Finance Officer - The Swallows India Bangladesh (Apply by: 25th Oct'14)

JOB DESCRIPTION

Finance Officer, The Swallows India Bangladesh, Bangalore

1. POSITION VACANT: Finance Officer (FO), The Swallows India Bangladesh, Bangalore

2. BACKGROUND: The Swallows India Bangladesh (SIB) was formed in 1959 and started working in India in 1962. SIB is a member of the International Emmaus Movement. The vision of the organization is a just world, free from poverty, where people with power to influence their own lives, live in solidarity with each other and in a sustainable relationship with nature.

SIB’s mission is to work with and promote sustainable development through partnerships with local organisations in India and Bangladesh. SIBemploys a rights based approach to improve living conditions and support NGOs in India and Bangladesh, working in rural development with a focus on environment, natural resources and livelihoods. SIB has a power perspective on work and supports marginalized groups such as Dalits, Adivasis and women, in their struggle for their rights.

SIB aims at being a non-hierarchical workplace and promotes gender equality and equal opportunities for marginalized groups.

SIB has started supporting more holistic programmes, focusing on Forest Rights for Adivasis, Food Sovereignty, Dalit Rights and Environment/ Livelihood. The planning process for these programmes took place in 2010 and the programmes were further developed, together with their partners in 2011.

SIB is a small non-governmental organization and has no affiliation to any political party or religious denomination.

Please visit http://svalorna.org/english/  to learn more about SIB.

3. JOB DESCRIPTION/ RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reporting to the India Office Director, the Finance Officer shall be responsible for accounting and financial management, as well as administrative matters.

Key Job Responsibilities:

(1) Looking after general accounting practices such as preparing journal entries, maintaining balance sheet schedules, ledgers, account and bank reconciliations, preparing monthly closing and monthly/ annual financial statements/ results;
(2) Ensuring effective financial management of SIB, including preparing of budgets and periodic reports;
(3) Establishing and monitoring the implementation and maintenance of accounting control procedures forIndia Office (IO) and for partner organizations;
(4) Ensuring legal compliances in relation to Income Tax and other applicable legislations;
(5) Supporting programme by providing inputs in relation to budgets and costs;
(6) Carrying out periodic field visits to partner organizations for assessing financial management systems and legal compliance;
(7) Developing and maintaining a financial data base and reporting formats, both for IO and partner organizations and following-up on partner organizations’ budgets and use of funds;
(8) Ensuring quality and timely receipt of financial reports from partners and consolidating and analyzing these reports;
(9) Preparing for Financial Audit and assisting in the coordination of the audit process;
(10) Conducting independent analysis of audited and un-audited financial reports submitted by partners and financial statements of IO;
(11) Working in close contact and dialogue with partners in India and with the SIB office in Sweden, for reporting back financial documentation;
(12) Developing capacity building programmes for partners on financial management and internal systems and controls;
(13) Assisting in designing capacity building programmes for partner organisations in India;
(14) Supporting the India Office in logistics and administration;
(15) Ensuring maintenance of the India Office;
(16) Preparing documents for government authorities;
(17) Facilitating compliance with international systems of audit.

4. QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES: 

Qualification:
Applicants must be Masters in Economics/ Financial Management.

Experience:
(1) At least three years experience in independently handling budgets, financial management and book keeping, with thorough knowledge of accounting software (Tally);
(2) At least three years experience of administrative work and contact with regulatory authorities dealing with liaison offices;
(3) Prior experience of working with I/NGO, specifically in areas concerning issues of poverty/ justice/ livelihood/ environment/ natural resources, is desirable;
(4) Prior experience in designing and conducting training courses in financial management will be considered an advantage;
(5) Prior experience of working with rights based approach;
(6) Prior experience of working with marginalized groups, such as Dalits, Adivasis and Women;
(7) Prior experience in monitoring budgets, spending and accounting systems of partner organisations, preferably for a donor organization.

Skills and Competencies:
(1) Attended training by MANGO (an organisation that provides specialized training and tools for NGOs on financial management);
(2) Proficiency in MS Office applications;
(3) Excellent oral and written communication skills;
(4) The position requires frequent travel within India as well as to Bangladesh and Sweden and willingness to adopt flexible working hours.

Please note that Bangalore based candidates shall be at an advantage.

5. COMPENSATION OFFERED:

The gross remuneration budgeted for this position ranges from Rs. 5.40 to 6 lacs per annum. Offers shall be commensurate with the qualifications, experience and salary history, of the selected candidate.

6. LOCATION: Bangalore

7. REFERENCE: FO-SIB

8. CONTACT INFORMATION:

Senior Consultant
Strategic Alliance Management Services P Ltd.
1/1B, Choudhary Hetram House, Bharat Nagar
New Friends Colony, New Delhi 110 025 
Phones: 011-2684-2162; 011-4165-3612; 011-4101-1564 and 011-4101-1565
Email: fo-sib@sams.co.in 

9. LAST DATE FOR APPLICATIONS:

Eligible candidates interested in this position are requested apply to fo-sib@sams.co.in with a cover letter, discussing their interest in and suitability for the position, along with an updated resume, giving details of three references, current cost to organization and expected compensation, by or before October 25, 2014. For further details please visit www.sams.co.in.