Finance Assistant

Finance Assistant

Our vision is for everyone living in West Asia-North Africa and the diaspora to be able to access and engage with the internet, mobile services, and other networked spaces safely and without fear of censorship, surveillance, or repercussion.

Our mission is to advance freedom of expression and the right to privacy in West Asia-North Africa through research and reporting, monitoring state and tech companies’ policies, protecting the safety and security of online users, and collaborating with regional advocates to sustain a safer digital space.

Job Overview

As a Finance Assistant, you will play a crucial role in supporting the finance unit of the organization by handling various financial tasks ensuring accuracy, transparency, and compliance with SMEX’s internal policies and the donor’s requirements. This role will support in maintaining detailed financial records through accurate data entering, assisting budgeting and reporting, helping with the payroll and the processing of payments, and supporting with the audit requirements. The finance assistant will work closely with the Finance Unit  and the Operations Unit ensuring the effective use of the financial resources and  support the mission of SMEX.

Responsibilities

• Diligently adhering to and executing the organization’s established Internal and Financial policies and procedures, and ensuring the compliance to donor’s requirements, following best practices.
• Data Entry of financial data into the organization’s accounting systems and assisting the finance unit in maintaining accurate financial records and keeping complete and accurate documentation.
• Organizing, filing, and maintaining financial records, invoices, receipts, and other important documents in both physical and digital formats.
• Recording and comparing actual financial data against the projected budget to identify variances on a weekly and monthly basis.
• Updating the deferred income report and reconciling the deferred income accounting statements with the internal reports.
• Reconciling bank statements with internal statements to ensure the accuracy of financial records and keeping complete and accurate documentation of the reconciliation. 
• Reconciling cash reports with the accounting system reports to ensure the accuracy of cash payments and keeping complete and accurate documentation of the reconciliation. 
• Assisting in preparing the financial documentation needed for regular financial and audit reports, including monthly, quarterly and annual reports, as required by the organisation and the donor.
• Addressing and resolving financial queries from internal and external stakeholders.
• Assisting the finance team with various other administrative tasks and projects as required.
• Engaging with the team to learn about finance and accounting processes, systems, and best practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in Business, Finance, Accounting or any other relevant university degree
• At least one year of related experience in finance, preferably with an NGO.
• Proven ability to accurately enter large volumes of financial data into accounting systems and efficiently organize and categorize financial records.
• Ability to analyze financial data, identify discrepancies, and recommend corrective actions.
• Familiarity with payroll processing, including salary entry, tax deductions, and compliance with statutory requirements.
• Ability to manage both physical and electronic documentation in an organized manner, ensuring confidentiality and compliance with regulatory standards.
• Proficiency in Google Drive and financial software. 
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Familiarity with SMEX's core work and a shared commitment to human rights values, including privacy, users’ rights, digital surveillance, data protection, freedom of expression, accessibility, and open culture.
• Proficiency in English and Arabic.

Behavioral Competencies

• Proactive and willing to take initiative
• Detail-oriented and precise
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
• Time management
• Effective Communication
• Confidentiality

Additional Information

• Duty Station:                      Beirut, Lebanon
• Office Presence:                 Office  
• Employment Status:           Full-Time
• Reporting Line:                  Finance Manager 
• Salary:                               1,000 USD/month