Position Description

Senior Business Associate - Civic DEFENDERS
Location Remote in United States
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ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

Internews seeks a Senior Business Associate (SBA) for a USAID-funded global Internet freedom initiative. This initiative supports local civil society, independent media, and human rights defenders in preventing and responding to digital repression, particularly in repressive contexts. The activity focuses on building long-term, local resilience among civil society through a networked approach that involves global, regional, and local actors. The activity will provide technical assistance on digital security, digital governance advocacy and engagement, censorship circumvention, and holistic legal, psychosocial, and physical security support. 

The SBA will report directly to the Finance & Operations Manager (F&O Manager) and provide high-level administrative and operational support to the Civic DEFENDERS team. The SBA will collaborate closely with the entire Civic DEFENDERS program team, including the Chief of Party (COP) and Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP). The SBA will support a variety of financial, administrative, accounting, and operational tasks, including subgrant management, financial oversight, reporting, and data analysis. This position requires excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong attention to detail, and the ability to prioritize competing tasks. The SBA must demonstrate the capacity to implement innovative solutions, provide constructive guidance to team members, and work with project and department-wide team members. This is a complex administrative support role requiring prior experience, education, and/or training.

LOGISTICS

Internews has US offices in Arcata, CA and Washington, DC which support a hybrid workforce with staff working remotely, fully in-office, or partially remote. This is a remote based role, and candidates based anywhere in the United States will be considered. 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so candidates are encouraged to apply soon

This is a limited-duration position, with an expected end date of September 30th, 2029.

OUR COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING A CULTURE OF BELONGING

We are an organization of dynamic, mission-driven individuals who are passionate about our core values and about supporting positive change in the world. We pride ourselves on our commitment to innovation and flexibility. We believe that diverse teams are strong teams and work to support an ethic of belonging, dignity, and justice for all people. Our current team includes a mix of genders, parents and non-parents, and people of multiple races, nationalities, ages, sexual orientations and socioeconomic backgrounds. We are an EEO employer and encourage candidates of all races, genders, ages, orientations, ethnicities, and national origins to apply, and welcome those with alternative backgrounds and experiences.

DAY-TO-DAY TASKS will include:

  • Under the direction of the F&O Manager, perform first-level review and reconciliation of the Civic DEFENDERS operating budget, ensuring all transactions are reasonable, appropriate, and aligned with funder requirements; updating spending projections as needed.
  • Prepare advanced financial analysis and forecasting for the F&O Manager, DCOP, and COP.
    Investigate financial discrepancies and deficiencies, escalating issues to the F&O Manager as needed.
  • Process payments and expense recodes in coordination with Internews’ Accounting department, ensuring proper coding in accordance with funder requirements and internal policies and procedures.
  • Support the design, implementation, and maintenance of tools and processes for tasks such as budget tracking, contract and subgrant management, and document storage
  • Prepare and monitor Alliance Accounting budgets and Resource Sharing Agreements.
  • Support audit inquiries and gather supporting documentation under the guidance of the F&O Manager.
  • Assist with the implementation of contracts.
  • Review all forms, documentation, and budgets related to Project Administered Subgrants (up to US $25,000) and HQ Administered Subgrants (in excess of US $25,000) in coordination with the Senior Subgrants Associate.
  • Support the onboarding of new staff by training them on finance and operations procedures, as requested.
  • As requested, provide surge support to other project operations functions, including processing payments to suppliers and consultants, preparing documentation related to project support, and supporting other financial processes as needed.
  • Communicate regularly with Headquarters’ business administration teams (Finance and Accounting, Grants and Contracts, Audit, People & Culture, etc.) to ensure project-level financial management and reporting complies with Internews policy and funder regulations, specifically US Government regulations.
  • Perform other duties as needed, in close consultation with the F&O Manager and the DCOP
  • In all duties, uphold Internews’ Core Values and demonstrate commitment to fostering a culture of belonging.

QUALIFICATIONS WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

 Required

  • University degree or equivalent lived/professional experience.
  • Minimum of 3 years of prior relevant experience.
  • Excellent communication and organizational skills.
  • Professional-level fluency in English.
  • Advanced experience with technology including MS Office applications, especially Excel.
  • Experience with financial analysis, budget development, and financial management.
  • Proven ability to work both independently and as an effective team member.
  • Proven ability to set priorities, manage time effectively and handle on-going assignments.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage large volumes of data.
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
  • Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with sound judgment, tact and discretion.
  • High degree of social adaptability and sensibility to cultural differences.
  • Willingness to work flexible hours to accommodate multiple time zones.

Preferred

Note: Candidates who do not have these preferred qualifications, but who are interested and willing to learn, are encouraged to apply.

  • Familiarity with USG rules and regulations, particularly USAID and US Department of State.
  • Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
  • Proven grant proposal and budget development experience.
  • Familiarity with ERP systems, Airtable, SalesForce and other platforms/databases.

The annual salary range for this position is US $58,400 - US $73,000. Please note that this salary range applies to US-based candidates only. Learn more about our US benefits on our Benefits page. For candidates based outside the US, the engagement mechanism, benefits eligibility, and salary structure that apply will be based on multiple factors and will be reviewed during the hiring process. 

Internews Network is an EEO/AAP/OFCCP employer. Every qualified applicant will be considered for employment. Internews does not discriminate based on race, gender, gender identity or orientation, genetic information, age, national origin, marital status, disability status, political ideology, military or protected veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by applicable law.

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