Open Vacancy: Project Assistant – Finance

Join our team to support with admin tasks related to grants and contracts. Deadline: May 29, 2024.

  • Region: Global
  • Office: Remote from the Sub-Sahara Africa and MENA regions
  • Hours: 32
  • Application deadline: May 29, 2024

Are you committed to defending human rights offline as well as online? Are you flexible, organized, can you communicate well in English, are you willing to use encryption and other secure communication tools? Do you have a good financial eye and love budgets and spreadhseets? Do you feel enthusiastic about events and logistical support?  Would you like to contribute to a whole range of tasks? We would love to have you as a colleague!

Job context

The Digital Defenders Partnership (DDP) was initiated in late 2012 by the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) to contribute to strengthening the resilience of HRDs by increasing their digital security through a holistic and sustainable approach. DDP provides emergency response and sustainable protection funding to human rights defenders and organisations; strengthens rapid responders and local protection networks and capacities, and contributes to long-term organisational safety through accompaniments. DDP is hosted by the international NGO Hivos. At the moment, DDP team of 40 people is spread out over 20 countries based in regional teams in Latin America, Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, Caucasus, and Central Asia and Europe region.

We are looking for someone who can work dedicated working hours towards the DDP. You will be in daily contact with the DDP international team; monitor contract actions, receiving invoices, initiating payments, supporting the financial officer, supporting travel needs of the DDP team, attending DDP team meetings online.

Your responsibilities

The Project Assistant – Finance reports to DDP’s Project Manager Operations and has the following responsibilities:

Supporting with Financial tasks

  • Supporting the Financial officer (FO) with the assessment of partner budgets, financial reports and audited statements.
  • Logging and processing invoices and reimbursement requests (indicating budget lines/funders on invoices).
  • Assisting the Financial Officer (FO) with registering budget expenses in the Hivos systems All Solutions and Excel for the programme.
  • Preparing documents for the yearly audit and ad hoc requests.

Supporting with Admin tasks related to grants and contracts

  • Closely working together with the Project Assistant, registering partner/fellow/consultant details into the Hivos system All Solutions.
  • Checking correctness and completeness of contracts including compliance and reporting requirements, in line with Hivos/DDP procedures.
  • Assisting POs with reviewing quarterly grantee reports.
  • Closely working together with the Project Assistant, Assisting POs with processing the payment liabilities in the Hivos system All Solutions.
  • Monitor contract actions, send quarterly reminders to partners, and provides information on overdue actions.
  • Support on payments to partners/fellows/consultants in the All Solution system.
  • Ensuring accuracy and integrity of financial data.
  • Closing contracts on the Hivos system.
  • Filing and archiving partner documentation according to DDP/Hivos procedures.

Overall DDP admin and reporting support

  • Booking flights and accommodation for DDP team/partners/trainees
  • Supporting a global DDP team across the world and in different time zones with multiple administrative requests.
  • Filing and archiving travel and global events logistical and supporting financial documentations.
  • Logistical arrangements for meetings, events and conferences.
  • Supporting POs with maintenance of communication materials (flyers/prints).
  • Actively support on continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to streamline process, enhance efficient and strength project and/or organisational operations.

Your profile

  • You have financial working experience; proven experience in working with budgets, including a solid understanding of financial principles, budgeting processes, contract management, and regulatory requirements.
  • You have strong organisational skills; proven experience in administrating projects/organizing events/administrating international teams.
  • You are flexible and positive; you are able to deal with different tasks that come up within the DDP programme, you are able to plan and prioritize.
  • You have an attention to detail, excellent time management skills and show initiative.
  • You are a team player; you enjoy working in collaboration with the DDP team and assisting team members with their tasks.
  • You have strong communication skills in English, written and verbal as well as interpersonal. You are an open communicator; able to communicate any ambiguity or insecurity.
  • You preferably have affinity with activists, human right defenders and other critical voices under pressure. You preferably have affinity with internet Freedom, digital technologies and holistic security
  • You subscribe to DDP core values and will sign the Hivos Safeguarding Policy and non-disclosure agreement of DDP. It is especially important to be in full acceptance towards the DDP feminist and decolonial approach.
  • You work with a high degree of professionalism and confidentiality.
  • You have excellent command of MS Office & MS Excel.
  • You are able to use encryption and other secure communication tools, or willing to use it.
  • You have a valid working permit in the country that you live in.

What we offer

A consultant contract for 32 hrs/week is offered A.S.A.P., for 1 year, with the option to extend. DDP differentiates consultant salaries per region. Consultant rates offer will depend on your location but will be not less than 1,935 EUR for the 32 hrs. Travel costs are compensated in accordance with Hivos Regulations.

Want to apply?

Please apply latest May 29, 2024. We will consider closing the procedure before this date in case we receive a lot of applications and/or have found the matching candidate before this date.