Field Accountant

Job Title:          FIELD ACCOUNTANT
Project:            USAID Vietnam Sustainable Forest Management
Reports to:       Finance Manager
Location:          Hanoi with possible travel to provinces
Date:                December 2021

DAI Organization and Values

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work. DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.

DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All of our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.

Project Background

The USAID Sustainable Forest Management Project (the Project) will work with the Government of Vietnam (GVN) to reduce carbon emissions associated with deforestation, the degradation of natural forests, and poor plantation management. The Project will implement a “Green Prosperity” approach that strengthens local communities’ ability to protect their natural resource base and reduce emissions while building a strong foundation for sustainable livelihoods and equitable economic growth.

The Project will work in seven provinces (Lao Cai, Son La, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Tri, Quang Nam) and focus on five objectives:

1. Improve and expand community forest management
2. Increase conservation-friendly enterprises in forest-dependent communities
3. Increase functionality of law enforcement system for forest crimes
4. Improve production forest management practices
5. Mobilize domestic resources for forest management and protection

Overview of the Position

The Field Accountant will play a pivotal role in assuring adherence to financial policies, project policies and procedures, regulations, controls, and reporting systems of 07 field offices. The Field Accountant will provide accounting and financial analysis support to the project office and will ensure submission of financial reports based on internal deadlines. This position will ensure compliance of all accounting and financial reporting functions. The Field Accountant is responsible for recording costs and day to day general accounting, accounts receivable/payable, payroll, risk management, managing partner relationships, assuring all backup documentation is audit ready, and troubleshooting accounting issues. The individual is also responsible for cash flow analyses, and the overall financial well-being of the project.

Roles and Responsibilities

Financial Reporting

• Develops and maintains reports of status of financial management activities (i.e. monthly and quarterly reporting).
• Responsible for ensuring project assets/inventory report is balanced against the general ledger/FAS prior to submission to USAID.
• Responsible for ensuring that any/all contractual financial reporting requirements are identified and complied in a timely and accurate manner.
• Ensures that tax reporting procedures are well documented to facilitate preparation and submission in a timely manner.
• Reviews and submits monthly reconciliation reports.
• Monitors and submits advance, commitment as applicable.
• Develops and submits other project reports necessary and based on registration requirements to local authorities.
• Oversees the reporting of expenses by provincial offices (if applicable).
• Monitors and reports on partner/vendor payment schedules and obligations.
• Provides annual budgets of expenditure as well as quarterly forecasts against budget statements (accruals, pipelines, etc.) as applicable.

Audit

• Supports preparation of internal and external audits.
• Supports responses and actions to internal audit comments.
• Conducts daily reviews of backup documentation to ensure completeness, accuracy, and full compliance with all regulations and the Field Operations Manual (FOM).
• Performs regular spot audits on project’s files.
• Ensures adequate backup documentation is uploaded to relevant system according to set deadlines.

Policies & Procedures

• Ensures that accounting policies and practices are carried out in accordance with GAAP standards; project internal controls are established and implemented in accordance with DAI policies, USAID rules/regulations and the terms of the contract.

General Accounting/Financial Management

• Initiates wire requests for field project implementation.
• Verifies vendor invoices for accuracy.
• Verifies accuracy of expenses and project accounting codes.
• Conducts regular cash flow analyses to ensure availability of funds and the accurate maintaining of bank balances.
• Ensures accurate and timely processing of invoices, advances and reimbursements, checks, and wire transfer payments of 7 field offices.
• Ensures request for payments have appropriate approvals.
• Ensures the timely deposit of cash receipts.
• Responsible for recording and assigning costs based on approved budget in field accounting system (FAS).
• Performs monthly bank reconciliations and routinely monitors bank account balances.
• Verifies back up documentation for all project-related transactions and ensures completeness and appropriate review and approvals are documented.
• Is responsible for ensuring petty cash of 7 field offices is maintained according to maximum petty cash policy, and that all petty cash procedures are followed.
• Ensures the safeguard of bank checks, and cash receipts.
• Ensures proper segregation of duties within the Finance/Accounting Department.
• Manages banking relationships and coordinates periodic updates for checking account signers.
• Prepares, reviews, and submits project cost data prior to submitting Oracle data reports to DAI Washington.
• Maintains file management systems for soft and hard copy documentation.
• Establishes guidelines for maintaining sub-grant and other partnership files and activities as applicable.
• Maintains files on grant/procurement/subcontractor documents and modifications as applicable.
• Directs the schedule of financial activities to ensure the timely preparation of budget related reports.
• Supervises periodic cash counts.
• Ensures non-billable expenses are thoroughly reviewed and are kept to a minimum.
• Ensures that foreign taxes paid, if any, are tracked, recorded, and reported to USAID in accordance with ADS guidelines.
• Analyzes and reconciles project inventory on a regular basis ensuring that the value/purchase price of project assets reflected in the inventory register agrees with the total shown in the cumulative Non-Expendable account balance.

Travel Advances & Reimbursements of 07 field offices

• Audits travel requests and expense reports for accuracy and compliance.
• Follows procedures to ensure accurate and timely payment and reconciliation of travel advances, reimbursements for staff and partner travel.
• Reviews and monitors outstanding advances report by paying close attention to advances that have not been settled after 30 days of issuance.

Payroll

• Processes timely and accurate payroll payments for the office and ensures leave balance and payroll taxes are accurate.
• Tracks and monitors leave balances and liability payments.
• Ensures staff compliance with timekeeping policy and recordkeeping.

Financial Systems

• Uses field accounting system (FAS), cloud software for backup documentation, DAI’s project management system (TAMIS), etc. regularly.
• Communicates with home office system support teams on system or operations troubleshooting technical issues
• Ensures that voucher files are scanned and uploaded to DAI’s System for the Electronic Archival of Financial Documentation - Sharepoint.

Other financial tasks assigned by OPS Director and Finance Manager

Qualifications:

• B.A. Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or equivalent. Advanced MBAdegree , CPA or equivalent preferred.
• 6+ years of relevant experience and progressive responsibility in finance and accounting, office administration, project operations at the mid-level of an organization.
• Experience with USAID funded projects is preferrable.
• Experience leading and managing the financial aspects of USAID projects, including a demonstrated understanding of applicable finance-related USG contracting regulations.
• Accuracy in working with large amounts of data.
• Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints.
• Experience with enterprise accounting software, and Microsoft office suite.
• Demonstrated knowledge of internal controls and audit processes (e.g. procurement, local subcontract agreements, etc.)
• Demonstrated report writing skills in English is required.
• An articulate individual who possesses excellent communications and personnel management skills and who can relate to people at all levels of an organization.
• An energetic, forward-thinking and creative individual with high ethical standards and appropriate professional image.
• An extremely well organized and self-directed individual with sound technical skills, analytical ability, good judgment, and strong operational focus.
• Fluency in English is required.

How to apply and requested documents

Interested candidates are requested to submit:

• A CV in English and Vietnamese
• A cover letter in English indicating why they are suitable for this position
• Scanned copy of related degrees

via email to our recruitment email at [email protected]. Please quote the position title in the subject line: “Candidate’s full name _ Field accountant”

Deadline for application: 5.00 p.m. (Hanoi time), January 12, 2022

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To learn more about DAI, please visit our website: https://www.dai.com/

DAI is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer with a commitment to diversity. DAI does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, parental status, veteran status, or other non-merit factor.