Finance Officer

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) invites applications for a Finance Officer to join our dedicated and talented team in Davao City, Philippines on our mission to create business solutions to poverty!

MEDA’s work is built on a foundation of Mennonite business roots and faith-based values, within the global context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We believe business solutions are effective interventions to address poverty. Through a market-systems approach and strategic partnerships, MEDA enables access to finance and provides business and technical expertise to build transformative agri-food market systems that create decent jobs, allowing traditionally excluded groups to become active participants in a sustainable economy. MEDA welcomes all who share our values and want to join us in our mission. To find out more about MEDA, please visit our website at www.meda.org.

PROJECT SUMMARY

The five-year initiative, Resilience and Inclusion through Investment for Sustainable Agrikultura (RIISA), strives for more resilient and inclusive economic growth for women and men cacao smallholder farmers (SHFs), including religious and ethnic minorities, in Mindanao, Philippines, from strengthened cacao market systems supported by investment. With a focus on Davao region and exposure to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), RIISA responds to multiple challenges in the Philippines cacao sector and draws on MEDA’s experience in market systems development (MSD), Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) business support, gender lens investing (GLI), gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), and environment and climate change (ECC). RIISA will address sectoral constraints by piloting an innovative market systems approach that identifies cacao market system gaps, mobilizes investment capital, and strengthens local capacity; as well as strategically gathering learnings that can be replicated to strengthen the cacao sector’s enabling environment.

With support from the Government of Canada, MEDA is implementing Resilience and Inclusion through Investment for Sustainable Agrikultura (RIISA). This project aims to support inclusive economic opportunities in the poor, rural areas of Mindanao (Davao Region and BARRM areas), in the Philippines. Aligned with the Government of the Philippines’ post-coronavirus (COVID-19) recovery response, this project works to increase the productivity of cacao farms and enterprises, particularly those led by women, while promoting gender equality and resiliency in communities vulnerable to conflict and climate change.

RIISA will address cacao SHFs socio-economic challenges while contributing to market systems resilience (MSR) by:

1. Mobilizing gendered Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) focused investment for cacao sector small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and financial intermediaries (FIs).
2. Strengthening the capacity on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and human rights (HR), and Environment and Climate Change (ECC), of local business service providers (BSPs) to deliver better services and products to cacao SMEs and cooperatives.
3. Strengthening the capacity of cacao cooperatives and smallholder farmers (SHFs) for environmentally sustainable and inclusive farming and business practices.
4. Improving the key enabling environment actors’ awareness of gendered Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices in the cacao market system. MEDA expects that RIISA’s investment and TA will directly benefit more than 5,400 SHFs (40% women), while indirectly impacting more than 30,000 members of cacao SHF households, employees of cacao SMEs and cooperative members.
5. MEDA expects to have positive impacts in the wider investment and market system enabling environment through the project’s Strategic Learning Agenda (SLA).

POSITION SUMMARY

The Finance Office will support the Finance Manager in the office level expenditures and ensure that MEDA financial policy is appropriately implemented. This will include ensuring the completeness and validity of documentation for every financial transaction. He/she will see to it that recording and recordkeeping is maintained appropriately and the establishment of appropriate filing systems and document retention policy is complied with.

• Job Status:  Full-time Contract

• Anticipated Start Date: February 2023

• Location: Davao City, Philippines

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

Accounting for Financial Transactions and Financial Reporting

• Assist the Finance Manager to ensure that the general accounting functions are completed on a timely basis

• Ensure proper coding and classification expenses as per the approved budget.

• Preparation of appropriate vouchers including correct accounting entries

• Timely recording and uploading of financial transactions into MEDA’s accounting software

• Undertake MEDA’s accounting software financial processes, journal entries, end month closure processes such as but not limited to bank reconciliation, fixed assets depreciation, etc.

• Assist in preparing the monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports including various schedules to the balances in the financial statements

• Prepare inter office charges and entries.

• Support in monitoring of budgets and variances

• Review office petty cash expenses and supporting documents for approval, budget, reasonability, and compliance

• Process payments and ensure appropriate approvals and signing authorities are observed.

• Assist in management of staff advances.

• Perform the roles of “Maker” for the online banking facility such as but not limited to monthly payroll, etc.

• Ensure periodic filing of financial documents such as vouchers and supporting documents and manage them to facilitate efficient retrieval.

Internal Controls and Risk Management

• Support the Finance Manager and technical staff to ensure that MEDA’s rules and regulations are followed in a timely manner
• Assist to identify and address risk areas and implement measures to minimize the risk of irregularities, based on corporate and regional compliance and audit standards for MEDA.

Compliance with Policies and Regulatory Bodies

• Support the Finance Manager to ensure compliance with MEDA’s financial policies, adherence to national and local government laws, including financial reporting, tax, labor, and proper registration with all relevant authorities as required.
• Assist the Finance Manager in carrying out tasks for external/internal audit such as provision of requested financial documents.

Any other duties and/or requirements as assigned

REQUIREMENTS

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Management Accounting or another relevant field

Experience: At least 3 years’ experience in accounting, finance and sub-grant management with international projects

Additional Qualifications:

• Appreciation and support of MEDA’s Mission vision and values.
• Understanding and appreciation of business principles, international development, and MEDA’s approach to creating business solutions to poverty.
• Experience with development program start-up is preferred.
• Demonstrated donor relations reporting, relationship management and ability to monitor grants.
• Excellent report writing and review skills.
• Prior work experience in Philippines or similar country context is preferred.
• Legally able to work in Philippines.

Technical Competencies:

• Strong grants and contracts management, financial management and audit skills
• Knowledge of Global Affairs Canada regulations, systems and procedures for managing grants programs.
• Knowledge in financial systems software, above-average computer skills

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis when received. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. Only successful applicants will be contacted.

MEDA is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to creating an inclusive and diverse environment of mutual respect_. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities are available during all phases of the recruitment process. We ask that any applicants requiring such accommodation make their needs known in advance._