This involves determining and applying proper cost factors through analyses of historical data, background research, or discussions with staff. Incumbent proposes and transacts revisions of budget allocations as required to meet ongoing targets.
• Maintains records and controls for funding sources as assigned in coordination with the supervising Fiscal Officer (FO) and Senior Fiscal Officer (SFO). Has authority, in some cases, to transfer funds from one account to another.
• Prepares or assists in preparing a variety of financial reports and advises program staff coordinators of the status of funds for their respective areas of oversight and for contracts and grants.
• Reviews all encumbrance and payment documents for accuracy, funding availability and compliance with contract and grant technical requirements. Works with staff to ensure that needed changes are made. Has signatory authority on all fiscal documents to approve items in the absence of the FO.
• Updates the system to track subcontracts, MOAs/MOUs and consultant contracts, and advises the FO of action needed to extend, modify or close out instruments.
• Assists the FO with drafting and processing consultant contracts, subcontracts, MOAs, MOUs, amendments, etc. On occasion, may fully draft an instrument, discussing particulars of the work scope or related information with staff or the prospective contractor, and ensuring that the instrument is properly reviewed and executed in a timely manner.
• Assists the FO and program staff with all phases of the contracts and grants process: proposals, implementation of award, modifications, financial reporting, closeouts, etc.
• Participates in center meetings for the coordination of financial affairs, and in the formulation of policies, procedures, and modifications with respect to fiscal activities.
• Provides training for other support staff as required and orients new support staff to requirements for processing fiscal documents, acquainting them with various departments, staff and services in central administration as necessary for performing their jobs.
• Provides backup support, including processing and approving fiscal documents, for other EWC programs as required.
• Assists with inventory records of hardware equipment within the EWC programs.
• Works with the FO in developing systems that contribute to the smooth and efficient management of budgetary processes, financial management, and overall administrative systems affecting…