Senior Finance/Admin Officer

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Title        :  Senior Finance/Admin Officer   

Location    :  Hanoi with occasional travel to the field

Reports to    :  Country Representative

Working Relations           : Regional Admin/Finance Manager, Programme Officers, Communication & Sponsorship Officer

Supervises    : Volunteer/Intern

Background:

Aide et Action International (AEAI) is an international NGO, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.  AEA International began its programs in India in 1981 and is now working in more than 20 countries across Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, South Asia, Southeast Asia and China to support the development of sustainable education projects with our believes in the universal right to a quality education and bases each intervention around this ethos.

The activities in South East Asia and China (SEAC) started in 2001 with local partners and government agencies in Cambodia, Vietnam, Lao PDR, China and Myanmar to enhance the quality of education as well as to facilitate the access to quality education. In Vietnam, AEAI started working in 2004 with local partners and governments.

General Criteria

AEA’ s staff operate in the spirit of shared decision making which demands team-work, transparency, mutual respect, integrity, personal initiative, creativity, and professional discretion.  

Job purpose

This position is primarily responsible for the overall management/execution of the country accounting and financial reporting functions to ensure a quality financial management and highest level of support to the whole team and partners. It shall ensure compliance with Financial Manual, Grant Terms and Agreements, especially with EC and other donors funded projects for which Aide et Action has financial and reporting responsibilities.

This position is also responsible to provide financial and management advice and services to the programme and project team in ensuring efficient functioning of internal controls and procedures, cash management, security of assets and funds, financial accounting, reporting and budget preparation.

MAJOR DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES:

A.         FINANCE & ACCOUNTING

• Identifies potential or actual risks (financial or otherwise) arising and take all reasonable steps to minimise or eliminate the risk in all dealings with the European Commission, project partners and sub-contractors

• Advises staff and grantees on grant procedures and financial management

• Support Finance Officers of partners to ensure that the administration of EU grants and management systems are up to date, informed and accurate as needed.

• Supports the Country Representative and the whole team on all EU finance related issues

• Review financial Reports from partners and produce financial report annually to EC

1. Budgeting

1. Leads and be responsible for the monthly reporting for these areas, income and expenditure, ensuring that information produced is robust and accurate

2. Works closely with programme or project implementation team of partners to prepare the project budgets according to annual convention objective

3. Works closely with Country Representative to prepare the operational budget/coordination budget for the upcoming year/three-year plan

4. Coordinates with project officers at AEA and partners and Country Representative for budget revision in semi-annual basis

5. Provides technical support to project or program team on budget monitoring

6. Liaises with project team in reviewing annual budget planning of implementing partners to ensure cost efficiency and effectiveness

7. Compile, review, and edit project technical progress reports and annual workplans and overseeing timely submission to the EC.

8. Acts as technical resource person by increasing the understanding of programme or project team and non-finance staff in the area of Accounting, Budgeting, ERP5 and other areas of financial management

2. Daily accounting

1. Checks the request, cash advance and settlement vouchers to ensure sufficient and adequate supporting documents to comply with AEA Financial Manual, procedures and donor regulations.

2. Prepares Finance Form and identifies transaction reference, writing up in debit and credit side, approval legitimacy, adequacy of supporting documents and validity of the transaction

3. Is responsible for day-to-day bookkeeping and verifying the bookkeeping inVietnam to ensure the compliance with AEA Financial Manual.

4. Monitors the aging of outstanding cash advance to ensure the settlement shall be made within the permit period

5. Advises the accrual amount should be made at every end of month and keeps monitoring them to ensure this will be clear out in the particular time frame.

6. Liaisons with the banks for updating the bank record and obtaining the bank advice and statements

7. Notifies Regional Finance Manager for bank remittance based on the fund request

8. Maintains the filling system within the finance department in systematic ways with safeguard and confidentiality

9. Makes a payment such as office utilities, and ensure the compliance of taxes, Social Security Fund, and to suppliers as requested

10. Conducts physical count of the fixed asset listing in semi-annual basis to ensure each property of AEA having asset tag

3. Cash management

1. Prepares fund  request for approval to submit to the region

2. Oversees effective cash control and management by reviewing cash balance and advising  Regional Finance Manager and direct supervisor for any unusual balance noticed  

3. Records and maintains daily cash movement from daily transactions and match it with  cash count sheet

4. Determines cash position as of cut-off date (ensure the efficient cash for program and project)

5. Conducts monthly cash count with supporting of cash count sheet

4. Grant management

1. Contributes to the development and implementation of appropriate policies and procedures for the efficient and effective operation of the funded projects

2. Liaises with EC, project coordinators, funding agencies, and other stakeholders on progress of all projects and initiatives, and ensuring that all contract terms are met.

3. Advises on the terms of the contract and annexes including the EC Practical Guide to Funding and Financial Guidelines.

4. Negotiates and advises budget revisions to the proposals recommended for funding, as assigned

5. Develops and maintains the effective communication with the implementing partners to ensure that grantees receive needed information in a timely and appropriate manner.

6. Reviews the financial report from the implementing partner to ensure that those reported expenses are complied with the approved budget and donor’s policy or regulations. Consult with project officers when necessary

7. Monitors, evaluates and documents the implementing partners’ performance, as assigned

8. Conducts financial review on the implementing partner

9. Identifies the training or other capacity-building activities relating to financial skills for the implementing partners.

10. Provides technical support to the implementing partners as requested

5. Audit support

1. Works with EC to ensure the timely preparation and submission of project financial reports and supporting documentation

2. Liaises with auditors and arranging necessary project audits

3. Assists in the collection of the necessary information for audit and control by ECommission services

4. Prepares and review supporting documentation for external audits

5. Communicates regularly with external auditors, and with external partners to ensure audits are completed timely and in the correct format

6. Assists line managers in responding to the questions of external auditors relating to financial and internal control issues.

B. OFFICE ADMINISTRATION AND LOGISTICS

1. Updates/draft and follow up administration and personnel policies, procedures and guidelines for the country  and project offices and ensure they are well maintained

2. Ensures that filing and information system in the office is maintained and updated

3. Ensures that processes of purchase, maintenance and updating of assets list, inventory of office equipment and furniture, are implemented in compliance with procedures

4. Liaisons with the local Vietnamese Government to prepare all necessary papers needed for new office license

5. Assists the office in complying with the local Government requirements for NGOs in Vietnam

6. Maintains and update personnel files of all project staff and leave record

7. Takes care of all logistic arrangements for office meetings, workshops

8. Ensures social/health procedures are well followed up and properly updated in a timely manner

Please send your application letter, CV and related qualification to email address: [email protected] [1] no later than 30th July 2017. Interested candidates who meet the required qualifications are invited to interview at our office (No. 15, lane 46, Hao Nam st., Dong Da dist., Ha Noi, Vietnam).

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for tests/interviews.