POSITION DESCRIPTION FINANCE OPERATIONS AND ASSURANCE OFFICER

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Agency:Caritas Australia / Position Type:Full-time
37.5 hours per week
Team:Corporate Services / Position Status:Permanent
Group: Finance / Date of Approval/ Revision: Approved
July 2017
Location: Alexandria, NSW / Authorised by: Senior Manager, People &
Culture
Salary ScaleACBC Grade:4 / Position No.: TBD

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PRIMARY Purpose

TheFinancial Operations and Assurance Officer is responsible for financial assurance, third party system integration, reporting, compliance and analysis of data to identify issues and trends that support sound financial decision-making and timely implementation of strategies including corrective strategies, as required.

ORGANISATIONAL ENVIRONMENT

Caritas Australia is the Catholic agency for international humanitarian relief and development in Australia. Through effective relationships with the Church, partners and communities in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Pacific and Australia, Caritas Australia helps to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity. Our programs promote the good of every person and of the whole person, regardless of peoples, religious, political or cultural beliefs. We envisage a world in which children, women and men most vulnerable to extreme poverty and injustice are agents of their own change and architects of their own development.

Caritas Australia is an agency established under the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. Our National Office is based in Sydney and we have offices in several capital cities throughout Australia. Almost half of our staff are based overseas.

The position reports to the Senior Financial Accountantand works very closely with the Chief Financial and Operations Officer particularly in relation to budgeting and assurance issues.

In terms of Impact, this position is primarily responsible for financial assurance, analysis and reporting and for rapid response on compliance, integrity and transactional issues across Caritas Australia.

For more information about Caritas Australia go to

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

  1. Lead internal assurance processes and reporting to ensure financial compliance and sound decision-making in relation to expenditure including program expenditure in overseas locations.
  1. Undertaking data cleansing, analysis and migration of data to third party systems to ensure accuracy and seamless transactions, payroll support and related accounting functions are carried out in a timely and accurate manner.
  1. Manage and administer the ProMaster expense management system to ensure accurate and timely advances, acquittals, reimbursements.
  1. Undertake the monthly reconciliation of income and expenditure and balance sheet accounts and prepare variance analysis, in accordance with accounting and auditing standards.
  1. Manage the debtor and creditor accounts and reconciliation and maintain the Accounts Receivable Ledgers including debtor creation, receipting and invoicing in accordance with Accounting and Auditing standards invoicing.
  1. Provide Managers and staff with expert advice and guidance on transactional and financial issues relating to their areas of responsibility in order to ensure that standards are met and that accountable documents are properly prepared and maintained for audit and compliance purposes.
  1. Design and deliver financial training programs to staff on a cyclical basis to support effective management of expenditure and program budgets.
  1. Guide and support the Finance Business Partner with the Annual budgeting process and End of Financial year activities and assist with all third party software integration to the SUN finance system.
  1. Check payments for compliance with standards, procedures and delegation limits; oversee cash advances and foreign currency reconciliations; prepare and process EFT, IMT, BPAY and cheque payments; prepare travel and procurement expenditure reports; and process fortnightly accruals and provisions for annual leave and long service leave.

KEY CHALLENGES DECISION MAKING,RISK and WORK HEALTH & SAFETY

Key Challenges

  • Maintaining seamless integration of multiple Accounting systems to ensure that financial processes are undertaken in an efficient manner and that reports are accurate and reliable to enhance sound business decisions and compliance.
  • Strengthening the capacity of staff, including overseas staff, to undertake finance related activities, processes and transactions in accordance with Caritas Australia’s standards and delegation limits.
  • Meeting priorities in a high volume environment where there are often multiple deadlines.

Decision Making

Decisions which are made by the Position Holder include:

  • Prioritisation of regular tasks, design of reports, resolution of issues raised by staff and Managers, implications and actions arising from reconciliations and variance analysis.

Decisions referred to the Senior Financial Accountant include:

  • Decisions in relation to significant compliance and financial assurance issues.
  • Matters requiring a higher delegated authority.

Risk and Work Health & Safety

The Position Holder must:

  • Observe safe work practices in accordance with training and instruction provided and report any risk. Risks arising in the workplace may relate to financial, site, task or safety issues and practices.
  • Promote and implement Work Health and Safety and risk mitigation processes including identifying and reporting any hazards or safety issues within the workplace.
  • Comply with ACBC and Caritas Australia’sWork Health &Safety practices/procedures.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

WHO / WHY
Internal
Chief Financial and Operations Officer / To escalate issues as required, keep informed on work in progress, receive advice, direction and feedback.
Corporate Services team particularly Finance staff / To seek information, coordinate reconciliation and reporting activities and generally ensure that finance activities and functions are delivered in an accurate, timely and seamless manner.
Caritas Australia Managers and staff / To provide advice, guidance and training on finance matters related to their area of responsibility including transactions, records and procedures.
External
Auditors / Liaison in relation to audits issues, questions and requests for information.
Software vendors / Liaison in relation to process maps, system interface and changes.
REPORTING ARRANGEMENTS: / Reports to Senior Financial Accountant
LEVELS TO CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER / 2 x
DIRECT REPORTS: / Staffing: No direct or indirect reports
  1. An understanding of and commitment to work within the Catholic ethos.
  2. Demonstrated proficiency in the use of Microsoft programs andFinance Systems such as SUN Financials (Advance Inquiry, Journals, AR module) and ProMaster.
  3. Demonstrated competency in undertaking internal assurance and review activities within a complex not-for-profit organisation or equivalent organisation.
  4. Demonstrated proficiency in the application of Accounting and Audit standards and in process review, internal Audit and compliance.
  5. High level communication, presentation, analytical and problem solving skills.
  6. Tertiary qualifications in Accounting or a related discipline.
  7. Well-developed time and project management skills.

Additional Information

  • The successful candidate must have and maintain the right to work in Australia.
  • Ongoing appointment to this position is dependent on successful completion of a relevant Criminal History Record Check.

Acknowledgement and Acceptance

I confirm that I have read this Position Description, understand its content and agree to work in accordance with the requirements of the position. I also understand that this document is intended to provide an outline of the key responsibilities of the position and that aspects of the document may change over time.

Occupant:Manager

Print Name:______Print Name: ______

Signature:______Signature: ______

Date:______Date: ______

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