Title:  Analyst, Financial & Regulatory Reporting, APAC (18 months contract)

Purpose

Contributes to the overall success of the Financial Reporting in Singapore ensuring specific individual goals, plans, initiatives are executed/delivered in support of the team’s business strategies and objectives. Ensures all activities conducted are in compliance with governing regulations, internal policies and procedures.

Accountabilities

• Champions a customer focused culture to deepen client relationships and leverage broader Bank relationships, systems and knowledge.
• Understand how the Bank’s risk appetite and risk culture should be considered in day-to-day activities and decisions.
• Actively pursues effective and efficient operations of his/her respective areas in accordance with Scotiabank’s Values, its Code of Conduct and the Global Sales Principles, while ensuring the adequacy, adherence to and effectiveness of day-to-day business controls to meet obligations with respect to operational, compliance, AML/ATF/sanctions and conduct risk.
• Champions a high performance environment and contributes to an inclusive work environment.
• Assist in preparation and/or review to ensure timely and accurate preparation of all tax, financial and regulatory returns of BNS Singapore Branch (BNSS), BNS Hong Kong Branch (BNSHK) and BNS Australia Branch (BNSAU).
• Analysis of variances on financials submitted to the MAS/HKMA/APRA for BNSS/BNSHK/BNSAU respectively.
• Assist and co-ordinate the creation and maintenance of documentation, procedures and strong controls to ensure financial records/submissions internally and externally are accurate and timely.
• Effectively assist in the operation of the Financial Reporting Department for regulatory reporting:

- Ensuring strict adherence to the Bank’s policies and procedures on all operating and accounting matters;

- Maintain a sound knowledge of approved operating/accounting policies and procedures and ensure compliance thereof;

- Check daily regulatory reporting/submissions with timely escalation of any exceptions/matters of importance;

- Review the daily accounting package with timely escalation of any exceptions / matters of importance;

- Maintain the confidentiality of customer information at all times.

• Provide support to the Financial Reporting Department by:

- Maintaining a sound knowledge of all approved operating/accounting procedures of the BNS entities and ensuring compliance thereof;

- Provide effective co-ordination and directions to analyst to meet operating requirements when required;

- Reviewing daily work of the analysts and ensuring strict adherence to the Bank's stipulated standards, accounting policies and procedures;

- Identify and contributing to the implementation of changes in the department to meet Bank’s/local regulations and/or increase efficiency/accuracy of workflows;

- Maintaining a sound knowledge of local tax requirements and ensuring correct application thereof.

• Assist in ensuring the accounting records are accurate and reliable by:

- Reviewing/maintaining the general ledger accounts in the Bankmaster plus system. This includes setting up of new general ledger accounts when required, approval of accounting entries and voucher within assigned limits;

- Assisting in checking of daily accounting package;

- Ensuring accounting entries are posted timely and accurately into Bankmaster and PSGL.

• The incumbent should work independently with limited management and have a solid understanding of the Bank’s accounting policies and procedures to use with limited supervision. The ability to operate different systems and software (Bankmaster plus, Object Charlie, WSS, K2, Peoplesoft etc.) is required.
• The incumbent must have a sound understanding of Singapore, Hong Kong or Australia regulatory and accounting requirements. Strong time management skills and priority setting are essential to the position, due to tight reporting deadlines.
• Support the development, implementation, maintenance and update of the existing accounting system PeopleSoft, regulatory reporting systems and/or enhancement of existing reports related to optimization projects in Asia Pacific region.
• Maintenance of the User Manual of the Accounting System – Support maintenance and review of the User Manual for the implemented accounting system, PeopleSoft regularly and ensure it is complete, accurate and updated.
• Process (Re) Engineering – support review of existing booking practices across different countries in the Asia Pacific Region. Support technical and/or process (re-)engineering projects undertaken to improve the efficiency and/or reduce risk contained within the work process of a department or the overall group. Assist in resolving problems of the group with a specific focus on creating tangible / measurable operational efficiencies through the application of business, financial and process engineering knowledge.
• Support the processing and management of inter-entry invoice billings for the region, and assist in stakeholders’ queries.
• To participate/ and assist in new initiatives implementation or work process enhancement through projects or automation. Assist in department’s ad-hoc projects implementation and departmental matters when required.
• Contribute to the ongoing review and assessment of Finance EUC files and provide inputs to new initiative requests impacting Finance.
• Ensure key process documentation is kept updated at all times.
• Support any other regulatory or financial reporting related responsibilities for APAC countries as required.

Experience/Other Information

• At least 3 years of working experience in the banking sector with strong academic background.
• Candidates with experience in auditing banks from the Big 4 accounting firms will also be considered.
• Minimum GCE A Level or ACCA qualification, Degree in Finance, Accounting or Business.
• Candidate with financial modelling knowledge and/or Visual Basic experience in MS Excel and MS Access is preferred.
• Independent, well-organised, self-motivated and a team player.