Finance Manager – Belgium At Access Now

The Organization and Role

About Access Now

Access Now defends and extends the digital rights of people and communities at risk. As a grassroots-to-global organization, we partner with local actors to bring a human rights agenda to the use, development, and governance of digital technologies, and to intervene where technologies adversely impact our human rights. By combining direct technical support, strategic advocacy, grassroots grantmaking, and convenings such as RightsCon, we fight for human rights in the digital age.

About this role

The Finance Manager manages all aspects of the financial operations of our entity registered in Brussels, Belgium. The scope of finance responsibilities is varied and entails a high level of ownership and autonomy.

The Finance Manager will work closely with local legal representatives and the global Operations team, in particular the Global Finance Director, the Grants & Contracts Manager, the Finance Controller and the Financial Analyst. Whilst this role operates autonomously on local financial management, it connects closely into the various global finance functions and workflows to ensure strong collaboration and consistency across the global organization. The Finance Manager reports through the Global Finance Director, with a dotted line to the Operations legal representative of the Belgian entity.

What you will do

Accounting, A/R, A/P

• Manage local bookkeeping including instructing and overseeing external accountants
• Code entries to relevant grants and internally defined segmentation categories
• Execute financial year end closure and support the consolidation of global financial accounts in coordination with the global Finance team
• Manage accounts receivable (including invoicing), payable and banking

Budgeting & reporting

• Lead development of local budgets in coordination with the global Finance team and programmatic leads, and in alignment with global budgetary frameworks
• Once set, review, monitor and manage local annual and quarterly programmatic and operational budgets
• Produce financial reporting and analysis for internal and external purposes, related to budgets, expenses, grant allocations etc.

Grants management

• Financially administer grants related to the Belgian entity, including managing grant allocations and controls
• Produce grant budget proposals and reporting, working closely with the Grants & Contracts Manager, development and programmatic teams

Compliance, internal controls, administration, other

• Monitor and enforce compliance with local tax and financial obligations
• Advise management on decisions related to the entity’s operations
• Manage organizational local audit processes and support global organization-wide audits
• Develop, update, and maintain financial internal controls, processes, policies, and various trackers in Google Suite
• Provide thought-partnership and support to Finance colleagues in other locations in Europe
• Maintain an accurate filing and records for all financial documents
• Perform other duties as assigned

Skills, education, and mindset you will bring

• At least 4 years of experience in bookkeeping and statutory reporting per Belgian accounting standards
• Proven experience in financial management of budget and actuals, and financial analysis and reporting
• Formal education in finance/accounting
• Fluency in English and strong command of French
• Experience in meeting and prioritizing multiple deadlines in a dynamic environment
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to work autonomously and proactively
• Acute attention to detail and desire to probe further into data
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
• Respect for and desire to work with a dynamic, international team of diverse people
• Experience with non profit finance management is an advantage

● Experience with US GAAP is an advantage

The Details

Location

This is a full-time position, to be filled in Brussels, Belgium. The successful candidate must possess the right to work in the location in which they will be based. At this time most Access Now Team Members are working through hybrid office arrangements, combining remote at-home work with intermittent use of offices and/or co-working spaces.

Remuneration

Access Now offers competitive compensation and benefits packages that align competitively with locations and regions around the world. Location-specific examples of initial placement within the salary range for this role include:

• €5,356 EUR gross monthly (Belgium)

Benefits for this specific role are tied to the location, and will vary. Regardless of location, all Team Members benefit from a strong global culture aligned around:

• Work-life balance…including a generous paid time-off program between 36 and 40 days annually
• Access to supplemental health care insurance policies
• Professional development and growth opportunities
• Extensive workplace flexibility
• Organizational resilience and support for all team members, including paid family leave and employee assistance programs
• Connection to a diverse, global team of passionate, principled professionals
• Opportunities to recharge (including one month of paid refresher leave after 4 years)