Basel II and Risk-Based Supervision Specaislists

Job Description

Basel II and Risk-Based Supervision Specialists

Cowater International Inc. is a well-established international development and management consulting firm based in Ottawa, Canada with experience in 60 countries worldwide. More information about the firm may be obtained at www.cowater.com.

Cowater currently is recruiting for a long-term, Bank Supervision Specialist, with expertise in Basel II implementation, and a Bank Risk- Based Supervision Specialist for an ongoing project in Vietnam. The objective of the project is to provide support to the State Bank of Vietnam in strengthening its bank regulation and supervision practices, in line with international standards, and including implementation of the Basel II capital adequacy framework. Cowater has been selected as the Executing Agency for the project. Key expected outputs of the project include:

• The provision of technical assistance to Banking Supervision Agency (BSA) staff in assessing, drafting, and revising bank regulations and licensing procedures, moving toward international standards and in conformity with the new Vietnamese legal context;
• The provision of technical assistance to BSA in developing and operationalizing risk-based banking supervisory procedures, tools and systems;
• The provision of technical assistance to BSA in implementing Basel II;
• The provision of technical assistance to BSA and selected State Bank of Vietnam departments relating to organizational change to support the implementation and maintenance of international standards in bank supervision.

Basel II Bank Supervision Specialist

• Bachelor’s degree in financial management or other relevant field
• Relevant professional designation in any one of the following areas: accounting (e.g., CA, CGA, CMA), financial analysis (e.g., CFA), or financial risk management
• At least 5 years in supervising, examining or auditing credit institutions
• At least 5 years implementing Basel II requirements
• A breadth of experience in financial sector regulation
• Experience leading teams of technical specialists
• Demonstrated ability to recruit specialized local and international short-term consultants, and monitor their work performance
• Experience integrating gender issues in Basel II sub activities
• Experience working in low- or middle-income countries, preferably in Asia

Bank Risk-based Supervision Specialist

• Bachelor’s degree in financial management or other relevant field
• Relevant professional designation in any one of the following areas: accounting (e.g., CA, CGA, CMA), financial analysis (e.g., CFA), or financial risk management
• At least 5 years in supervising, examining or auditing credit institutions
• At least 5years in implementing risk-based procedures and approaches
• A breadth of experience in financial sector regulation
• Proven up-to-date knowledge regarding risk-based supervision including international and regional trends
• Experience leading teams of technical specialists
• Experience integrating gender issues in risk-based supervision sub-activities
• Experience working in low- or middle-income countries, preferably in Asia

Candidates are invited to submit their resume to slowell@cowater.com with the subject line “Bank Risk-based Supervision Specialist” or “Basel II Bank Supervision Specialist” by Friday, October 18, 2013. We thank all those who apply but only those shortlisted will be contacted.

About the Organization

Cowater International Inc. is a private Canadian consulting company established in 1985, specializing in international development. Cowater possesses a broad multidisciplinary capacity with a staff that includes engineers, institutional and financial experts, social scientists, and project managers. Cowater works primarily on projects financed by international funding agencies – the World Bank, African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, Caribbean Development Bank, United Nations Agencies, the Department for International Development (DFID), and the Canadian InternationalDevelopment Agency (CIDA) – but it also works directly with the governments of developing countries, the private sector and civil society. In Asia specifically, Cowater has completed more than thirty development projects – including two very successful assignments in the Philippines.

Cowater is a dynamic company which, during its 28-year history, has grown from three original partners to 41 headquarters employees and more than 400 project staff overseas. The company has permanent subsidiary operations in South Africa (Cowater-CRG (Pty) Ltd.) and the United States (Cowater Alaska).

Cowater offers services at the policy, program and project levels, developing and managing major projects as well as undertaking studies, sector reviews, evaluations, and training and communications activities. We emphasize human, community and institutional capacity building using a structured approach to change, which links our technical expertise to the needs of our clients. We strongly believe in participatory approaches to development, which encourages stakeholder “buy-in” and ensures sustainability.

The company specializes in five main sectors:

• water supply, sanitation and environment;
• social development;
• accounting, auditing and financial management;
• financial institutions; and
• municipal services and enterprise development.

Water, Sanitation and Environment Group

Cowater’s Water, Sanitation and Environment Group focuses on the planning and provision of accessible potable water, good hygiene, sustainable sanitation, and a liveable environment as essential requirements of health, productivity and a good quality of life. Our focus is on project implementation and the capacity building of institutions, community organizations and people, as well as appropriate affordable technology. We incorporate government, non-government and private sector institutions into our project designs, and put great emphasis on involving the beneficiary community in project and program planning and decision-making. The community is assisted to operate and maintain the facilities through training and the establishment of community-based management structures.

Cowater also works closely with governments to assist in institutional strengthening and reform, planning for both the rural and urban sectors, setting of tariffs, cost recovery and water resources management. We also work with private businesses to provide them with opportunities to supply sustainable and competitively-priced goods and services in these sectors. Cowater emphasizes the important linkages between water, sanitation, health and the environment. Environmental sanitation and hygiene education are essential elements to the integrated package of services, without which only partial benefits are accrued.

Social Development Group

Specialists with Cowater’s Social Development Group help strengthen institutions and programs which empower poor people. They advise on approaches to community and rural development and offer specialized services in such areas as institutional strengthening, gender equality, social communication, communication for development, participatory approaches, income generation, community mobilization, and designing multi-sectoral development programs for disadvantaged groups.

Public Financial Management and Accountability (PFMA) Group

Cowater’s PFMA Group is a team of experienced financial management experts and debt management specialists, recognized for their achievements in enhancing accountability and institutional strengthening within the public (national and municipal) sector. Cowater’s specialists have assisted numerous governments at all levels in improving their accounting, budgeting and auditing performance.

Financial Institutions Group

Cowater Financial Institutions Group promotes effective operation, management and governance of financial institutions worldwide. This includes working directly with state and commercial banks, regulatory agencies/institutions, and savings and credit institutions to support enhanced systems and operations in line with international best practices.

Municipal Services and Enterprise Group

Cowater’s Municipal Services and Enterprise Group manages multidisciplinary projects that combine and build upon the expertise of the company’s core groups. This group covers a variety of sectors, but areas of special concentration are public sector governance, decentralization, municipal services and management, and social/infrastructure fund management.