Finance Officer – Latin America

Job Title: Finance Officer – Latin America

Location: Belgium (GT)

Duration: 1 year fix-term contract, renewable, 38h/week

Starting date: June 2024

Line manager: Head of Finance & Administration

About PI

Protection International (PI) is an International NGO that contributes to the improvement of the protection of human rights defenders (HRDs) throughout the world. PI provides tools to develop HRDs’ capacities to manage their own security as they struggle against impunity and work in favour of human rights and democracy in their respective countries or regions. PI seeks to contribute to a situation where HRDs are recognised as legitimate actors for social change and to an environment where they can exercise their right to defend universally accepted human rights.

Protection International has its global office in Brussels, but primarily works where the protection of HRDs is needed. PI has long-term presence in several countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America.

General Objective of the position

The Finance Officer (FO) for Latin America reports directly and is line managed by the Head of Finance and Administration (HoFA). Her/His day-to-day work is monitored by the Finance Coordinator. The FO Latin America has roles and responsibilities that ensure efficient, accurate, and accountable financial management and control for all PI financial activities in the Latin America region - the Meso Regional Hub, and Country Offices in Guatemala and Colombia.

The FO Latin America will work closely with the Finance Department/Officers in the Latin America region on a regular basis and with the Global Team’s (GT) F&A team members. S/he will also closely coordinate with GT colleagues from the various units/teams as needed; in particular with the Programme Coordinator for Latin America, relevant colleagues from PRTU, A&O, EDT, and IT.

To assist the Executive Director, the HoFA and the Management Team (MT) as a whole in making sound decisions, the FO for Latin America will submit reports and recommendations on key financial issues from the Latin America region.

Duties & Responsibilities

General roles description of a PI Finance Officer (for all F&A staff)

• Ensures effective and efficient financial management (e.g. accountancy, verification) and financial control (e.g. budget monitoring and guidance, alignment of activities and expenditure, following funder’s financial requirements etc);
• Provide guidance, analysis, and recommendations for all financial matters in the offices including:
  • Engagement in project cycle from conceptualization and development of budgets;
  • Financial outlook covering monthly financial reporting (income and expenditure), budget forecasting, monitoring of cashflow;
  • Flagging of issues and contributing to the identification of risks and the development of mitigation strategies;
• Coordinate with FOs in the offices to develop and implement good ways of working, and in maintaining high standards on coordination and collaboration;
• Lead and focal point for the audit for all PI Aisbl funds allocated to the offices under the FO’s remit, and assist/review audit of accounts on funds received in the regions/country offices;
• Ensure and monitor compliance with donor/auditor requirements (e.g. consistency between partners, compliance on expenditures and approved budget items, control over budget shifts, risk management);
• Coordinating the financial aspects, in collaboration with the respective Programme Coordinator for regions, of start-up, MEAL, and closure activities for projects signed by PI Aisbl;
• Ensures compliance to internal financial policies and procedures, and to relevant Belgian laws (e.g. Aisbl law, VAT rules) and/or laws in countries where PI has offices.
  1. Monitoring and analysis of financial accounts within the Latin America region – Meso Regional Hub and Country Offices in Guatemala and Columbia:

In particular, the role for the FO for Latin America will include:

• Review of monthly financial reports and verification of the various supporting documents relating to each expense;
• Track, follow-up, verification of supporting documents, and encoding of all recorded expenses of PI Aisbl funds from the regional Hub and country offices;
• Follow-up of the office's financial obligations, payment of invoices, contracts and insurance relating to Latin America;
• Control banking and payment operations related to Latin America,
• Plan cash flow projections between GT and the offices.

1. Monitoring and analysis of financial accounts within the Latin America region – Meso Regional Hub and Country Offices in Guatemala and Columbia:
   1. Review of monthly financial reports and verification of the various supporting documents relating to each expense;
   2. Track, follow-up, verification of supporting documents, and encoding of all recorded expenses of PI Aisbl funds from the regional Hub and country offices;
   3. Follow-up of the office's financial obligations, payment of invoices, contracts and insurance relating to Latin America;
   4. Control banking and payment operations related to Latin America,
   5. Plan cash flow projections between GT and the offices.
2. Timely and accountable financial management of portfolios of funders, in particular:
   • Engage, provide guidance and support in fundraising, in particular in the development of budgets for concept notes and proposals.
   • Development, finalization, and submission of proposed budgets;
   • Ensures the development and execution of expenditure plans; and that programmes and projects are delivered within agreed and approved budgets (regularly monitor expenditure against the budget) and timelines;
   • Preparation and submission of interim and final financial reports;
   • Where needed, support offices in guiding project partners in their financial reporting/submission of supporting documents (e.g. C.1.2 EU Special Mechanism project partners, FPI Latin America);
   • Project forecasts after each audit and recommend appropriate measures for any significant deviations; prepare budget modifications, if necessary and in a timely manner, in accordance with contractual obligations.
3. Facilitate/engage/lead on institutional audit:
   • Prepare all required reports and supporting documents for the institutional audit;
   • Coordinate with the finance team and the financial officers in the Latin America region and ensure communication with the external auditors;
   • Follow-up on the timely implementation of recommendations made during the external auditors' audits in order to correct significant deviations and/or contribute to the improvement in our finance work-flows.
4. Development of financial policies and procedures:
   • Provide necessary inputs and recommendations to the Management Team on key issues to ensure high standards of financial management and control system for the Latin America region;
   • Provide information on risks and mitigation measures;
   • Design and implement policies and procedures in line with donor regulations, ensuring consistency between partners, effective internal controls and minimizing risks;
   • Ensure highest compliance and adherence to PI policies and procedures e.g. Financial Governance, Anti-Corruption Policy, Conflict of Interest, etc.

Job Requirements

Education

• Relevant university degree in Accounting or similar experience (Haute ecole)
• Preferred relevant professional training courses (financial reporting, Wings, Human Rights Defenders, humanitarian and development sector, management, etc.)

Experience

• Minimum of five years of experience in a finance/reporting role of EU funded projects, preferably with an international NGO.
• Proven experience in developing and managing large budgets, with preference for previous experience working in a consortium or a network.
• Experience in a finance/reporting role with projects funded by Foundations and/or public institutions (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Embassies) would be an asset.
• Excellent knowledge of accounting and financial analysis.
• Experience in managing expenditure verifications and external audits.

Skills & Knowledge

• Highly organised/efficient time management
• Advanced skills in computer productivity software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook)
• Enthusiastic, self-starter who is able to work autonomously, under pressure, in decentralized teams, and think outside the box
• Demonstrated capacity to orally communicate clearly and effectively to a wide range of expert and non-expert audiences
• Ability to manage accounting software. Knowledge of Wings is an asset.
• Ability to work towards tight reporting deadlines.
• Strong analytical, interpersonal, communication and organisation skills.
• Highly organised/time management.

Languages

• Fluently spoken and written Spanish
• Fluently spoken and written command of English
• Good knowledge of French or Dutch is an asset

Other requirements

• PI is only able to process applications with candidates authorized to work in Belgium/EU without any restrictions, we will therefore, prioritize candidates who fit the profile and can work in Belgium/EU with authorizations/permit.
• We will, however, apply open assessments for candidates who may need authorization to work in Belgium/EU who highly match the post requirements. Therefore, please make sure that before you apply for this post, you have read the job description and requirements

What we offer

• The possibility to gain first-hand experience and knowledge on strategies to support human rights defenders and grassroots movements globally – and to contribute to these strategies.
• An open, friendly and multicultural work environment.
• Respect for autonomy, room for creativity, innovation, and learning.
• A people focused and collaborative way of working both within the unit the post sits under and with other teams.
• One year fix-term contract, renewable, for 38h/week
• Depending on experience, a monthly gross salary between €3,500- €4,300 plus benefits: 28 annual holidays (20 legal + 8 extra), 10 bank holidays, plus 2 weeks extra holidays (last week of December and first week of January), private health and hospitalisation insurance, lunch vouchers, reimbursement of home-work public transport