Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) invites applications for an Administration and Finance Coordinator (Guatemala) to join our dedicated and talented MEDA team in our mission to create business solutions to poverty!
MEDA’s work is built on a foundation of Mennonite business roots and faith-based values, within the global context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We believe business solutions are effective interventions to address poverty. Through a market-systems approach and strategic partnerships, MEDA enables access to finance and provides business and technical expertise to build transformative agri-food market systems that create decent jobs, allowing traditionally excluded groups to become active participants in a sustainable economy. MEDA welcomes all who share our values and want to join us in our mission. To find out more about MEDA, please visit our website at www.meda.org.
Position Summary
Job-status: Full-time 1-year renewable contract
Start date: As soon as possible
Location: Guatemala City
Criteria: Opportunity is available for national applicants to work in Guatemala
Project Description
Women’s Empowerment for Central America (WE4CA) is a 4-year project funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and implemented by Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA), Pro Mujer and Wakami in Guatemala and Nicaragua. The goal of WE4CA is to contribute to poverty alleviation by promoting the socio-economic empowerment of women and girls, including rural and indigenous women, as a strategy to enhance gender equality and address sexual and gender-based violence and harassment (SGBVH). The project will support 5,000 women and youth entrepreneurs in Guatemala and Nicaragua, including rural and indigenous women, focused on the coffee and light manufacturing (including handmade products and textiles) sectors by improving business performance, access to gender-responsive financial services and community services. In this project MEDA will act as the lead for implementing activities related to inclusive finance and gender lens investing (GLI).
RESPONSIBILTIES
- Draft various HR and Administration documentation required for the specific area of work (e.g. employment documents, service agreements, consultancies, transfer letters, training-related documents, visa invitation letters, etc.) and other correspondence documents as required; ensuring accuracy and meeting established deadlines;
- Manage all aspects of day-to-day accounting operations and petty cash.
- Assist in the implementation of finance policies, procedures and systems.
- Ensure compliance with MEDA procedures and guidelines and that all transactions are properly documented and stored (physical and electronic copy).
- Process payments to suppliers, partners and others in a timely fashion (through direct payment/operational advances/banks transfers).
- Maintain MEDA petty cash and internal accounting books for Guatemala (for operational advances, salaries or advances to suppliers, receivables and payables, and ensuring that the advances are paid back within the given timeframes with validation and justification).
- Verify completeness and accuracy of all accounting documents.
- Receiving invoices, receipts and financial reports for MEDA Guatemala, implementing partners and matching grant recipients, ensuring their coherence and conformity, checking they are approved and sharing with HQ Finance Manager for final approval.
- Closing the monthly accounts within the timeframes given and preparing monthly finance reports for MEDA HQ, in collaboration with the external accountant.
- Record the MEDA national staff payroll, and work with the MEDA Guatemala accountant to ensure all payments are accurate and legitimate.
- Ensure internal control procedures are followed for all cash disbursements, exchange, receipts and transfers.
- Obtain monthly bank statement in the first week of each month for project bank account, reconciling the bank statements and highlighting any cheques not cashed during the month.
- Effectively problem solve issues related to schedules, travel, office needs and other issues/items as assigned; ensuring needs of the organization and staff are met;
- Coordinate logistical and meeting needs for training events, Project Steering Committee meetings, and other events in areas such as venue selection, invitation list management, audio visual requirements, catering, material distribution, etc.;
- Serve as the primary point of contact for external inquiries;
- Support the organization of country visits by MEDA HQ staff, donors and other stakeholders, including drafting itineraries, arranging for in-country travel, accommodation, site visits and other activities as required;
- Manage IT related issues and coordinate with MEDA HQ and the local IT service support provider to ensure solving the IT related problems efficiently and in a timely manner;
- Responsible for handling all the office purchases:
- Obtain offers from different suppliers/vendors for all office purchases according to MEDA Guatemala procurement policy;
- Coordinate and follow up with vendors to deliver the purchased items on time and according to the requirements;
- Ensure all the related forms and templates are completed and have all the required approvals;
- Maintain purchase orders and all supporting documents in order to issue the payments in accordance to the procurement policy;
- Act as the security focal point for the project, working with the MEDA HQ Director of Security and CPM to ensure all MEDA security protocols are followed.
Any other duties and/or requirements as assigned
REQUIREMENTS
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, or other relevant field, Masters preferred
- Minimum 3 years’ experience in administration or financial management.
- Desired: Experience working with an International Organization or NGO
- Fluency (written and verbal) in Spanish is required
- Fluency (written and verbal) in English is required
Additional Qualifications
- Appreciation and support of MEDA and WE4CA project mission, vision and values
- Understanding and appreciation of business principles, international development and MEDA’s approach of creating business solutions to poverty
- Excellent computer skills and good knowledge of Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, Dynamics CRM, Sharepoint, PowerBI and related software
- Knowledge of general administrative work practices and methods gained through relevant technical training and experience
- Flexible, organized and detail-oriented, with an ability to prioritize multiple assignments and react quickly to changes
- Good communication skills and basic understanding of administration principles and their application in order to respond to and resolve general queries
- Experience organizing conferences and meetings, making domestic and international travel arrangements preferred
- Self-starter with confidence and commitment to professional delivery
- Ability to work unsupervised and take ownership of queries/issues, bringing them to a successful conclusion
*Job advertisement will remain open until filled.
MEDA is an equal opportunity employer and accommodations are available during all phases of the recruitment process. We ask that any applicants requiring accommodation make their needs known in advance.