Terms of Reference

Position Title:

Finance and Internal Control Assistant

Location:

Hanoi, with occasional travel to provincial project areas in Son La and/or Lao Cai province

Period of Assignment:

6 months starting 15^th August 2024

Reporting To:

Senior Finance & Internal Control Officer

Background:

With more than 35 years of experience, Cowater International is Canada’s global leader in management consulting services specialising in international development. We have managed the implementation of over 2500 projects in more than 95 countries around the globe. We work with governments, partner organisations, communities and civil society to design and implement sustainable solutions that generate lasting social, economic and environmental impacts.

Cowater is recruiting a 6-month Finance and Internal Control Assistant to support Aus4Equality|Gender-Responsive Equitable Agriculture and Tourism Phase 2 (GREAT 2 Program) in Vietnam. 

The objectives of the Aus4Equality|GREAT 2 Program are:

Objective 1 – Ethnic minority women living in Son La and Lao Cai, have improved economic benefits.

Objective 2 – Ethnic minority women living in Son La and Lao Cai, have increased confidence and social status, including more balanced workloads and greater decision-making within the home, workplace, and community.    

Objective 3 – Ethnic minority women and household members living in Son La and Lao Cai benefit from more gender-responsive, inclusive, and effective provincial and national policies, plans, strategies, and programs.

The program is in its second five-year phase and GREAT 2 will continue its focus on agriculture and tourism, identifying specific sectors that lend themselves to opportunities for women’s economic empowerment and work with multiple stakeholders to address constraints, generate opportunities, drive market growth and increase productive value of the sector. A limited number of agriculture sectors will be targeted, in addition to tourism. Cross-sector strategies such as women, access to finance, digital transformation, policy advocacy and behaviour change will complement the sector strategies.

Statement of Duty:

Reporting to the Senior Finance and Internal Officer (SFICO), the Finance and Internal Control Assistant will provide support in performing financial tasks and assuring the quality management of grants from selection to closure.

Providing these services in an effective and efficient manner will support the SFICO to ensure that all finance processes and procedures are accurate and up to date, in accordance with the procedures and guidelines laid out in the GREAT 2 Program Standard Operating Procedures.

Specific Duties:

Proposal selection

• Conduct the compliance check of potential partners and sub-partners.
• Prepare draft partnership agreements for selected partners.

Grant Implementation

• Data input for GREAT 2 MIS finance module
• Support the SFICO in reviewing partner’s monthly accounting and financial reports to ensure that they meet requirements. Liaise with other staff for inputs as needed.
• Work with the SFICO to review funding requests (advances and reimbursement), including preparing supporting documentation for payment.
• Assist in tracking outstanding grants’ reporting and/or compliance items and prepare appropriate reports on status.
• Keep an up-to-date filing system of supporting document submitted by partners and logbook of original supporting document returned to partners after verification.
• Assist with printing, photocopying, scanning, filing and retrieval of partnership agreements, grant financial documents;

Internal control

• Assist the SFICO to carry out internal control mission as per specific TOR for each mission.

Other tasks

• Provide admin/logistics support to Program workshops and events and travel arrangement to field trips.
• Carry out other relevant tasks as necessary.
  

Requirements:

• University degree in auditing, accounting or finance.
• Minimum 2 year-relevant experience in finance and accounting.
• Experience in grant management is an advantage.
• Able to communicate effectively in Vietnamese and English.
• Good interpersonal skills and teamwork.·          

How to apply:

Candidates are encouraged to apply by sending applications to [email protected] no later than 5 pm Hanoi Time (GMT+7) Friday 12^th July 2024. Please indicate in the subject “Application for FICA”. Applications will be assessed as they are received. We thank all applicants, however, only those making the shortlist will be contacted.

Applications must include:

• A cover letter responding to the selection criteria.
• A Curriculum Vitae.
• Contact details of three referees.

Cowater is an equal opportunity employer. Women, people with a disability and people from minority groups are strongly encouraged to apply. We thank you for your interest in building a better tomorrow with Cowater International.

For more opportunities, please visit our website at https://equality.aus4vietnam.org/careers