Country Finance Manager

Job Title: Country Finance Manager

Reports To: WCS Viet Nam Country Director

Department/Group: Finance and Administration

Location: Hanoi

Background

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization that saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. WCS has been working to strengthen the commitment and capacity of the Vietnamese government to combat wildlife trafficking since 2006 and have established a well-respected presence in the country, providing support to a range of government agencies. We have generated a wide range of reliable data on a number of related issues and trained over 900 law enforcement officers from a range of agencies in investigation and enforcement techniques, and distributed a number of technical handbooks and guides. We have assisted central agencies to review and propose criminal intelligence analysis systems, inter-agency agreements and cooperation, national legislation, and have supported bi-lateral dialogues to suppress the wildlife trade and strengthen Vietnam’s enforcement response.

Scope of work

The Country Finance Manager will report to the Country Director, with a dotted-line report to the WCS’s Regional Comptroller. The primary objective is to establish and oversee efficient systems for financial and human resource management for the WCS Viet Nam Country Program. S/he will maintain appropriate communication with WCS Team Leaders, key donors and funding agencies and local governmental institutions (e.g. Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development - CITES MA, Ministry of Public Security, Supreme People’s Procuracy, etc.). S/he will coordinate and consult regularly with WCS’s Regional Comptroller and WCS Global (GFGM office) to manage timely and accurate submission of reports. S/he leads and manages Human Resource Officer, Finance Officer and Administrative Officer.

Main responsibilities

General Financial and Administrative Management Tasks

• Overall supervision of the Finance and Administration staff, to ensure efficiency in all aspects of operations of WCS Viet Nam Program. Provides day-to-day guidance and advice in administration, accounting theory and practice, as well as in compliance with financial accounting policies and procedures.
• Advising the Country Director of any problems or weakness in administrative, financial controls and procedures to ensure an efficient financial management system and accounting procedures meet best practice standards, in compliance with WCS Global Admin & Finance Manual, WCS Viet Nam Finance, HR and Admin Policy and Vietnamese laws and regulations, as well as WCS’s global requirements as a US-registered 501(c)3 organization.
• To ensure that highest standards of financial integrity & internal control are followed and all grants/activities in the country program are respecting national legislation including regulations, labor code, taxes, benefits, etc.

General Accounting

• Ensure complete accounting records are maintained in good condition for a good period of time (following local, donor and WC Global regulations). This includes but is not limited to vouchers, bills, invoices, procurements forms, authorizations, reconciliations, both hardcopy and electronic records.
• Review & monitor all expenditures to ensure its compliance with established WCS Global policy and in-country financial procedures, approved vouchers, complete supporting documentation and budget availability. Its accounting records are maintained including vouchers, authorizations, and reconciliations, including both paper and electronic records.
• Ensure that all transactions entered into the SAP system are correct and consistent. Ensure that revenue and expenditure posted by WCS NY is correct, and is assigned to the correct project, grant/fund and account codes, and where problems are found, ensure that these are resolved with the appropriate staff in WCS Global office, WCS’s Regional Comptroller along with Viet Nam program staff as appropriate.
• Monitor and review expenditure against budgets on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis by grant and for country office in general. This in particular, will be done by preparing summary of monthly reports of budget versus actual expenditures with notes on budget line items for internal use, by the 10th day of the following month
• Monitor & review all bank transactions (including government and other remittances are up to date and accurate) and check and approve monthly bank reconciliations by the 10th day of the following month, to successfully closed monthly bank reconciliation and financial book, perform corrective actions if necessary.
• Where funds are received in-country, ensure that these are correctly reported to WCS’s Regional Comptroller and WCS Global (GFGM) and posted to the appropriate project, grant/fund and account code.
• Oversee cross-charging to other country programs as per established procedures.
• Monitor completion of grants/contracts. Ensure smooth close-out process, proper accounting and closing of books upon receipt of completed reports and documents from various teams.

Budgeting, Cash Flow Monitoring & Financial Reporting

• Provide support to Country Director and other related Regional Controllers and NYbased designated colleagues in coordinating the annual fiscal-budget preparation and the internal program work-plans or strategy development.
• Oversee timely preparation of the annual budget, to ensure inclusion of all financial information and appropriate levels of management, accounting, and administrative and related office costs are built in.
• Maintain an accurate database of project funding, including grant agreements/contracts/sub-contracts, project budgets and donor-specific procedures and regulations
• Provides key input and guidance to both finance and program teams in resolving pending items, or transaction problems and irregularities and ensure resolution in a timely and effective manner.
• Ensure respective Grant Leads understand variance implications, communicate financial issues and how to respond to and manage them effectively in amiable and appropriate way.
• Ensure proper tracking of project advances to staff, ensuring that advances are accounted for in a timely manner according to WCS procedures, and that an accurate balance sheet is kept of each staff member’s outstanding advances. Prepare a monthly report of outstanding advances (including payables) at the end of each month by the 10th day of the following month for management.
• Ensure proper tracking of accounting journals, ledgers and other records detailing financial transactions; ensure that all these books are updated and maintained accurately
• Prepare and submit analysis on all country project expenditures to WCS Global (GFGM) and/or WCS’s Regional Comptroller according to WCS established procedures and deadlines
• Monitor completion of grants/contracts. Ensure smooth close-out process, proper accounting and closing of books upon receipt of completed reports and documents from various units.
• Prepare donor financial reports in line with donor reporting requirements in a timely manner, in consultation with the Grant Leads, Country Director and Regional Director. In doing this, Country Finance Manager should ensure communication, reporting and administrative requirements of donors are met.
• Liaise with donors, auditors (from donor or government) and provide key support to the Country Director, Finance, HR and Administration teams.
• Liaise with Grant Leads to ensure that technical and financial reports are completed and submitted on time to the correct standard.
• Liaise with local bank representative to ensure smooth banking operations and maintain good relationship.

Internal & Quality control:

• Monitor the implementation of the organization's financial system and to adapt it in response to changing conditions, including conduct and document regular check on petty cash counts. Report to management in irregularities.
• Monitor ongoing level of expenditures on projects, provide timely advice of likely over or under-spends to Grant Leads, Country Director and/or Regional Director and make recommendations to adjust spending accordingly.
• Leads in the development of finance policies and procedures to be able to maintain a well-financially controlled environment.
• Assist in preparation of internal and/or external audits, prepare audit responses and ensure implementation of accepted/agreed audit recommendations

Financial Development and Training

• Manage and support the performance and development of the general WCS Viet Nam country program finance staff, including training and advices, to ensure the provision of an efficient and effective financial service and up to date knowledge on donor agreements, rules and regulations to finance staff, sub-contract and sub-grantee. This includes conducting regular visits to field sites for monitoring and supervision purposes, if necessary.

General Administration and Human resource Management

• Develop and oversee the implementation of an operation management system to ensure the efficient use of human and financial resources. These may include, but not be limited to,
  
  • Standard Operations Procedure (SOP) / WCS Viet Nam Finance, HR and Admin Policy.
  • Procurement, inventory, financial & budget management and oversight systems.

• Oversee the HR Officer to lead practices and objectives to provide an employeeoriented, high performance culture that emphasizes empowerment, quality, productivity and standards, goal attainment, and recruitment.
• Oversee the Administrative Officer in the implementation of asset, equipment and supplies procurement in a cost-effective manner, and that supplies and equipment are inventoried, issued and used in accordance with established procedures.
• Oversee the Administrative Officer in the management of country head-office, including lease/rent arrangements, property insurance, security, official transport, travels & other common office services.

Other

• To represent WCS to public, NGO, Government and donors as required.
• Performs other duties as requested by senior management

Required knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Finance (CPA preferred).
• 5-7 years successful experience working in similar position with an NGO (local or international).
• Knowledge in accounting and experience managing computerized financial systems (Sun System and/or SAP preferred).
• Computer skills mandatory, proficient in Microsoft Office Applications.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, solid programming, financial and organizational development skills; strong coaching skills and excellent analytical and financial planning skills.
• Strong analytical and interpretative problem solving skills.
• Knowledge of the policies, regulations, reporting formats, and cultures of traditional donors, including USAID, UNDP, USFWS, World Bank, Packard and others.
• Prior experience with USAID subcontracts desired.
• Able to multi-task, establish priorities and meet deadlines.
• Good oral and written communication skills in English and Vietnamese
• Concern for wildlife conservation & environmental issues is essential.

Schedule and Compensation

Salary grades are commensurate with experience and education. Benefits include private health insurance for staff and dependant(s), a 13th month salary and 20 annual-leave days.

How to apply

Interested applicants should send a cover letter, CV with photo, contact details for references to:

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thu My – HR Officer
Wildlife Conservation Society
3 Thanh Cong street, Ba Dinh district, Ha Noi.
Email: [email protected]

Deadline for applications: 20th March 2017

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.