Finance and Administration Assistant At FSC Indigenous Foundation

TERMS OF REFERENCE – JOB DESCRIPTION

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT (TRAVEL & PAYMENTS)

Location: Panama City, Republic of Panama
Reports to: Financial and Administrative Manager
Work Percentage: 100%

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION
FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) has established an operational office for the Permanent Indigenous Peoples Committee (CPIP). In 2019, the FSC Indigenous Foundation (FSC IF) was established as a private interest foundation under Law No. 25 of June 12, 1995, of the Republic of Panama. The mission of the FSC Indigenous Foundation is to unlock the enabling environment to secure Indigenous Peoples’ rights and promote sustainable forest-based solutions within 300 million hectares of indigenous forests worldwide. The vision is for the global value of Indigenous Peoples and their rights, livelihoods, ecosystem services, natural capital, and territories to be recognized and incorporated into forest governance, climate change governance, and market systems.

Job Description:
The Finance & Administration Assistant is responsible for providing administrative support in managing travel arrangements and payment processing for the organization. This role ensures efficient and accurate handling of travel logistics and financial transactions, with a focus on supporting Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Peoples Organizations (IPOs), including the FSC IF Council, the Permanent Indigenous Peoples Committee (PIPC), governance structures, FSC IF staff, consultants, and partners. Additionally, this role involves providing support to organize events.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Travel Arrangements:
o Coordinate and book travel accommodations, including flights, hotels, and transportation for employees, Council members, PIPC members, other representatives of Indigenous Peoples Organizations, FSC Indigenous Foundation staff, consultants, and partners.
o Prepare travel itineraries and provide travellers with necessary information such as travel policies, visa requirements, and travel advisories.
o Assist in obtaining travel visas and other required documentation.
o Manage travel-related issues and emergencies, ensuring timely resolutions.
2. Payment Processing:
o Handle accounts payable and receivable, ensuring timely and accurate processing of invoices and payments for travel and related expenses.
o Maintain financial records, including travel expenses, receipts, and reimbursement requests for Council members, PIPC members, IPO representatives, FSC Indigenous Foundation staff, consultants, and partners.
o Reconcile travel and payment transactions with financial statements.
3. Budget Management:
o Monitor travel budgets and expenditures, ensuring compliance with organizational policies and budgetary constraints.
o Prepare budget reports and assist in the forecasting of travel and payment expenses for Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Peoples Organizations, FSC Indigenous Foundation staff, consultants, and partners.
4. Communication and Coordination:
o Liaise with travel agencies, vendors, and service providers to secure competitive rates and quality services.
o Communicate effectively with internal teams, Council members, PIPC members, IPO representatives, FSC Indigenous Foundation staff, consultants, and partners to ensure understanding of travel policies and procedures.
o Coordinate with the finance department to ensure accurate financial reporting and compliance.
5. Administrative Support:
o Maintain accurate and organized records of travel bookings, payment transactions, and related documents for Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Peoples Organizations, FSC Indigenous Foundation staff, consultants, and partners.
o Assist in the preparation of reports, presentations, and other documentation as needed.
o Provide general administrative support to the team, including scheduling meetings and handling correspondence.
6. Event Support:
o Assist in the planning and organization of events, conferences, and workshops.
o Coordinate logistics for events, including venue booking, catering, audio-visual equipment, and materials.
o Manage event registrations and provide support to attendees.
o Handle travel and accommodation arrangements for event participants.
o Assist in budget preparation and financial tracking for events.
o Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure successful event execution.

Minimum Qualifications
• 3 years of relevant experience with a university degree.

Field(s) of Education
• Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Commerce, and other relevant fields.

Relevant Work Experience

Essential
• Minimum 3 years of experience and management responsibility working with multinational or multidisciplinary teams, of which at least 1 year of collaboration with international organizations is desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a competitive, diverse, and multicultural work environment.
• Good interpersonal communication and coordination skills.
• Ability to meet deadlines and flexibility.
• Good planning, accuracy, and organizational skills.
• Desirable experience working with international organizations (UN, USAID, WB, Red Cross, and IDB).

Functional Competencies
• Strategic communication
• Writing, accuracy, and documentation
• Microsoft Office tools such as Word, Excel, Outlook, To-do List, Teams, Zoom, Google Drive, SharePoint, One Drive, among others.

Language Requirements
• Spanish and English
• French will be considered an advantage