This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit

Essential knowledge

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

This includes

Social cultural and political context of relief environment

Organisation structure including formal lines of reporting and responsibility

Organisation internal politics and informal influence or power relationships

Generally accepted accounting principles

Organisations financial software

Donor organisations structure and key staff

Grant documents including contracts and standard attachments

Industry standard finance practices

Nongovernment organisation benchmarks in related areas

Cross cultural awareness and sensitivity

Team dynamics

Problem solving strategies

Organisation policies and procedures relating to issues such as

banking

budget preparation and monitoring

calculation of gift inkind values and balances

cash management

cash management

closeout under emergency conditions

currency transactions

document security

document storage

document storage and security

donor relations

emergency evacuation of personnel records and assets

end of financial year closeout

end of funding cycle closeout

end of project closeout

evaluation methodologies

financial standards

personal security

Essential skills

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to

Manage funding arrangements at a number of levels of complexity from a small scale intervention in a region with stable government and good financial and other infrastructure through to a range of multisectoral interventions involving diverse donors during a complex humanitarian emergency

Effectively interpret key donor requirements of a major external donor and a major internal donor and communicate and interpret these requirements including major differences to relevant staff

Comply with organisation and donor policies and requirements of varying levels of complexity including monitoring activities of other staff and negotiation with donors over grant amendments

Effectively determine legal requirements restrictions donor requirements financial environment constraints and prepare report with recommendations

Effectively determine or anticipate funding requirements for the fiscal year and life of projects and negotiate donor requirements

Ensure that donor requirements are met or renegotiated and communicated effectively with donors staff other finance staff and other colleagues

Effectively develop budgets and ensure core costs are covered

Effectively monitor and control expenditure and prepare reports and manage funding arrangements from multiple donors and multiple projects

Effectively communicate with key stakeholders including project partners relevant staff donors and other colleagues

In addition the candidate must be able to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include the ability to

Use appropriate communication and interpersonal techniques with colleagues and others

Work as part of a team environment to complete tasks

Identify and clearly define problems and demonstrate appropriate response procedures

Initiate new ideas or work methodologies

Accurately plan and organise work activities

Efficiently manage own responsibilities and timelines for completion of work

Demonstrate personal management including initiative self motivation and direction

Apply project management and evaluation skills

Work with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds showing sensitivity to cultural differences including

awareness and understanding of cultural differences

ability to express that awareness and understanding clearly and concisely

Communicate effectively with a wide range of different audiences

Interpret and explain complex formal documents and systems and assist others to apply them in the workplace

Prepare written advice and reports requiring reasoning and precision of expression

Use communications equipment including telephone radio satellite phone fax and email

Demonstrate adaptability and the ability to deal with ambiguous situations

Select and use appropriate technology

Apply skills in

investigation including analysis and deduction

working as part of a team

mediation and negotiation

coaching

presentation

directing and supervising others

administration

listening

negotiation

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria Required Skills and Knowledge the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this unit of competency

The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills

The application of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or realistically simulated workplace

Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices safety requirements and environmental constraints

Consistency of performance should be demonstrated over the required range of situations relevant to the workplace

The circumstantial or unsolicited testimony of project participants governments or other nongovernment organisations regarding ethical behaviour should be considered as significant evidence in relation to this unit

Assessors need to be aware of potential complexities and note that complying with donor requirements in a straightforward small scale grant situation may not provide evidence against all performance criteria within this unit

Assessors unable to assess through observation in a relief environment should particularly ensure the validity of evidence and determine with care the level of complexity at which management was undertaken

Assessment must confirm a reasonable inference that competency is able not only to be satisfied under the particular circumstance but is able to be transferred to other circumstances

Access and equity considerations

All workers in development and humanitarian assistance should be aware of access equity and human rights issues in their own area of work

All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment

In particular workers should be aware of cultural historical and current issues facing the people and culture in which they are working

Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues relating to the culture in which they are working

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit may be assessed independently however holistic assessment practice with other related units of competency is encouraged

Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge other than confirmatory questions will usually be conducted in an offsite context

Assessment must comply with relevant regulatory requirements andor standards

Resources required for assessment include access to

workplace location or simulated workplace

specifications and work instructions

policy manuals and procedure manuals international and local including sector specific finance manuals

relevant documents such as contracts records of communications with donors staff briefing notes and records

relevant equipment such as office equipment and communications equipment

managers coworkers and other finance staff

Method of assessment

Assessment needs to take into consideration the practical difficulties associated with attempting onjob assessment in the field

Assessment may be applied under project related conditions real or simulated and require evidence of process

Given the nature of this unit assessment should be supported by supplementary evidence from a wide range of sources preferably including evidence from one or more field situations

Local legislative requirements may include:

Currency transaction restrictions may include:

Concepts and principles of aid effectiveness and community development include:

Key donor requirements may include:

Local financial environmental constraints refer to:

Major differences may include:

Donors may include:

Circumstances may include:

Core costs may include:

Monitor expenditure may include:

Control expenditure involves:

Available funding may include:

Options for negotiation may include: