Finance and Accounting Officer - Mexico City

Please note as this is a local post, International IDEA will bear no costs relating to relocation of the selected candidate to the duty station. This position is open to those legally authorized to live and work in Mexico.

On 10 October 2017, the Government of Mexico, signed a host-country agreement to establish a sub-regional office of International IDEA in Mexico City. Mexico joined International IDEA in 2003 as a Member State and chaired the organization in 2010.The host-country agreement was signed as a result of this long-standing partnership between Mexico and International IDEA.

The sub-regional office in Mexico will open in 2018 and work on promoting, consolidating and advancing sustainable democracy and democratic electoral processes in Mexico and the Central America and the Caribbean region. Through the sub-regional office in Mexico, International IDEA will support national capacities by providing training and assistance to institutions involved in the democratic process. It will also provide a platform for knowledge exchange and discussion about key issues in strengthening democracy, such as electoral integrity and electoral justice. The opening of the office in Mexico City will facilitate increased collaboration with Mexico ahead of the key upcoming elections in Mexico in 2018.

The Finance and Accounting Officer provides financial, accounting and procurement support to the Mexico office, ensuring International IDEA’s finance and procurement policies and procedures are adhered to.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Performs all duties related to the Supplier’s Ledger including processing of invoices, payments, maintenance of supplier accounts and recording of transactions, ensuring that transactions are properly authorized in accordance with delegated authority;
• Manages daily cashier activities ensuring adherence to International IDEA’s policies and procedures, accounting principles and best practices; establishes and maintains cash controls;
• Monitors cash flow and ensures adequate cash levels are maintained in the Mexico office and across the region as applicable;
• Ensures all transactions are properly recorded in the financial system;
• Prepares monthly financial reports and monthly reconciliation of accounts as applicable;
• Provides support and guidance to the Head of Programme on preparation and revision of project/activity budgets in conformity with the applicable policies and procedures;
• Assists in preparing the budget breakdown and budget monitoring for the Mexico office;
• Prepares project expenditure reports and analysis and assists the Head of Programme in tracking financial process of projects as required;
• Sets up grant financial schedule and aligns grant budget with Maconomy budget;
• Prepares contracts in accordance with International IDEA’s Procurement Policy, ensuring the Institute’s financial and commercial interest are protected;
• Ensures the Head of Programme is aware of grant conditions and reporting deadlines;
• Monitors adherence to financial and reporting requirements and prepares financial reports as required;
• Advises staff on internal financial related policies and procedures and their use (e.g. travel policy, reimbursement policy, etc.);
• Maintains filing and archiving systems of accounting and financial documents and records.

General Profile

• Has developed specialized skills or is multi-skilled developed through job-related training and considerable on-the-job experience;
• Adds considerable value to team-based activities in his/her unit, and likely to act as an informal resource for colleagues; collaborates with other entities of the Institute as required;
• Follows internal procedures to ensure high standards of performance and compliance with Institutional guidelines;
• Integrates a gender and diversity perspective in all activities.

Reporting Line

• Head of Programme - Mexico

Functional Knowledge

• Is skilled in a range of processes, procedures and systems to carry out assigned tasks or has developed deep skills in a particular area.

Operational Knowledge, skills and experience

• Integrates a results-based approach into his/her activities;
• Understands how the assigned duties relate to others in the team and how the team integrates with others throughout the organization;
• Uses knowledge of how the team integrates with others to accomplish team objectives;
• Illustrates integrity, a collaborative spirit, a sense of achievement, and an understanding of risk management.

Leadership

• Provides solutions to problems in situations that are atypical or infrequently occurring based on practice and existing precedents or procedures.

Problem Solving

• Recognizes and solves typical problems that can occur in own work area; evaluates and selects solutions from established options.

Impact

• Impacts the quality, timeliness and effectiveness of the function; uses discretion to modify work practices and processes to achieve results or improve efficiency.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

• Liaises regularly with all internal and external stakeholders involved in his/her projects;
• Acts in all assignments with personal energy and engagement.
• Fluency in English and Spanish i.e. written and oral required. Any other widely spoken language in an International IDEA priority region would also be an asset.

Education and Experience

• University degree in financial management, accountancy, business management or equivalent;
• A minimum of three (3) years of professional experience in dealing with financial systems and budgets, financial reporting, financial data analysis and auditing;
• Experience with grant management including budgeting, costing, monitoring and implementation is desired.

Terms of Contract

• Fixed Term Appointment until December 2018. Extension possible subject to available funding
• Duty Station - Mexico City
• Start date 01 April 2018
• Please note as this is a local post, International IDEA will bear no costs relating to relocation of the selected candidate to the duty station. This position is open to those legally authorized to live and work in Mexico.

Applying for this position

• Applications should be submitted no later than 07 January 2018 . Please note that all applications must be made in English.

International IDEA is an equal opportunity employer which seeks to further diversify its staff in terms of gender, culture and nationality.