Head, Finance and Operations

BACKGROUND:

Grow Asia was established by the World Economic Forum in 2015 in collaboration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in response to the urgent need to transform food systems to be more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient to climate change. As a multi-stakeholder platform, Grow Asia works with more than 650 global and regional partners to broker market driven solutions across Southeast Asia. We do this by convening leading decision makers from public, private, and civil society organizations, mobilizing partnerships and finance, and delivering best practice through the implementation of collaborative public-private projects at a field-, national-, and regional level.

The Grow Asia network comprises our regional office in Singapore and five country chapters in Cambodia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Viet Nam. The network operates through 44 national and sectoral Working Groups and is already reaching more than 2.9 million smallholders across Southeast Asia with technical assistance and blended finance solutions. In 2020, Grow Asia was accredited as an Entity Associated with ASEAN. This accreditation recognizes the important role Grow Asia plays in the region, particularly in facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships and acting as a delivery mechanism for ASEAN programs.

THE ROLE:

Grow Asia is seeking an experienced finance leader to help us deliver impact at scale by strengthening financial and operational excellence and coordinating the strategic mobilization of grants and human resources.

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Head of Finance and Operations will be responsible for operational and financial planning, grant management, and financial compliance at a regional and country level to ensure effective coordination of grants and blended resources across Grow Asia’s four Public-Private Programs – GrowVentures, GrowHer, GrowRight, and Growbeyond.

We are looking for an independent thinker and hands-on problem solver, with a strong sense of self-motivation, who thrives in a highly collaborative, dynamic team environment. The successful candidate should bring experience in coordinating complex projects and financial management to deliver joined-up solutions across multiple disciplines, countries, and teams while working in a multi-stakeholder, matrixed environment.

RESPONSIBILITIES include but are not limited to:

Finance and Operations

• Lead the Finance and Operations Department, acting as Grow Asia’s financial controller, providing day-to-day oversight for all financial and operational requirements in adherence to relevant regulations and policies.
• Work with the Executive Director and other Heads of Departments to assess the operational needs of the Grow Asia network and translate the organization’s strategic vision into operational solutions.
• Oversee annual business planning, operational excellence, human and financial resources, and monthly and annual reporting.
• Put in place an organization risk register to highlight and mitigate financial exposures and non-compliance as part of a strengthened internal audit function
• Oversee expenditures and spending rates with relevant teams to update financial projections and make any necessary revisions.
• Oversee proactive collection of donor receivables or settlement of donor payables in a timely manner.
• Collaborate with senior staff to create and maintain systems for efficient and transparent capture of program data for timely and informative internal and external reporting

Grant Management and Compliance

• Monitor and oversee the life cycle of grants and matching contributions under GrowVentures, GrowHer, GrowRight and GrowBeyond
• Work with the Head of Programs and Head of Partnerships to ensure efficient and timely deployment of resources to programs and countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Viet Nam)
• Put in place systems and processes to monitor and evaluate progress in meeting operational goals.
• Support the prioritization of grant applications, onboarding of new donors, financial due diligence, and timely submission of concept notes, funding proposals, and donor reports and audits.
• Oversee budget planning and financial reporting for individual donors and where appropriate, provide contractual and compliance-related information to partners

Organization and Team Leadership

• Guide and facilitate the scale up of human capacity and capability to accommodate new programs and country chapters in line with organizational growth.
• Recruit and manage a small team of Finance, HR and Operations staff and guide them in managing tools and trackers to ensure that in-country programs and field-level implementation adhere to requirements and expectations of donors and partners
• Oversee maintenance of the Employee Handbook and ensure that policies are well communicated and implemented by hiring managers
• Supervise, coach, and collaborate with regional and country staff to ensure programmatic and team success, as well as to support the team’s ongoing professional development and growth
• Work closely with the Head of Partnerships to support operations in Cambodia, Philippines, and Viet Nam, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea
• Support the Executive Director in optimizing cross-departmental knowledge flow, challenge silos, and be a champion for matrixed projects.
• Work with external vendors to coordinate optimal talent acquisition and ensure that recruitment processes adhere to Grow Asia’s diversity and inclusion commitments
• Coordinate the onboarding of new staff, including but not limited to contract completion, application for visas, collection of references, and management of IT processes and compliance.
• Contribute to the smooth running of governance meetings and annual events, including but not limited to Grow Asia Governance Councils and the Grow Asia Investment Forum
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence
• Represent Grow Asia at external events and cultivate relationships with donors and partners
• Lead and participate in global and regional calls and donor meetings, as needed

THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT:

• Masters’ degree in a discipline related to the position (business, finance, International Development, or equivalent)
• A minimum of 15 years work experience in increasingly senior roles, ideally in a multi-country leadership role focused on climate change and/or sustainable finance in food and agriculture (spanning corporate, non-profit, and/or consulting roles)
• Experience in grant management, strategic design, execution, and oversight of multi-country programs
• Strong team leadership experience and skills, with proven success and ability to manage diverse teams, budgets, and operations across complex, low income geographies
• Excellent written and oral communications skills, with fluency in spoken and written English and, ideally, one other Southeast Asian language
• Excellent attention to detail
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively interface at all levels of seniority both internally and with our partners in the public, private, and civil society space
• High level of integrity and commitment to socio-economic development and food systems transformation
• Emotional maturity, patience, curiosity, and a sustained willingness to change one’s mind
• Forward-looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions

Location: Singapore

Travel requirement: Up to 30%, mainly within Southeast Asia

Start date: Immediate

WHAT’S ON OFFER:

In addition to a competitive salary in the range of SGD12-14K per month, this role provides a unique opportunity to (1) develop your capabilities and broaden your skill set in an organization that supports continuous growth, (2) work with a highly motivated, collaborative, efficient and compassionate team that also values autonomy, (3) be part of a dynamic, well-respected and credible entity in Southeast Asia, (4) connect with the World Economic Forum and its Food Action Alliance, participating in the global agenda on food security and agricultural development, and (5) contribute to social, economic and environmental progress in Southeast Asia and beyond.