National Finance Manager

Position: Finance Manager – NATIONAL CONTRACT

Program: Strongim Bisnis and Australia Solomon Islands Partnership for Justice (ASIPJ)

Location: Honiara, Solomon Islands with provincial travel

Duration: Full-time, fixed term

Line manager and Directly report to: Team Leader, Strongim Bisnis.

Matrix managed by ASI Program Manager, and Country Program Manager, ASIPJ

Works with: Finance and Operations team members and Program teams

Background

This is a national position and requires that candidates possess the right to work in the Solomon Islands

Strongim Bisnis is an innovative pro-business program funded by the Australian Government. Strongim Bisnis supports Solomon Islands businesses to increase productivity, access greater income earning opportunities and higher value markets; with the intention of enabling greater resilience and creating jobs. Poverty reduction will be the desired result. Strongim Bisnis also supports the private sector and the Solomon Islands Government to work together effectively to increase opportunities for trade and investment and accelerate business growth. A key focus of the program ensures that Solomon Islands women, youth and people with disability have increased economic opportunities.

The program takes a market systems development (MSD) approach to unlocking opportunities for growth in selected sectors (cocoa, coconut, tourism, timber, horticulture, financial services, and waste management). MSD requires Strongim Bisnis to carefully select partnerships, and design interconnected activities that deliver tangible and measurable results. For each activity it must be possible to track progress from improving the performance of Solomon Islands enterprises, to achieving resilient systemic change in markets, and ultimately increasing income and employment. In this way, Strongim Bisnis avoids ad hoc activities and seeks deep engagement with market actors.

Position summary

The Finance Manager (FM) is primarily responsible for overseeing and managing financial functions of the Strongim Bisnis program, ensuring that DFAT funding is efficiently and accountably managed in accordance with ASI and DFAT policies and processes. The FM will manage cashflow, payroll, accounts payable, petty cash and tThe FM will line manage a team of Finance Officers (FO) and report to the Team Leader with a matrix reporting line to the ASI Program Manager.

 Duties and Reponsibilities

Financial Management  

• Management of the Strongim Bisnis bank account, cheque book, and petty cash box. Prepare the bank and petty cash reconciliation for Team Leader and ASI-Program Manager review.

• Responsible for cash flow forecasting and funds transfer requests to ensure available funds for the program.

• Processing and quality assurance of FO processing of accounts payable and responsible for overseeing the programs’ records of invoices, receipts, and documentation.

• Overseeing the withholding tax and processing payroll taxes ensuring all statutory payment and reporting requirements to the Solomon Islands Government are met.

• Effective identification of financial risks and issues with appropriate escalation and troubleshooting.

• Supporting ASI Program Manager in reporting on programs’ financial management.

Team Management

• Supporting any recruitment tasks of each program.

• Line management and performance management of FOs

• Supporting compliance with DFAT and ASI policies and procedures.

• Any other duties as identified by the SB Team Leader and /or ASI – Program Manager 

Required qualifications, experience, and attributes

The ideal candidate will possess:

• A relevant university degree or diploma with demonstrated experience in a similar role/s.

• More than five years’ progressive managerial experience in financial management, budgeting, accounts payable, procurement, logistics and operational support for businesses, government and/or donor-funded programs.

• Excellent organisational skills and competence/integrity in maintaining office records.

• Demonstrated capacity to work collegially with partner organisations and staff from a range of backgrounds.

• Strong working knowledge of MS Office programs.

• Fluency in Pijin and an excellent command of both oral and written English.

The following skills/experience would be an advantage:

• Accredited accountancy qualifications.

• Experience of the public sector in Solomon Islands.

• Experience working in businesses, government and/or donor-funded programs.

• A Solomon Islands driving license.

How to Apply

Applications should be submitted via the application link. Applications should include a one-page cover letter addressing the required qualifications, experience, and attributes, a CV of no more than four pages and the contact details of three professional referees.

Any questions should be sent to Operations@Strongimbisnis.sb.com Please use the following title: Finance Manager, Adam Smith International.

Deadline for applications is 17th February 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

This position will be recruited through Adam Smith International (ASI). ASI is committed to continually improving the diversity of our workforce through the attraction, retention, and development of a diverse range of talented people. Women and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We want people to be comfortable bringing their whole self to work and recognise that inclusion brings further opportunities for innovation and creativity.