Contract INCLUSION PROGRAM FINANCE OFFICER
Job Description
Shaping a stronger Oxfam for people living in poverty.
Job Purpose
The finance officer will be a core member or the OiP business support unit responsible for the provision of finance services to its programming in the Pacific. They will work closely with the Country Coordinator, Finance Lead and the Inclusion Programme Manager on the day to day management of financial matters of Oxfam in Vanuatu Inclusion Programme as well as Vanuatu Office Finance, and to ensure that the Inclusion Programme and the Vanuatu office maintains a high standard of budget, accounting and financial controls. The position contributes to positive communication and knowledge sharing with staff to ensure an integrated approach. It provides information for regular projects and financial reports and inputs or tracks data as required.
Context
The Gender and Inclusion program, developed as part of Oxfam in the Pacific’s suite of Inclusion Programs and specifically focussed on the context of Vanuatu, will work in ways underpinned by Oxfam’s Pacific Values and strengths-based interventions, to address systemic and gendered issues of power and a lack of equality and diversity- particularly within civil society and governance institutions in Vanuatu. It will address some critical barriers to social, economic and political participation faced by excluded and marginalised groups such as women, people with disabilities and people of diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) by resourcing organisations and networks run by and with them to challenge and change gender norms and to test and implement collective action solutions. It will work with women, men and people of diverse SOGIESC to create environments at multiple levels which enable and foster greater individual and collective agency; increase feminist leadership and creative problem solving driven by diversity; and increase the focus on accountability across Governance systems – especially with regard to community safety, sustainability and wellbeing.
This program aligns with and is responsive to Oxfam in the Pacific’s (OiP) Strategy 2020-2030. The Strategy seeks to address poor governance as both a cause and a symptom of inequality and as a problem which left unchecked, undermines other development gains through a failure to address co-indicators of inequality such as Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and inaction on Climate Change. This self-reinforcing cycle of poor governance has intersectional impacts on family, community and economic, political and cultural structures; therefore, programs developed under the Pacific Strategy will investigate and pursue transformative agendas. Programs will work particularly with civil society and to engage those who have traditionally been excluded and survived on the margins of society to increase skills, form supportive and enabling alliances, participate more fully as empowered citizens and hold duty bearers to account for their decisions and resource allocation.
Program
This five-year program (July 2020- June 2025) works towards the following ultimate change goal:
Vanuatu women, young people, People with Disabilities, people of diverse Sexual Orientation Gender Identity and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) and other excluded groups have increased power and opportunities to transform Pacific systems and institutions– championing safety, wellbeing, resilience and the urgency of a 1.5 world
The Program will work across four key areas or Program pillars. Pillar one (Civil Society) will aim to strengthen local civil society organisations (CSO’s) run by and representing diverse and marginalised people for increased autonomy and sustainability and to break down social, economic and political participation barriers for their constituent groups – undertaking communication for norm change, coordinating with collective action initiatives and exploring and testing the feasibility of income generation activities. This pillar aims to change the ways CSO’s are thinking about gender and diversity and to increase their voice and agency within larger systems and Networks in Vanuatu. The focus of Pillar two (Collective Action) will be to increase the autonomy, diversity and gender responsiveness of civil society networks in Vanuatu – ensuring that as well as planning advocacy initiatives based on the particular needs of their constituent groups, they are prioritising and strategizing together to increase the impact and success of collective action on key issues affecting the lives and lives of women and marginalised groups. Initiatives in this pillar will build trust between formal and informal sectors and governance actors and use social accountability approaches and tools to undertake evidence-based influencing and track duty bearer commitments.
Pillar three (Institutions) aims to raise the consciousness of key leadership groups and institutions within formal and informal governance institutions in Vanuatu. The focus here will be on working with (largely male) power holders to shift norms and attitudes regarding gender equality and the importance of diversity in decision making. Interventions will also build solidarity amongst current and potential feminist leaders – laying a strong foundation of support before building towards increased participation of women and feminist leaders in formal decision-making entities. The fourth pillar (Knowledge) will ensure Oxfam, its partner organisations and allies have access to data, wisdom and evidence to shift attitudes, build skills and understand and influence how change happens. This will require that Oxfam works with a variety of stakeholders to identify and investigate key knowledge gaps around the barriers and opportunities that exist for the economic, social and political participation of women and other marginalised groups and formulates strategies based on new knowledge and skills.
Our work is guided by Oxfam’s global values and by Pacific values and culture including: openness, flexibility, respect, equity, justice, solidarity, collaboration, sharing and humility. We also value local ownership and leadership of change processes.
Oxfam has embarked on a journey of self-reflection, focussing on its culture with the safeguarding being one of the key areas that the Pacific Team and Program will integrate into its ways of working to model behavioural change. The Pacific Regional Strategy speaks to the programmatic and operational direction for the new look Pacific Region given the changes.
Key Responsibilities:
- Process payments in compliance with Oxfam policies and procedures. Review and check financial supporting documentation for integrity, accuracy and completeness before transaction is approved for payment.
- Prepare donor financial reports as required by ensuring that they are accurate and of high quality and meet donor requirements; Work in coordination with the programme team across Pacific countries to ensure the effective administration and monitoring of project funds.
- Prepare monthly variance reports in donor formats and initiate re-allocation of expenditure / budgets as advised by the Programme Manager, and Finance Lead.
- Support Pacific Programmes teams with budgeting and reforecasting process.
- Perform monthly reconciliations (General Ledger, bank, suppliers).
- Responsible for input of all data into MYOB financial system, checking of expense coding and correct coding allocation of all funds received.
- Undertake banking and report on bank balances and of any discrepancies. Complete month end closing procedure and prepare country office Bulk transfer requests.
- Process fortnightly payroll, and ensure timely payroll compliance payments are made (Superannuation, Tax, etc)
- Ensure that a complete and accurate record of all petty cash transactions is always maintained, that petty cash expenditure is fully monitored and reconciled, and that requests for replenishment are made in a timely manner or as and when required.
- Ensure that OiP financial systems, policies and procedures are followed and that financial management and reporting comply with Oxfam and donor requirements.
- Manage the establishment and continuous improvement of the Vanuatu Inclusion programme financial systems and processes, in coordination with Oxfam in the Pacific, and Oxfam Australia
- Provide financial support and coaching to Oxfam staff, project managers and partners as required, to ensure timeliness, compliance and accuracy in the Vanuatu Inclusion programme financial processes
- Provide strategic financial counsel to the Inclusion Program Manager and to Project Managers in Vanuatu, ensuring they have regular, accurate and timely financial information
- Review financial acquittals, and supporting documentation submitted by partner organisations for integrity, accuracy and completeness.
- Undertake checking and reviewing of staff travel and advances, ensuring staff have completed acquittals correctly and processing of all acquittals;
- Maintain the Fixed Asset Register, and monitor movement, use and maintenance of all assets.
- Support internal and external audit process and the implementation of audit recommendations.
Human Resources
- Required to undertake job responsibilities in a manner consistent with equity, diversity, child safe and staff health and wellbeing policies and procedures.
- Monitor workload and work environment and take reasonable steps to minimise risks to self and others
Skills and Experience
- Comprehensive knowledge and a minimum of 3 years of proven experience in core financial management activities such as budgeting, forecasting, and reporting.
- Strong knowledge of major donors (ie MFAT, DFAT, UN agencies etc.) requirements and financial procedures regarding their grants.
- Sound knowledge and experience of restricted funds management and ability to work with/manage finances of multi-donor grants.
- Experience and capability in motivating and training others (both finance and non-finance) in an organisation’s and its donor’s financial policies, procedures and concepts.
Skills and Attributes
- Professional degree in accounting / finance from a reputable institute or equivalent professional qualification from a professional accounting body
- Strong numeracy skills and attention to details.
- Strong analytical and conceptual thinking skills with a proactive approach to identifying and resolving problems and suggesting improvements.
- Strong computer literacy, and proven experience of computerized accounting packages, preferably MYOB. Strong proven experience in using Excel Spreadsheets.
- Excellent activity planning, prioritization and implementation skills and commitment to deliver against agreed deadlines.
- Ability to work in demanding situations under pressure in a team independently with minimum supervision and deliver against team objectives.
- Fluency in written and spoken English and favourably in Bislama
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, influencing and persuasive skills.
- Good team player/builder and ability to manage staff.
- Willingness and ability to travel at short notice and/or to work extra hours as necessary, often in difficult circumstances.
- Commitment to the aims, objectives and organizational culture of Oxfam.
Travel
The position is based in Port Vila, Vanuatu. The role may involve some travel to program sites of implementing partners and visits to rural communities.
It is a condition of employment that staff abide by all agency security and safety protocols, policies and procedures and the Oxfam International Security Protocol.
Safeguarding
Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.
Child Safe
As an agency undertaking work both nationally and internationally and in humanitarian response, Oxfam in Vanuatu takes its duty of care seriously to safeguard children and recognises that it must meet community expectations and the trust placed in its personnel to maintain the highest standards of conduct with children. Therefore, all positions within OiV are required to comply with the Child Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct and Social Media User Policy.
This role requires Oxfam representation when occasionally visiting the field (overseas and domestic).
Other
- We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage diversity in the workplace.
- Applications from qualified Pacific Islander candidates are particularly welcome.
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