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Search For Common Ground
About Search for Common Ground
Search for Common Ground is an international non profit organization with operations in 30 conflict-affected countries across the globe, and headquarters in the USA and in Belgium. The Belgian entity is an international AISBL with 30 staff based in our Brussels office and 1000 colleagues across the globe, 90% of whom are locals to the places where we implement our peacebuilding work. Search for Common Ground is funded primarily by the European Union, bilateral European Governments (i.e. Belgium, UK, Netherlands, Germany, France, Sweden, etc.).
As per our 2018-2028 strategy, Search for Common Ground is entering its expansion phase and is looking at increasingly influencing policy-makers in Belgium, Europe and across the world to make peacebuilding a credible option. In that context, Search for Common Ground was granted (i) a 5-year advocacy project funded by the Belgian Directorate-General Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD) and (ii) several projects funded by the European Union. As part of this expansion and new portfolio, Search for Common Ground is looking to strengthen its finance team based in Brussels and providing support for timely planning, reporting, audit, expense managing, sub-granting relating to these contracts and grants.
Responsibilities
Provides accounting, accounts payable, reporting and overall administrative support to the finance team in Brussels on projects funded by the DGD/Belgium, the EU and other bilateral and multilateral European donors.
Prepares procurement documents, processes payments and assists in other administrative matters in finance, including pertaining to sub-awards to partners.
Provides support in budget monitoring and ensuring compliance with donor rules and regulations.
In coordination with the finance team and programs, assists in the pursuit of correct application of Search policies and financial practices.
Supports projects and statutory reporting and audits.
Contributions
Collects, codes and enters relevant purchasing receipts, reconciles with the bank statement and follows-up for missing receipts.
Supports in the preparation payments, refunds, invoices, etc.
Creates new vendor/updates vendor information in the system and maintains the new vendor registration process.
Ensues all new vendors are vetted through the appropriate Terrorist Watchlist databases, and existing vendors on a periodic basis.
Support in the review of the reports and budgets of the projects’ subawardees
Responds to vendor general inquiries, reconciles vendor statements and escalates issues when necessary.
Assists finance team in the preparation of periodic budget reviews, ad hoc project financial reports and timely and quality project financial reports for donors in compliance with donor and internal Search requirements.
Contributes to collecting and referencing supporting documentation for project audits, statutory audits or other project reviews.
Performs periodic reviews to identify reporting discrepancies and escalate as appropriate
Maintains accounting/finance departmental files and desktop procedures and process documents for areas of responsibility.
Participates in period closing activities including journal entries and relevant controls and reconciliations.
Takes notes of team meetings and contributes to the reflection around the performance of the team.
Provides administrative support as necessary
Infuses organizational values into all work.
Other duties that are broadly in line with the above key contributions as assigned.
Competency Behavior Indicators (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)
Engages effectively with collaborators and team members.
Builds relationships. May participate in external meetings.
Relates well to colleagues and to all levels of managers; works cooperatively and effectively across teams.
Participates in active listening and is receptive to learning.
With close supervision and direction from the supervisor, researches and compiles materials for team documents, briefing materials, and presentations.
Appreciates multicultural teamwork.
Has knowledge of and respect for the organization’s values and norms.
Obtains essential information for a task or project.
Organizes information or materials for others.
Is resourceful and uses Search’s technology to support efficiency for self and team members.
Type and Nature of Contacts
Interacts with others and handles problem situations with tact.
Interacts routinely with the Brussels and Global Finance and Administration team
Interacts routinely with Brussels-based colleagues. Interacts routinely with a few grants managers or officers based in Search for Common Ground countries of operations or regional teams.
Interacts on seldom occasions with vendors, auditors, consultants or sub-awardees
Minimum Qualifications, Education and Experience
High School with Finance / Accounting specialization with minimum 2 years’ relevant experience; or Bachelor in Finance or Accounting.
Full professional proficiency in French.
Very good working proficiency in English (C1) both written and oral
Preferred Qualifications
Prior experience working in similar functions with funding from DGD, EU or other European bilateral governments
Working Proficiency in Dutch preferred
Knowledge of Arabic an additional asset
Working Conditions and Physical Requirements
Usual office environment.
Supervisory and Budget Responsibility
None
Salary Range and Contract Duration
The salary range for this position would be between 2.580- 3.100 EUR gross per month, depending on relevant experience, with standard benefits (22 days of annual leave, end-of-year office closure, double vacation pay, meal vouchers, life insurance, hospitalisation insurance, transport allocation).
This position is an open-ended contract
Foreseen Start Date
As soon as possible
Application process
The deadline for applications is 19th of October, 2022.
Only applications submitted through our Application System, Lever will be reviewed. Please submit your application in English and do not wait long to do it, as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis!
Please note that we are unfortunately only able to consider applicants who hold the right to live and work in Belgium.