• Work Type: Full time (24 month contract)
• Location: Melbourne, Australia

THE ORGANISATION
At MSI Reproductive Choices we are unapologetically pro-choice. We believe that every person has the right to make choices about their own body and future. As one of the world’s leading providers of contraception and safe abortion care, we give everyone the means to do so. Across 37 countries, we provide high quality, safe services, and advocate to create an enabling environment, so every client has safe access to services when and where they are needed.

MSI Asia Pacific (MSIAP) serves as the public engagement and project management office for MSI in Australia and the Asia Pacific region. We play a critical role in delivering MSI’s mission of ‘children by choice, not chance’ by supporting MSI country programs to expand access to family planning and safe abortion services.  We do this in three key ways: fundraising, project management, and advocacy.

MSI is committed to creating an inclusive environment with a workforce which is representative of the communities we serve. We’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer and give equal consideration to all qualified applicants without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or age. We are committed to promoting equality and safeguarding the welfare of all team members and clients, with a focus on vulnerable groups.
THE FUNCTION
The Corporate Services Department which consists of the Corporate Services Director, Financial Accountant and the DFAT Accreditation Advisor , plays a critical role in delivering MSI’s mission of ‘children by choice, not chance’ by supporting the MSIAP regional support office and MSI country programs to expand access to family planning and safe abortion services. The Corporate Services Department is responsible for ensuring the International Programs, External Relations and Fundraising departments are given the financial and compliance support they require.

The Corporate Services department are required to maintain strong internal controls, ensure statutory and compliance requirements are met and financial risk is monitored and mitigated. The department retains oversight of all procurement and due diligence requirements and manages the MSIAP treasury function.

The department plays a critical role in project development and management through the coordination of the project budgeting process, building financial capacity of country programs to effectively implement the project, conducting project financial monitoring and meeting all donor financial reporting requirements.

The department coordinates the annual business planning and forecasting processes and is responsible for financial reporting against business plan targets to MSIAP management and the board. The department are required to work closely with finance staff in the Africa and Asia regional teams as well as country program finance staff to ensure that all project financial and compliance requirements are adequately met.
THE ROLE
The DFAT Accreditation Advisor position reports to the Corporate Services Director but will work across all MSIAP departments to ensure that MSIAP’s compliance processes are robust and adhering to MSIAP policies and DFAT accreditation requirements. The role will also require engagement with MSI regional support teams and Country programs funded by MSIAP.

The position is primarily responsible for ensuring that MSIAP is well positioned to meet all DFAT accreditation requirements in advance of MSIAP’s next organisational assessment in 2026. The position will ensure that all policies and procedures are current, relevant and in-line with global MSI policies and DFAT accreditation requirements.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Governance and Compliance:

• Ensure MSIAP’s compliance against DFAT accreditation indicators and coordinate an internalDFAT accreditation health check
• Compile learnings and develop an action plan from the DFAT accreditation health check
• Coordinate the process for addressing action plan items and take the lead on addressing some of the action plan items
• Engage and coordinate a consultant to conduct a mock DFAT accreditation
• Participate as a member of the MSIAP Compliance working group
• Provide training to new MSIAP staff on the MSIAP compliance environment and compliance requirements

Policy and procedure maintenance:

• Maintain the policy register, coordinate the revision process of policies due for review and take the lead on updating some policies.
• Ensure learnings from the DFAT accreditation health check are incorporated into the policy review process and reflected in relevant procedures across MSIAP
• Coordinate the rollout of new policies and ensure MSIAP staff receive adequate training of new and updated policies and procedures

Due Diligence:

• Ensure due diligence processes and procedures are in line with MSIAP’s due diligence policy and DFAT accreditation requirements
• Maintain oversight of all staff and supplier vetting procedures
• Ensure that all MSI Country Programs funded by MSIAP are complying with the MSIAP due diligence policy
• Conduct training of MSIAP and MSI Country program staff on due diligence and vetting requirements

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
Qualifications:

• Educated to degree level

Experience:

• Strong knowledge and understanding of DFAT Accreditation criteria and the DFAT accreditation process
• Experience reviewing and updating organisational policies and procedures in an International NGO context
• Experience in delivering training on compliance and policy requirements
• Experience in international development and knowledge of the project management cycle

Skills:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong analytical skills.
• Excellent IT skills, including Advanced Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint.
• Ability to build relationships with a variety of stakeholders
• Proven attention to detail
• Strong planning and coordination skills
• Ability to influence stakeholders to ensure organisational timelines are met

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Passion and enthusiasm for development and/or reproductive health issues (desirable)
• Flexible attitude and team player
• Ability to operate with limited supervision
• Pro-MSI philosophy of social enterprise
• Pro-MSI philosophy of reproductive rights
• Pro-choice

MSI CORE VALUES

• Mission driven: With unwavering commitment, we exist to empower women and men to have children by choice, not chance
• Client centred: We are passionate about our clients and dedicate our efforts to delivering agreed objectives to the highest possible quality
• Accountable: We are accountable for our actions and take responsibility for everything we do to ensure long-term sustainability and increased impact
• Courageous: We recruit and nurture talented, passionate and brave people who have the courage to push boundaries, make tough decisions and challenge others in line with our mission

Contact: [email protected] using the subject line: DFAT Accreditation Advisor enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Interviews may take place sooner than the advertised closing date for suitable applicants.

MSIAP is a child-safe organisation. All successful applicants will be required to sign a Code of Conduct and undergo a police check prior to commencement.