Regional Manager, Finance & Operations

Grow Asia was established by the World Economic Forum in 2015 in collaboration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in response to the urgent need to transform food systems to be more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient to climate change. As a multi-stakeholder platform, Grow Asia works with more than 700 global and regional partners to broker market-driven solutions across Southeast Asia. We do this by convening leading decision makers from public, private, and civil society organizations, mobilizing partnerships and funding models, and delivering best practices through the implementation of collaborative public-private projects at a field-, national-, and regional level.

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The Grow Asia network comprises our regional office in Singapore and five country chapters in Cambodia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Viet Nam. The network operates through 44 national and sectoral Working Groups and is already reaching over 3.4 million smallholders across Southeast Asia with market-led solutions. In 2020, Grow Asia was accredited as an Entity Associated with ASEAN. This accreditation recognizes the important role Grow Asia plays in the region, particularly in facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships and acting as a delivery mechanism for ASEAN Technical Assistance.

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As their work continues to expand, Grow Asia is seeking to appoint a talented and seasoned all-rounder to join their team in Singapore as Regional Manager, Finance & Operations.

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The Role:

This new position is critical to ensuring the smooth financial operation of the Regional Secretariat team in Singapore, and the ongoing development of our dynamic and well-connected regional network.

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The Regional Manager, Finance & Operations supports Grow Asia's finance, budgeting, and management functions. Responsibilities include drafting and updating project budgets and expenditures, monthly financial reporting, contract drafting, review, and modifications. The position is responsible for ensuring Grow Asia's and donors' policies, procedures, and legal requirements are followed throughout the contracting process. The position will also play an important role in the management and tracking of grant budgets and will support Grow Asia's Programs teams in preparing, reviewing, and submitting documentation relating to sub-grants, and providing support to business development functions, including reviewing solicitations, costing/pricing for proposals, and drafting of proposal budgets and notes. This role reports to Grow Asia's Head, Finance and Operations

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We seek a highly motivated, organized, and experienced all-rounder for this critical role.

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Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

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Financial Management and Reporting

• Maintain monthly finance processes, including closing process, reconciliations, internal reporting, and ensuring external reporting deadlines are met

• Preparing departmental budgets by working with relevant teams and consolidating budgets into annual or quarterly budget pipelines.

• Review expenditures and spending rates with relevant teams to update financial projections and make any necessary revisions.

• Oversee, advise and support regional finance functions

• Highlighting financial exposures and non-compliance to senior management and supporting the internal audit function

• Monitoring and providing appropriate follow-up actions for collection of donor receivables or settlement of donor payables in a timely manner.

• Processing invoices, including third-party suppliers.

• Managing travel claims and expenses in accordance with Grow Asia policies.

• Maintaining proper documentation and filing systems.

• Coordinating training for non-finance staff to encourage awareness of proper budget management.

• Leading and supporting in coordination with Head of Finance & Operations in preparation of internal and external audits, preparing audit responses, and ensuring implementation of accepted recommendations

• Adhoc projects as needed and additional duties as assigned

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Grants and Contracts Management

• Reviewing grants, sub-grants, and associated contracts/agreements, staying updated on changes in donor and investor regulations, and ensuring that staff are aware of associated donor regulations, including reporting requirements.

• Maintaining a cost allocation table for grant and departmental expenditure

• Maintaining appropriate records of grants and contracts in compliance with Grow Asia's and donor retention policy and procedures.

• Maintaining a donor/investor reporting schedule and working with project teams to ensure the quality and timeliness of all donor report submissions, particularly donor financial reports.

• Working with Program teams or budget holders to be aware of and provide donor-specific requirements for the financial reports.

• Supporting the Program team as appropriate in the preparation of donor/investor reports and communications.

• Reconciling income against expenditures on the grants on a regular basis.

• Acting as a resource on grant compliance issues related to donor requirements. e.g., rules for expenditure eligibility, procurement etc

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HR Management

• Oversee personnel administration, recruitment processes, contracting and induction for staff and consultants locally and at a regional level

• Oversee the training of new staff in key administrative policies and in the local office and regional offices

• Develop, analyse the effectiveness of and ensure alignment of HR policies and tools

• Develop, with the Head of Finance and Operations, talent acquisition strategies to build strong pipelines for future hiring needs

• Oversee the preparation of payroll, process salaries for local employees, pay and submit all statutory deductions as required by local law, including taxes

• Oversee the payroll verification across regional offices

• Follow-up on employee's annual Appraisal reports and consolidation of recommendations for review with the Executive Director

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Administration

• Support logistical arrangements for meetings and events for the regional office

• Plan, organize and book travel arrangements, workshops, and meetings, including liaising with internal and/or external parties involved

• Creating and maintaining organisational culture and office organization such as all paperwork and documents, physically and digitally, healthy working office environment, office supply management, IT system etc.)

• Process and ensure all procurement processes comply with Grow Asia policies, donors, and country laws according to project needs and budget

• Managing asset registration (record, monitor, tracking inventories, disposal, etc.) in accordance with established procedures

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The Successful Applicant:

• Holds a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in finance, accounting, or business administration function.

• 6-10 years of working experience, including experience managing and administering non-profit grants and budgets in a multi-country context.

• Demonstrated understanding of contractual, legal and financial matters in relation to donor-funded projects.

• Strong organizational skills that reflect the ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail.

• Strong business acumen with the ability to synthesize key themes and deliverables from objectives and strategies defined by senior management.

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including verbal and written communication, negotiation, cross-team project management, and consensus-building.

• Highly resourceful team player with the ability to be effective independently.

• Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion

• Be adaptable to various competing demands and demonstrate the highest level of service and response.

• Emotional maturity, patience, curiosity, empathy, and a sustained willingness to broaden your horizons

• Strong interest in global issues and sustainability.

• Fluency in English, and proficiency in an additional Asian language(s) is an advantage.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; knowledge of financial management systems, particularly Quickbooks.

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Location: Singapore

Travel requirement: 10% of the time

Salary: Competitive

Start date: Immediate

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What's On Offer:

In addition to a competitive salary, this role provides a unique opportunity to (1) develop your capabilities and broaden your skill set in an organization that supports continuous growth, (2) work with a highly motivated, collaborative, efficient, and compassionate team that also values autonomy, (3) be part of a dynamic, well-respected and credible entity in Southeast Asia, (4) connect with the World Economic Forum and its Food Action Alliance and participate in the global agenda on food security and agricultural development, and (5) contribute to social, economic and environmental progress in Southeast Asia and beyond.

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How to Apply:

Please apply directly at the link above.

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As a multi-stakeholder platform, we believe all voices matter and actively seek to bring them to the table. Aligned with this ethos, Grow Asia is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or gender identity.