International Grant Accountant (US based)

Reporting to: Grant Finance Manager

Direct reports: None

Key Relationships: Grant budget holders, Regional Office finance teams

Working Hours: Full time (37.5 hours per week)

Salary: Circa $59,000 -$61,000 per annum

Location: New York, Maryland or Washington DC, United States

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 This position is a key role for the finance team to increase the capacity during a period of growth.

The role will support all financial aspects of budgeting, reporting, compliance and financial management of grants managed by ARTICLE 19, including all finance-related work with grant-receiving partners. This role will primarily support teams that are based in the United States and Canada (Team CommUNITY, Team Digital, Team Gender and Security). Long-term this role will help ensure the establishment of strong financial operations in support of these offices. The role is a key part of improving our programme delivery by supporting grant budget holders.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Expense tracking • To provide monthly, up-to-date transactional reports and follow through as necessary with corrections and adjustments. • To coordinate with others to ensure that transactions in internal financial management database are up-to-date (i.e. credit card reports, timesheets, payments etc) ahead of reporting cycles. • To support production of financial reports in compliance with donor and internal ARTICLE 19 requirements for a portfolio of projects. • To receive, process and account for expenditure by grant partners, including reviewing supporting documentation. • To business partner teams, including producing monthly management accounts; supporting budget holders to prepare annual budget and coordinate responses to the budget holder. Grant compliance • To work in conjunction with the fundraising and relevant project team during proposal development. Provide support on budgeting, ensuring budget is in alignment with the proposal, is realistic and provides ARTICLE 19 with favourable terms. Provide guidance on finance donor compliance that will inform the proposal and budget development. • To monitor and inform teams of burn rates of grants, including across budget subcategories of restricted grants. • To carry out regular budget reconciliation processes per grant in collaboration with program teams, and support reallocation/reclassification of transactions as needed by teams. • To produce cost amendments or formal budget reallocation requests where required by the donor, with input from grant budget holders. • To ensure that proposals comply with ARTICLE 19’s internal policies, in particular full cost recovery principles and policies, as well as donor regulations (such as Fly America Act, OFAC/SAM checks etc.) • To ensure and track that full cost recovery budget lines and administrative lines are appropriately drawn upon by relevant teams and support/operational staff. • To support compliance of grants with ARTICLE 19 financial policies where appropriate, e.g. anti-bribery and corruption, both internally and compliance by our partners, raising any concerns with the Grant Finance Manager. • To monitor grant cash flow and ensure grant drawdown requests are made and processed in the finance system in timely manner to the donor. • To review the financial clauses of contracts received and advise on financial matters as required. • To support program teams in conducting due diligence of partners, as needed, to ensure compliance with ARTICLE 19 and donor policies.

Office support • To consider how improvements can be made to procedures for processing transactions, reporting and any other issues which would contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of ARTICLE 19’s finance function. • Advise and collaborate with the financial accountant (UK) on the administration of payments for insurances and payroll, providing oversight to ensure compliance. • Collaborate with the People and Culture team to ensure the provision of an equitable core benefits package for US employees. • To support the finance team in any audit process, including internal, statutory and donor audits. • To review grant cash requests from Regional Offices.

**PERSON SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL

Education and Qualification** • Qualified accountant with a recognised qualification, or working towards qualification, or qualified through relevant work experience. • Understanding of accounting in a non-profit under USA and Canada law and guidelines.

Work Experience • Experience in financial grant management. • Experience of business partnering in a complex environment. • Experience in producing grant budgets in compliance with donor requirements, and that recover overhead and central costs. • Experience of working with overseas partners and offices, understanding different cultural and regulatory environments. • Experience of financial administration to iUSG agency grants (such as the Department of State and USAID) as well as US-funded foundations (such as the National Endownment for Democracy or the Open Technology Fund). • Understanding of compliance, external and internal audit process and internal controls.

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. • Awareness of digital security issues and ability to communicate through secure means of communications. • Fluency in written and spoken English.

Other ● A mandatory requirement is the right to work in the USA – ARTICLE 19 does not sponsor individuals for employment-based visas for this position. ● Commitment to work within ARTICLE 19’s vision, mission, core values and objectives. ● Cultural sensitivity and commitment to equal opportunities and non-discrimination.

DESIRABLE • Experience of using Access Dimensions. • Ability to speak at least one other official ARTICLE 19 language (French, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish). • Experience supporting teams working with vulnerable individuals and appreciation of specific security risks associated with financial information and transactions. • Experience directly supporting offices in the US strongly desired.