Finance and Development Officer

Position Number / AP005
Title / Development and Finance Officer
Classification / LE-4
Division/Post / Australian High Commission, Apia, Samoa
Reports to (title) / First Secretary - Development

About the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)

The department’s purpose is to help make Australia stronger, safer and more prosperous by promoting and protecting our interests internationally and contributing to global stability and economic growth

The department provides foreign, trade and development policy advice to the government. We work with other government agencies to ensure that Australia’s pursuit of its global, regional and bilateral interests is coordinated effectively.

The department is responsible for implementing Australia’s aid program in line with the government’s development policy, Australian aid: promoting prosperity, reducing poverty, enhancing stability, and its associated performance framework, Making Performance Count: enhancing the accountability and effectiveness of Australian aid.

About the Australian High Commission

The Australian High Commission in Apia represents the Australian Government in its engagement with Samoa.

About the Position

The Development and Finance Officer will work under general direction from the First Secretary – Development, the Senior Administrative Officer and Development Program Managers. The position plays a key role in the effective management of Australia’s aid program for Samoa, including supporting the Education Program Manager with scholarships, and assisting with the humanitarian and disaster management program.

The position will also back-up the Office Manager, particularly with respect to financial management, and may undertake other Australian High Commission priorities as they arise.

The Development and Finance Officer will take personal responsibility for meeting work objectives and progressing work tasks. Independent judgement is required for to day-to-day operations and employees are expected to set own priorities and manage and monitor workflow under general direction. The position requires someone with effective written and spoken English and Samoan language skills and a good eye for detail, excellent particularly where it comes to monitoring and reporting financial information.

The key responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to:

  • Assist in the delivery of aid investments under the direction of development program managers.
  • Perform basic research and analysis to support aid investment decisions.
  • Assist development team members to keep abreast of legislative changes and changes in aid policies.
  • Assist with monitoring the Australian bilateral aid budget to Samoa.
  • Assist with aid quality checks.
  • Provide scholarships and alumni engagement support to the Education Program Manager, including:
  • maintaining accurate data on DFAT’s online Australia Awards Information Systems (OASIS) and the Global Alumni Network;
  • producing scholarship reports;
  • maintaining funding arrangements and providing administrative support with scholarship program and alumni engagement activities.
  • When required, attending disaster management meetings and communicating outcomes to Australia-based staff.
  • Under Finance Manager’s supervision, preparing financial estimates, maintaining financial records and monitoring expenditure.
  • Assisting with procurement and contract management, and undertaking straightforward tendering processing.
  • Providing back-up to Office Manager with processing accounts processingthrough DFAT’s finance system (SAP).

Qualifications/Experience

  • Sound written and spoken English and Samoan language skills.
  • Advanced computer literacy with proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
  • Proven capacity to adapt to and implement change, demonstrating innovative approaches.
  • Sound ability to analyse, interpret and make sound judgements.
  • Desirable: Experience in program management, financial management, contract management and/or monitoring and evaluation.
  • Desirable: tertiary qualifications in a field relevant to the position.