Job Title: Financial Management Specialist (FMS)
Reports to: Grants and Compliance Manager
Position Type: Short Term Adviser/Mid-level (Indonesian national)
Duration/Level of Effort: Up to 12 months from April 2024 to March 2025 (with
possibility of extension). Maximum LOE 120 days per year
Location: Jakarta, Indonesia
Background
The DFAT-funded Knowledge Partnership Platform (KONEKSI) is Australia’s flagship program in the Indonesia knowledge and innovation sector. KONEKSI’s goal is to achieve an enduring relationship between Indonesia and Australia that advances mutual interest and supports Indonesia’s inclusive and sustainable development.
The purpose of the program is to increase the use of knowledge-based solutions for inclusive and sustainable policies and technologies. This purpose positions KONEKSI as a vehicle to produce knowledge on complex socio-economic problems, where effective solutions are often beyond a unique sector or category of stakeholders. Knowledge produced though KONEKSI will feed into current Government of Australia (GoA) supported initiatives in Indonesia and /or will reflect new emerging agendas/priorities that become relevant for the bilateral cooperation in the years to come. It will support both the knowledge to policy cycle (K2P) and the knowledge to innovation cycle (K2I), in a complementary and synergistic way. KONEKSI will focus on two End of Investment Outcomes (EOIOs):
- Australian and Indonesian organisations have increased collaboration and mutual understanding through knowledge partnerships; and
- Innovative solutions for inclusive and sustainable policies and technologies are generated by knowledge partnerships.
To support the achievement of the two outcomes, a key activity of KONEKSI is delivering grants mechanisms to incentivise collaborative research by Indonesian and Australian knowledge organisations drawn from academia, government, and private sector on areas of mutual interest and priority.
Collaborative research grants are a critical part of KONEKSI, through which KONEKSI funds and supports partnerships between Australian and Indonesian knowledge organisations to conduct and disseminate high-quality, multidisciplinary applied research on complex socio-economic problems that reflect mutual priorities and interests. KONEKSI released the first batch of research grants in the area of Environmental and Climate Change in June 2023 to thirty-eight research organisations, all selected through a highly competitive process. KONEKSI is currently conducting the second round of Call for Proposals to select potential partners to conduct research in a different area, which will be followed by a Joint Call for Proposals with the Government of Indonesia.
Summary of the Position
As KONEKSI expands its collaboration with an increasing number of partners, with varying levels of capacity in managing grant funds, it becomes imperative to actively mitigate the risks associated with awarding grants to ensure the integrity and effectiveness of grant utilisation. The most apparent risks identified are fraud and misappropriation of funds.
To address these risks, safeguarding the GOA’s investments, and maintaining trust with all stakeholders, KONEKSI has implemented several action plans. A crucial component of these plans is conducting field visits to the lead grantees’ management offices. These visits serve a dual purpose:
- Risk prevention, investigation, and correction measurement
By assessing partners’ capacity in financial management, including areas such as budget planning, accounting records, financial reporting, internal control, staff capacity, and grant management, KONEKSI can prevent potential risks and offer support to improve partner’s capacities. Effective implementation of these components is a requirement for any organisation funded by KONEKSI. These visits also provide an opportunity to investigate any signs of fraud or fund misappropriation. If any discrepancies are found, corrective measures can be taken promptly.
- Capacity building
In addition to risk management, these visits are intended to provide ongoing support for selected partners to improve their financial management practices. This not only mitigates risks but also strengthens the overall capacity of the grantees including their financial management. Improvement refers to the various elements or variables that influence the effectiveness of the use of KONEKSI grants.
The KONEKSI Grants Team is responsible for leading and conducting the field visits. However, due to resource limitations and competing priorities of the team, KONEKSI is seeking to engage two Financial Management Specialists (FMSs) to assist with this task. The FMSs will support the Grants and Compliance Manager in providing a comprehensive assessment of selected partners’ financial management practices and offering technical assistance to improve their financial management practices.
Key Responsibilities
- Review and become familiar with the relevant documents provided by KONEKSI including Grant Manual, Grant Guidelines, Financial Guidelines, Grant Agreement, DFAT Fraud Control Toolkit, and KONEKSI Fraud Risk Assessment, which will serve as references for developing assessment and technical assistance plans for partners.
- Conduct field visits to the lead partners’ management office to:
- assess and examine their financial management capacities, which include budgeting, accounting records, financial reporting, operating practices, internal control procedures, staff capacity, and grant management.
- review partners financial transactions to ensure they are conducted in accordance with partners’ own policies, regulations, and standard operating procedures.
- review partners financial transactions to identify potential or occurrence of irregularities, fraud, or misappropriation of funds.
- assist in conducting thorough investigations upon identification of fraud occurrences.
- provide technical assistance to improve partners’ capacities in financial management practices, internal control mechanism, and development of a fraud control strategy.
- Develop a report on each field visit conducted, which include findings, actions implemented and recommendations.
Deliverables
- A report summarising key points and insights gained from reviewing the documents provided by KONEKSI.
- A detailed plan of field visit which include assessment of essential elements in financial management, review of financial transactions, and technical assistance for partners.
- A detailed report of each field visit conducted, which include findings, actions implemented and recommendations.
Job Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting or financial management.
- At least five years of experience in a similar role or in financial management.
- Significant experience as an auditor or financial controller is preferred.
- Excellent understanding of good financial management practices and fraud control strategies.
- Hands-on experience in reviewing financial transactions and fraud investigations.
- Experience in the development sector, especially in programs funded by donors, is a plus.
- Able to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Able to conduct extensive travel across Indonesia.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Teams, others).
- Good communication and interpersonal skills.
Language proficiency
Bahasa Indonesia with English proficiency is highly desired.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications should be sent to KONEKSI by email to: [email protected], by 5 March 2024 COB (05.00 PM, Western Indonesia Time)
- Please write “KONEKSI – FMS – ( Name )” in the email subject line.
- women, people with disabilities, and people from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer, basing employment on merit and qualifications as they relate to professional experience and position expectations. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other basis protected by law.
We thank all applicants, however only those shortlisted will be contacted.