Accounting and Admin Assistant - SecDev Foundation

[Kevin Dunbar]

The SecDev Foundation is currently seeking an Accounting and Administrative Assistant to join the Finance team and support our rapidly growing international organization dedicated to improving the digital opportunity, safety and citizenship of users at risk around the world. 

Under the guidance of the Financial Controller, you will work closely with the finance team to assist in general accounting, project accounting, and administration for an assigned portfolio of projects, including some organizational wide tasks.  You’ll be responsible for following all procedures around project payments and supporting documentation, credit card payments, ensuring key financial matrices are up to date, and supporting the Financial Controller with project financial management.  You will also support organizational wide administration, including maintaining a clear filing system, ensuring up-to-date records, tracking lists, and that key financial logs are in place and available. You will have opportunities to learn and practice accounting and financial administration, from creating payment packages to generating project financial reports, to become our expert on project financial compliance and to provide guidance to non-financial teams.  As a key member of the central finance team for a rapidly growing organization, your portfolio of duties will also be subject to change, growth and adaptation.

Specific Responsibilities will include:

• Collecting supporting documentations of payments/expenditures; check agreements and records for accuracy; prepare Bank Payment Vouchers and collect approval signatures. Setup RBC bank payments, complete filing efficiently and follow up on status of payments;
• Collect credit card vouchers; purchase project supplies and subscriptions using corporate credit cards and conduct annual review of recurring payments;
• Complete Quickbooks entries in a timely manner. Complete and assist on misc month end activities including but not limit to reconciliations, cost allocation, closeout, etc;
• Work together with the finance and program teams to setup and maintain project financial matrices;
• Generate and assist with internal and external project financial reporting. Assist the Financial Controller on project budget projection;
• Assist Financial Controller on miscellaneous banking and financial topics, annual audits, administrations, and research, etc;
• Ad-hoc bookkeeping and administration duties as assigned.

To thrive in this job, you will have a detailed and meticulous approach to finance and administrative tasks, and will also be able to support, guide, and inspire this discipline in others.  You understand the importance of maintaining quality and taking ownership to ensure routine tasks are completed.  You will be proactive and open to change, and where you see ways to improve things you will make suggestions.  Our ideal candidate will have some level of accounting or financial knowledge and experience, ideally in an NGO with donor funded programming, but we don’t expect you to know everything - you’ll have opportunities to grow and learn from a great team at SecDev.  We do expect you will want to learn and continuously improve. S/he/they will be digitally-savvy, able to administer and maintain the organization’s online work environment and functioning, while also maintaining well organized paper and electronic files.

Is this right for you? Here’s what we are looking for:

• Diploma/certification in bookkeeping/accounting or related field (related experience combined with training may be considered).;
• Hands-on experience and proficiency in Quickbooks, Google Suite, Excel, and Microsoft Word;
• Knowledge and hands-on experience in maintaining good paper and electronic files;
• Meticulousness. with a high level of attention to detail;
• Patience with routine bookkeeping and administrative work;
• Strong time management skills - ability to multitask, and/or provide timely feedback on an as needed and/or urgent basis, and adaptable to changes;
• Understanding of experience working with and protecting confidential data;
• Good English written and oral communication skills, and experience in taking the lead on communications with external administrative contacts.

What would make you extraordinary?

• Experience with supporting external audits.
• Experience working in the non-for-profit sector.
• Experience of using encrypted messaging systems. 

What we offer:

A rewarding opportunity with a competitive compensation package, strong emphasis on work-life balance, innovation and technology, ample learning and development opportunities, and the knowledge that you are working to make the world a better place:

• The opportunity to meaningfully contribute to an innovative, future-oriented organization working at the cross-roads of technology, security, development, and the growing influence of cyberspace;
• A competitive salary;
• Comprehensive Group Health Benefits and Insurance;
• Group Retirement Pension Plan benefits;
• Work-life balance: summer work hours and generous leave entitlements;
• Learning and professional development opportunities through hands-on experience, peer coaching, as well as a professional development budget;
• A centrally located office (although we are currently working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic);
• Being part of a culture that is constantly looking for how to improve -- both our excellence in operations and in our programming, meaning the assistance we deliver to people and communities around the world.  All staff are encouraged to understand “what we do” and contribute new ideas for how we can improve or expand our assistance globally.

How to Apply

If you are someone who thrives on challenge, loves a varied role, and wants to be part of an innovative and growing organization, then this opportunity is for you. Please submit your cover letter and CV through the “Apply for this Job” button through this link - https://secdev.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=13 - by March 14th, 2021.

About the SecDev Foundation

The SecDev Foundation is a rapidly growing not-for-profit think-do tank based in Ottawa, Canada. We work globally at the cross-roads of security, development and the game-changing influence of cyberspace.

Our mission is to support digital well-being for all, with a special focus on civil society organizations, women, youth, and vulnerable groups. We help communities pursue digital opportunity, while understanding how to better control the technologies they so readily use. We help societies navigate the emerging opportunities of the global digital economy, which is founded on sound policies and savvy digital citizens. And, in countries affected by conflict and war, we help local communities and societies pursue new forms of resilience in the digital sphere.  We prioritize local partnerships to ensure programming is responsive, inclusive and yields lasting capacities.

We have current operational programming in the Middle East, North Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America and Eurasia.  Our work has been supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), The Embassy of the Netherlands, Freedom House, The Open Societies Foundation, the Global Peace and Security Fund (GAC), The Stability Network, Public Safety Canada, the Bureau of Democracy, Rights and Labour, Facebook, Google, American Bar Association, the Public International Law and Policy Group, and Centre for Victims of Torture.