Finance Officer – Latin America (30h week, Brussels-based) At Protection International

Job Title: Finance Officer – Latin America

Location: Belgium (GT)

Duration: 1 year fix-term contract, renewable, 30h/week

Starting date: March 2023

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 their 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 protection of HRDs is needed. PI has long-term presence in several countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America. Under its Global Strategy 2019-2023, PI is gradually transforming into a network of Hubs, establishing regional offices that work in a flexible manner across several countries.

General Objective of the position

Under the supervision of the Head of Finance and Administration and with the assistance of staff in PI GT (PCU LA Programme Coordinator, Advocacy & Outreach, PRTU, IT, EDT) and the regional offices in Colombia and Guatemala (especially with the Finance officers); the Finance Officer Latin America maintains an efficient and accurate financial reporting system for all PI activities in the Meso and South American region. This includes supporting the development of budgets; ensuring that all expenditure comply with relevant donor guidelines and that relevant financial and audit reports are submitted on time and to the highest professional standards.

In conjunction with the Finance Department and the Meso and South America Programme Coordinator, the Finance Officer ensures the development and execution of expenditure plans; and that programmes in the region are delivered within agreed and approved budgets by regularly monitoring expenditure against the budget.

The Finance Officer supports and/or coordinates project audits and ensures that continuous monitoring and risk mitigation measures are in place.

Duties & Responsibilities

Finance: Responsible for the finances of the Meso and South American region

• Jointly with the respective PI teams develop and monitor the budgets for Latin America (proposal and verification of budgets, review and validation in collaboration with the management team)
• Receive and control the statement of expenses and supporting documents
• Develop and verify financial reports
• Monitoring of financial plans
• Project management
• Monitoring of the balances
• Analysis of forecasts
• Participate in meetings and respond to the needs of the regional teams and GT PCU

Accounting: Responsible for the GT accountancy

• Encoding of the different vouchers and control of the general and analytical accounting from A-Z
• Monitoring of the accounting closing, project and institutional audits
• Bank follow-up and payment of invoices
• Management of donations and subsidies
• Maintain an up-to-date accounting system
• Verification of supporting documents

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
• Other languages: Good knowledge of French or Portuguese is an asset

Other requirements

• Only candidates authorized to work in Belgium/EU without any restrictions are eligible for this position.

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 30h/week
• Depending on experience, an annual gross salary between €2205 – €2305 plus benefits: “pécule de vacances”, health and hospitalisation insurance, lunch vouchers, reimbursement of home-work public transport.