Junior Accountant

THE NEED:

WITNESS helps people use video and technology to protect and defend human rights. With a cellphone camera, anyone can become a human rights defender and expose injustice, making it harder for perpetrators to hide or for systems of oppression to remain invisible. But using video for community organizing or justice and accountability can be dangerous – videos can put defenders (or those they film) at risk, can be used against communities in court or deceitfully discredited by tired old power narratives. Filming is almost never enough – for videos to make a difference they need to work alongside strong advocacy or legal strategies; they also need to be created, preserved and shared in ways that avoid creating more harm or trauma. And the actions of courageous individuals and communities at a grassroots level are conditioned by the structures and decisions of global technology platforms and emerging technologies that are distant and unaccountable to their needs. New threats to human rights are emerging at the intersection of artificial intelligence, misinformation and disinformation and a global wave of rising authoritarianism.

WITNESS pairs grassroots community support, and broad learning and sharing of tips and guidance to activists, with advocacy at a systems level on challenges. Our team works holistically on a global scale to understand how communities are using and want to use video and technology for human rights. When it comes to systemic challenges we are on the watch for both existing problems – like how large amounts of critical human rights footage are lost because of the arbitrary decisions of platforms – but also emerging threats and opportunities, such as those posed by ‘deepfakes’, new ways to manipulate media to make it look like someone said or did something they never did, or an event happened that never occurred.

THE TEAM

Committed to the organization’s mission and vision, you will be part of a dynamic, global team of activists who work across the world and in different time zones. You’ll be closely partnered with the Accounting and Finance Manager and Associate Director of Finance and Operations and in that role, you will function as a key connector in this global team, ensuring that organizational Finance and Accounting policies are adhered to.

THE ROLE

As a member of the Finance Team, the Junior Accountant performs a wide range of integral fiscal and departmental duties under the direction of the Accounting and Finance Manager.

THE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Create, process and import General Journal entries
• Reconcile accounts, subledgers, and databases to the General Ledger
• Process Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable transactions
• Process payments in Accounting system, including check payments, ACH, and wire transfer payments
• Process and reconcile expense reports (Advance Reconciliations, Credit Card Reconciliations, Reimbursement Requests)
• Prepare and transfer batches from the Concur system to Blackbaud’s Financial Edge General Ledger. Make adjustments as needed
• Create amortization schedules for capital assets; allocate payments between interest and principal portions
• Retrieve monthly bills and statements online, and process as needed
• With the Senior Accountant, conduct new and ongoing training for finance onboarding for new staff; and support local and regionally based staff on updates in financial policies
• Assist staff with Concur expense reports, advance and reimbursement request and reconciliations
• Assist Senior Accountant with completion of all monthly, quarterly, and annual reports including departmental, program, project, and grant reports
• Assist for completion of annual Form 990
• Assist of the preparation for annual audit and funder specific audits
• Maintain departmental records and systems
• Other duties as assigned

PRINCIPAL RELATIONSHIPS

• Finance Team
• External Relationships
• HR
• All Staff

Reports to: Accounting and Finance Manager

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Finance, or a related field
• Knowledge of GAAP
• High level of proficiency with the entire MS Office suite, especially Excel
• Experience with financial accounting software
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, flexibility, and ability to work collaboratively
• Strong interest, background, and/or work experience in human rights advocacy or media/technology for social change; demonstrated commitment to social justice and WITNESS’ values and mission
• 1-3 years experiences in accounting, financial management, or business, preferably at a non-profit organization
• Experience with Blackbaud Financial Edge and/or Concur

HOW TO APPLY:

To apply, send your cover letter, resume, and contact information for 3 references to financejobs@witness.org with the subject line “Junior Accountant ” [Your name]”.

Please include a cover letter. We are interested in hearing about what you’ve done, what you can do, and what you want to do at WITNESS.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled; early applications encouraged. Please note that due to the volume anticipated, we will not be able to respond individually to each applicant. We kindly ask that you do not send duplicate applications via mail or email, and no phone calls.

WITNESS is an equal opportunity employer. People of all ages, races, ethnicities, national origins, religions, genders, gender identities and expressions, sexual orientations, and individuals protected by any other statuses under federal, state or local laws, including but not limited to, disability, marital, domestic partnership, familial, caregiver, transgender, military or veteran statuses, are encouraged to apply. Authorization to work in the U.S. is required.

Thank you.

http://www.witness.org