International Financial Accountant

About Us

ARTICLE 19 works to protect and defend freedom of expression and information (FoE/I), particularly individual advocates of these rights. Our goal is that those at the front line of defending freedom of expression and information are supported by effective networks of institutions and activists at the local, regional and global levels, and by strong legal frameworks and mechanisms, thus ensuring that violations are known, perpetrators held accountable, and effective relief or redress is secured.

The protection of these rights requires a holistic approach encompassing physical, digital, psychosocial and legal security. ARTICLE 19 works to improve the security conditions and protection tools and mechanisms for journalists, media workers, human rights defenders (HRDs), bloggers and others engaged in defending human rights, particularly freedom of expression and information, and exposing corruption. We work to systematise our global monitoring and reporting methodologies, linking them to international and regional mechanisms, as well as specific governments, to raise cases of violations.

ARTICLE 19 focuses in improving access of women and sexual and gender minority journalists, HRDs, media workers and other communicators to specific tools and knowledge to protect themselves online and offline from physical, digital and legal risks or threats. Protection mechanisms and support networks are nuanced to effectively mitigate risk and threats for women and sexual and gender minorities.

JOB SUMMARY

The role covers the financial and management accounting responsibilities of the International Office (IO) and acts as business partner to the Regional Offices (RO). The role will be responsible for the production of the monthly management accounts for the IO and business-partnering support to budget holders in the IO. The role will act as business partner to the RO, reviewing monthly submissions and supporting them as required to ensure their accounting processing is correct.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Financial accounting

To create an audit pack at year end for the International Office and support regions in the production of their audit packs.
Manage the financial accounting tasks of the IO, including: payroll, support purchase ledger process, support sales ledger process and manage and reconcile the balance sheet accounts.

Management accounting
To produce the monthly accounts for the IO’s budget holders, including processing prepayments, accruals, accrued/ deferred income and any other accounting journals to ensure the accounts show our correct financial position.
To produce a narrative variance analysis against budget for the IO accounts and liaise with departments as necessary to understand variances and support them resolve them, as appropriate.
To ensure timesheets are submitted and processed on time, and support departments in understanding how their time should be spent in accordance with donor funding.

Business partnering
To receive and review the monthly management accounts checklists from regional offices and ensure that balance sheet reconciliations are correct and clean. To review the variance analysis from regionals and follow up necessary actions with the regional office and/ or grant budget holders.
To sample test transactions from the regional offices and ensure that the underlying documentation supports the transaction. To review and authorise payment requests from regional offices in a timely manner, with counter approval from grant budget holders where appropriate.
To support budget holders in the preparation of their annual budgets.

Other
To consider any procedure or policy changes, training needs or other actions that might be needed by regional offices, liaising with the Financial Controller and/or Director of Finance & Operations.
To carry out any other reasonable tasks as directed by the Financial Controller or Director of Finance.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL

Education and Qualification

Qualified or qualified by experience with a CCAB recognised qualification, or working towards qualification, or qualified through relevant work experience.
Excellent understanding of double entry and how to make corrections and adjustments in accounting systems.

Work Experience

Good experience in monthly management accounts production, ideally in a UK charity.
Experience in producing bank and control account reconciliations. Experience of accounting for prepayments and accruals.
Experience of working with overseas offices, understanding different cultural and regulatory environments.
Experience of budgeting.

Knowledge, skills and ability

Excellent Excel skills, including vlookups, sumifs and ability to self-learn in this area.
Ability to work quickly, methodically with close attention to detail.
Good inter-personal skills including experience of working cross-culturally, across different time zones and with people from different cultural and professional backgrounds.
Ability to work to tight deadlines and in high pressure situations whilst maintaining a calm and positive attitude.
Ability to negotiate but understanding where the ‘red lines’ are and to gain compliance with them through dialogue.
Fluency in written and spoken English.

Other

A mandatory requirement is the right to work in the UK – ARTICLE 19 does not sponsor individuals for employment-based visas for this position. Please do not apply if you do not have the right to work in the UK.
Commitment to work within ARTICLE 19's vision, mission, core values and objectives.
Cultural sensitivity and commitment to equal opportunities and non-discrimination.
Willingness and ability to undertake occasional travel internationally.

DESIRABLE

Experience of using reporting-writing software, for example Crystal Reports.
Experience of business-partnering in a complex environment.
Good understanding of compliance, external and internal audit process and internal controls.
Experience of working with a mid or large size accounting system, ideally using Access Dimensions.
Ability in another Article19 official language (Arabic, French, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish).

Salary: £42,107 per annum