Position Title:             Finance Management Specialist (Tamil Nadu India)

Open Period:               6 November 2024 – 5 December 2024

Background:                The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia 

(RIMES) is an international and intergovernmental institution, owned and managed by its Member States, for the generation and application of early warning information. RIMES evolved from the efforts of countries in Africa and Asia, in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, to establish a regional early warning system within a multi-hazard framework for the generation and communication of early warning information, and capacity building for preparedness and response to trans-boundary hazards. RIMES was established on 30 April 2009 and was registered with the United Nations on 1 July 2009. RIMES operates from its regional early warning center located at the campus of the Asian Institute of Technology in Pathumthani.

Position Description:  The Finance Management Specialist will be responsible for comprehensive account management, budgeting, and financial reporting to ensure efficient operations within the RIMES South Asia Regional Office. The FMS will focus on financial planning, budgeting, financial management, treasury management, financial reporting, and accounting. Additionally, the FMS will provide expert guidance and direction to the accounting and finance teams of RIMES-implemented donor-funded programs and projects. The role involves supervising the RIMES Finance/Accounting Unit and leading the capacity building of RIMES Accounting and Finance Teams both institutionally and within projects to ensure adherence to international standards.

Contract Type: Full-Time Contract 

Duty station: RIMES Office, Tamil Nadu, India

Minimum Qualifications:

Education and Knowledge:

  • At least Master’s degree in accounting/finance with minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in accounting, finance, and budget management.

  • Professional certification in Accounting or Finance.

  • Demonstrable experience in carefully and aptly analyzing accounting/finance data and preparing management reports for various stakeholders.

  • Work experience in accounting/finance management with reputable audit firms, international organizations, or donor organizations.

Experience:

  • Demonstrable knowledge of accounting principles, procedures and standards.

  • Demonstrable ability to apply conceptual, analytical, and evaluative skills in accounting/finance operations.

  • Demonstrable ability to prepare and maintain full set of accounts.

  • Demonstrable knowledge and experience with Infor SunSystems or other accounting; software (for non-profit organizations).

  • Fluency in oral and written English and Thai languages.

  • Demonstrable proficiency in using Microsoft Excel.

  • Knowledge of international donor agency requirements and regulations is an advantage.

Skills and Abilities:

  • High level attention to detail and accuracy.
  • Ability to follow through on tasks.
  • Flexible, creative, responsive, able to take initiative, open to learning.
  • Able to work within systems and procedures, work effectively in a small team environment involving the sharing of information and at times sharing workloads.
  • Able to analyze and integrate potentially conflicting numerical, verbal, and other data from a number of sources.
  • Willing to demonstrate, apply and share expert technical knowledge across the organization.
  • Able to work independently, and/or within teams, multi-task and meet deadlines.
  • Receptive to feedback and recommendations for enhancing work.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

The Finance Management Specialist will report to the Head of the Department of Operation Support and collaborate with various program/project teams within RIMES as required. Specific tasks include:

Financial Planning & Analysis

  • Direct the preparation of budgets and financial projections, as well as the preparation of monthly financial statements and other periodic financial reports.

  • Regularly assess RIMES financial status by analyzing results, monitoring variances, identifying trends, and recommending actions to the Management Team.

  • Analyze accounting/finance data and provide commentary on the financial status of programs/projects implemented by RIMES by identifying findings from analyses, specific recommendations, and corrective measures, as required, to ensure that RIMES complies with its financial responsibilities in the context of its policies and/or the terms and conditions with which it has signed cooperation agreements with donors for implementing programs/projects.

  • Create and maintain performance and financial metrics and frame them in the reporting mechanism that best ensure the data is meaningful and fits various/relevant audiences.

  • Work closely with program/projects’ senior managers to analyze program portfolio including pipeline activities analysis, and expenditure review, among others, to develop sound financial planning and strategies.

  • Analyze financial information to generate information on overall finance management issues, e.g. spending trends, program operations against program costs, funding gaps, funding pipelines analysis at regular intervals, as defined by RIMES.

  • Line manages a core team of account/finance team according to assigned/delegated tasks

  • Work closely with programs/projects and operations teams for financial monitoring, reporting, and project proposal budgets, among others. 

  • Provide advice, keep track of, and report on the financial situation in relation to revenue, expenses, and liabilities for all departments and programs.

  • Ensure that internal and external financial reporting conforms to RIMES's financial accountability policies and timelines.

  • Evaluate and provide advice on RIMES's financial situation with regards to cost ratios and the status of cost recovery, and make sure that all cost recovery goals are being reached for each project across the whole portfolio of RIMES's projects.

  • Provide direct guidance, inputs and direction to accounting and finance teams of relevant programs/projects, as may be necessary.

Accounting Management and Legal Observance

  • Oversee month-end closure process for the management of the balance sheet, including the clearance of pre-paid items, accounts receivable, accounts payable, staff advances, and in-country accounts.
  • Oversee month-end closing of RIMES items, including running depreciation, analysis of various costing dimensions such as fund codes, activity-based cost codes, profit centers., etc. and implementation of required modifications, if any. 
  • Manage timely sending and receiving of in-country accounts within the month.
  • Prepare monthly subsidiary ledger reports.
  • Lead/direct year-end closing processes.
  • Prepare annual budget workbook with inputs from all departments and in coordination with in-country offices.
  • Ensure compliance with relevant tax, accounting, auditing, and external reporting requirements.
  • Evaluate and manage risks; work closely with key internal stakeholders to monitor grant compliance and partnership agreement terms and conditions, including reporting.
  • Engage with internal and external auditors to ensure that projects and RIMES audits are conducted efficiently and timely.

Financial Control and Risk management

  • Support RIMES management team in risks management by periodically providing any potential key risk analyses on account, fraud and finance.
  • Facilitate the roll-out of financial management trainings for staff that include compliance to RIMES’s Anti-Fraud, Anti-terrorism polices, and others relevant.

Internal coordination and teamwork

  • Provide the RIMES management with monthly financial updates.
  • Provide relevant financial information to program/project teams and offer advice on the creation of budget proposal to guarantee compliance with cost ratios and cost recovery from new funding.
  • Coordinate monthly/regular meetings with each of the program/project teams to discuss periodic expenditure targets and projections.
  • Advise program/project teams on monthly financial forecasting and expenditures to provide robust accountability and financial planning across all programs/projects, to accomplish financial goals.
  • Provide updated expenditure/budget records to appropriate departments, as required.
  • Participate and provide relevant advice in financial update meetings, in coordination with the program/project teams.

Donor reporting

  • Guide Accounting/Finance Teams in programs/projects in ensuring compliance of financial reports with the donors’ financial reporting standards.
  • Review and approve/confirm financial reports before submitting them to donors.

Capacity building 

  • Ensure RIMES’ Accounting and Finance Systems and Manual are per international standards, in place, properly and regularly updated, and appropriately observed in accounting and finance transactions in RIMES and in its programs and projects.
  • Ensure that RIMES financial management system, including project records and accounts, are maintained in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations, as well as with generally/internationally accepted accounting and finance principles and practices.
  • Regularly assess RIMES Accounting and Finance Systems for good practices and gaps, and undertake corrective actions/decisions, as necessary.
  • Guide RIMES Accounting and Finance Teams in assimilating relevant/beneficial new technologies in accounting and finance systems.

  • Lead the capacity building of existing/new staff, whether institutionally or in programs/projects, in relevant accounting and finance systems and procedures, as required.

     

Reporting to:  The Finance Management Specialist will report to the Head of the Department of Operation Support and collaborate with various program/project teams.

Duration:  The contract will initially be for one year and will be extended upon satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary term and each annual performance review.

 

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should send your application letter, resume, salary expectation and 2 references in PDF format to rimeshra@rimes.int by midnight of 5 December 2024, Bangkok time. Please state “Finance Management Specialist (Tamil Nadu India): Your Name “the Subject line of the email. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

 

Ms. Dusadee Padungkul

Head-Operational Support

Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System

AIT Campus, 58 Moo 9 Paholyothin Rd., Klong 1, 

Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 Thailand.

RIMES promotes diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Well-qualified applicants particularly women are encouraged to apply.

Open Period

-

Duty Station

RIMES Office, Tamil Nadu, India

Type of Contract

Full Time