Terms of Reference
Position Title: Program Finance Controller
No. of position: 01
Location: Hanoi, with frequent travel (50% of time) to the Project areas in Son La and Lao Cai Province.
Period of Assignment: August 2019 to July 2020 (with possible extension)
Reporting To: Operations Manager
Background:
Founded in 1985, CowaterSogema International Inc. has built a global reputation for excellence in the world of management consulting in international development. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada and with experience in more than 65 countries, CowaterSogema has established itself as Canada's leading management consulting firm in international development. Our clients include the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Global Affairs Canada, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and many more. Join our team and be part of a fast?paced and dynamic team who is passionate about development and achieving sustainable results.
CowaterSogema is recruiting a Program Finance Controller to support a socio?economic development initiative ? Aus4Equality|GREAT Program in Vietnam. The Program aims to increase women’s economic participation and decision?making through improved access to markets and more effective engagement in the agriculture and tourism value chains in ethnic minority regions of North?West Vietnam.
Statement of Duty:
Reporting to the Operations Manager, the Program Finance Controller will take the lead in assuring the quality management of grants from selection to closure. This position requires strong demonstrated experience in the areas of Finance and Grants management, as well as a strong knowledge of partnership agreements, funding mechanisms, and requirements. In addition to an oversight and monitoring role, the incumbent will ensure that grant partners’ staff improves their understanding of different partnership mechanisms and build their capacity to adhere to regulations related to reporting, procurement, financial management, internal control and audit.
Providing these services in an effective and efficient manner will ensure that all provincial finance processes and procedures are accurate and up to date, in accordance with the procedures and guidelines laid out in the Aus4Equality Program Standard Operational Manual.
Specific Duties:
Grants’ Implementation:
- Review partner’s monthly financial reports to ensure that they meet requirements. Liaise with other staff for review as needed;
- Review funding requests (advances and reimbursement), including preparing supporting documentation for payment;
- Monitor grant compliance with partnership agreements in terms and conditions, including reporting;
- Assist with the financial and administrative aspects of grantees' projects, review budget changes and other supporting documents;
- Assist with processing amendments of partnership agreements;
- Assist in track outstanding grants’ reporting and/or compliance items and prepare appropriate reports on status;
- Ensure complete documentation is on file for all partners within portfolio and that files are audit?ready;
- Produce grant reports on various aspects of grant portfolio, from Salesforce as well as written and/or quantitative analysis, including overall status, financial status, reporting status, etc.
Internal Control and Audit of Program’s Grants
- Carry out internal control missions –to assess adequacy of compliance with applicable regulations, policies and;
- Report findings to Operations Manager including proposed follow?up with grant partners based on issues noted;
- Provide advice on Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and accounting records to be maintained by the partners;
- Perform on?going monitoring and assessment of partner capacity to accurately record and post all transactions;
- Ensure adequate response and monitoring to implement recommendations of all financial audits and partner capacity assessments;
- Participate to joint?monitoring missions;
- Travel for grant partner support and/or capacity building activities;
- Support project close?out activities related to grant awards or general project support;
- Carry out other relevant tasks as necessary.
Risk Management:
- Provide advice to maintain the risk management matrix (register);
- Issue a statement on internal control for each six-month progress report;
- Monitor the effectiveness of AUS4EQUALITY's risk management system and provide recommendations for improvement as required.
Fraud:
- Review the adequacy, implementation and operation of AUS4EQUALITY's anti-corruption, fraud and related misuse policies and procedures and provide recommendations as necessary.
- Assess proposals for purchase of external auditors (where necessary make representations to these external auditors and follow up and review the cases involved);
- Investigate allegations of fraud for AUS4EQUALITY Partners and Sub-Partners including following required reporting procedures to DFAT.
Perform other tasks that may be required by the Operations Manager.
Required Qualifications:
- Professional qualification in accounting (ACCA, CPA or equivalent), preferred.
Skills / Abilities:
- Minimum 10 years relevant work experience in development organizations, of which five years should be finance management and compliance.
- Experience managing grants and/or other donor grant awards.
- Auditing experience considered an asset.
- Demonstrated ability in building capacity and providing training and technical assistance, and experience working with NGO/government and business partners;
- Good command of spoken and written English.
- Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel and other appropriate software) Self?guided, strong organizational and planning skills.
- Ability to work independently and under pressure.
- Excellent communication, coaching and facilitation skills.
- Experience in using online MIS/accounting software and competence will be an added advantage, or ability to learn quickly.
Interested candidates are invited to send application to [email protected] [1]. Please indicate the Job title in the subject line.
Application should include:
- A cover letter including a response to each of the selection criteria
- A detailed Curriculum Vitae
- Contact of 03 referees
Deadline of submission: 5pm, 17 July 2019
Women, and people of minority groups, are encouraged to apply.