Guardian Jobs 2023 – Finance Manager

About the job

MEDIA LEGAL DEFENCE INITIATIVE

Finance Manager

About Media Defence

Media Defence is a charity that helps media to defend their rights. We support independent media, journalists and citizen journalists who are under legal threat by making sure that lawyers are available to defend them. We engage in strategic litigation to improve the regulatory environment for media freedom, make grants to organisations in various countries to run media defence programmes, and build the capacity of the lawyers and organisations we work with on issues of media law.

Media Defence was set up in 2008 and has established itself as a leader in the field. To date, we have supported over 1,000 cases, helping hundreds of journalists in over 110 countries. Our work has helped prevent over 300 years of detention for media workers and avoided £500m in damages. We have supported 40 partners and have trained 144 lawyers.

About the role We are looking for a talented and personable finance professional to oversee Media Defence’s day-to-day financial management. The Finance Manager has a central role in the organisation, ensuring that financial information is provided in a timely manner to the Management Team and the Board of Trustees to enable them to make decisions, working with the Development Team to support fundraising and donor reporting, and with the Grants Team to evaluate grant applications and financial reports of our grantees.

The Finance Manager is assisted in this by the Finance and Administration Officer and the Programme Finance and Compliance Officer. The Finance Manager will have excellent communication and organisation skills and is able to motivate and support the development of team members.

Responsible to:

Finance and Operations Director

Key relationships:

Finance and Operations Director, Finance and Administration Officer, Programme Finance and Compliance Officer, Grants Officers, Development Director, Fundraising and Communications Officer.

Main Responsibilities

Accounting, planning and reporting

• Manage Media Defence’s day-to-day financial operations including accounts payable, accounts receivable/grants claims, bank reconciliation, general accounting functions (including petty cash).
• Reconcile the balance sheet/control accounts on a monthly basis
• Ensure that all items of income and expenditure have been correctly recorded in the accounting system
• Prepare monthly management accounts.
• Support the Finance and Operations Director with the preparation of annual budgets, quarterly financial forecasts and statutory annual accounts.
• Provide assistance during the annual audit and with grant audits.

Programmes

• Financial evaluation of grant applications and financial reports from Media Defence’s grantees, including evaluation visits.
• Prepare fundraising budgets and financial reports to Media Defence’s donors.

Systems and Processes

• Support the Finance and Operations Director to improve economy and efficiency across the organisation and ensure a robust internal control environment, including through identification/development, implementation and enhancement of relevant systems and processes.
• Provide advice to the team on finance policies, procurement and logistics as required.

Other Responsibilities

• Line manage and oversee the work of the Finance and Administration Officer and the Programme Finance and Compliance Officer.
• Minute taking at Finance Committee meetings.
• Deputise for the Finance and Operations Director when necessary.
• Perform any other duties commensurate with the post.

This role requires some travel (one-two evaluation visits to funded partner organisations per year).

Person Specification

Essential

Knowledge

• A relevant accounting qualification (ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) or demonstrable qualification by experience.
• A minimum of five years relevant work experience.
• Working knowledge of charity accounting and donor funding management.
• Demonstrable experience of staff management or supervision, including providing coaching, guidance and support to team members.

Skills

• Strong IT skills, including knowledge of accounting systems.
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to manage a varied and pressured workload, including planning and organising the work of others.
• Results-focused, solution-oriented with a proactive and positive approach.
• Fluency in English with excellent writing and editorial skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a pleasant, diplomatic manner in interacting with colleagues and other stakeholders at all levels.

Other

• Comfortable working in a multi-cultural environment and with partners outside of the UK. High level of personal integrity and commitment to the mission and vision of Media Defence. Right to work in the UK.

Desirable

• Good working knowledge (spoken and written) of French or Spanish.
• Understanding of human rights and/or international media environment.
• Working knowledge of US government funded projects and compliance with 2CFR200.
• Experience in working with Sage 50 and Sage Payroll.

Equality and diversity are fundamental to our mission. We are committed to the recruitment and retention of individuals from diverse backgrounds and who reflect the diverse communities in which we operate.

Terms of Appointment

Contract:

Permanent, full time (37.5 hours, occasional evening and weekend work)

Salary:

£45,000 – £53,164 per annum, dependent on experience

Location:

We combine home working and office-based working to suit individual and organisational needs. While there is scope for working from home, this role will require presence in our central London office two days per week.

Pension:

Contributory pension scheme (employer matched contribution up to max. 8%)

Annual leave:

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, plus up to ten days additional leave (paid/unpaid) per year after probation.

Additional:

On joining Media Defence, all employees are automatically able to access professional support through our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provided by Health Assured Limited and through a digital health app, Peppy.

We offer an enhanced maternity and paternity leave package.

We provide a range of training and development tools to offer support our employees to improve or develop skills and knowledge for the benefit of both the individual and the organisation.

How To Apply

If you are interested in applying for this role, please send your application, referencing ‘Finance Manager’, to [email protected]. Your application must include:

• your CV (max. two pages); and a covering letter (max. two pages), explaining your motivation for applying for the role, along with how you will meet the criteria in the Person Specification.

The closing date for applications is Monday 4 November 2023.

Interviews will be held virtually in the second half of w/c 7 November 2023, followed by a test.

If you have any questions relating to the role or the process, or would like any adjustments made to accommodate your needs, please contact us at [email protected].