A finance manager in Indonesia

International development is as much a business as it is a labor of love, and chances are you won’t choose your next assignment based on the money. That said, compensation is an important part of human resources management, and comprehensive data on salaries and benefits is hard to come by. That’s why Devex is shedding light on the salaries and work of those holding jobs that international development organizations commonly hire for. It’s part of our mission to help aid professionals do good and make informed decisions about their careers. Today’s spotlight is on a locally-hired finance manager working for a multilateral donor in Indonesia. - Position title: finance manager - Seniority: mid-level - Position type: full-time - Year: 2013 - Salary: roughly $4,500 monthly - Benefits: full health coverage, including for the family - Sample tasks: manage finance officers, train and support partners on all related financial matters, oversee quality assurance for financial management, manage program budgets - Key qualifications for the job: chartered accountant or CPA Indonesia foreign aid job market The biggest country in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, also has one of the largest and strongest economies in the region. But from an optimistic estimate of 6.2 percent growth for 2013, the World Bank downgraded projections to just 5.3 percent. While Indonesia’s economy was affected by external drivers, weak exports and a deceleration in foreign direct investments are the main factors contributing to lower economic forecasts. The slowdown in Indonesia’s economy is exacerbating the challenges the country is currently facing in addressing development challenges, including meeting the Millennium Development Goals. The country is not expected to achieve targets on maternal mortality, HIV/AIDS prevalence, and environmental sustainability. And although Indonesia’s poverty indicators show marked improvement, more than half of its population continues to live on less than $2 a day. Weak governance and insufficient employment opportunities are major challenges as well. Check out vacancies in Indonesia and for finance managers. Compensation isn’t everything The details provided in this article were derived from a survey of select development workers stationed in various parts of the globe. Due to the sensitivity of the information, we are keeping the respondents’ identities and organizations confidential. Compensation varies greatly from one job, country or organization to another. Even for the same position, differences in remuneration occur based on educational background, experience and an applicant’s most recent salary, an organization’s need and the sector it operates in, as well as whether it is hiring locally or internationally. Also, some organizations offer more generous benefit packages than others, or they offer perks such as regular travel, training or other career development services that should not be discounted. For senior-level international hires, in particular, benefits such as housing and education allowances often amount to tens of thousands of dollars per year. At the end of the day, aid workers tell us that the chance to help alleviate suffering and lift people out of poverty are well worth any pay cut they may have encountered switching from the private sector. Read more Devex Salary Spotlights!