Tactical Tech

[CLOSED] Finance Manager

7 minutes read | First published: June 20, 2023
Lapton with a Tactical Tech sticker on

Tactical Tech is looking for a committed individual with at least 5 years experience to come on board as the Finance Manager.

Reports to: Deputy Director
Position Type: Full-time employment @ 80% / 32hrs.
Job Location: based in Berlin, Germany (combination of working from home and office)

Your role

Tactical Tech is looking for a committed individual with at least 5 years directly related experience to come on board as the Finance Manager. You will be responsible for all finance related matters: overseeing book-keeping, preparing reports, due diligence, FTE allocations, and bank reconciliation. As part of this role, together with the Finance Coordinator, you will ensure procedures related to payment and procurement are followed and adhered to according to internal policies, legal requirements and grant conditions.
The position is a key role within the Organisational Team and has a cross-departmental function when supporting project teams and the fundraising team with project budgets and reporting and takes a leading role in preparing grant financial reports.
The position requires a high level of discretion due to the exposure to sensitive personal and organisational information as well as a high level of focus, attention to detail and meticulousness. The Finance Manager reports to the Deputy Director and line manages the Finance Coordinator. At times the Finance Manager will be invited to present organisational reports to the Senior Management Team.

Key responsibilities and tasks

OVERSEE OF FINANCE COORDINATOR TASKS

  • Ensure Finance Coordinator maintains proper books of accounts, accurate and orderly filing, and records and tracks transactions accurately.
  • Ensure Finance Coordinator transfers staff salaries, payroll deductions to the relevant government authorities and issues payments to third party suppliers accurately.
  • Liaison with the bank. Have oversight of bank deposits and payments.

REPORTING

  • Prepare and analyze organizational quarterly and annual reports and make recommendations on budgets for review by the Senior Management Team.
  • Prepare quarterly grant budget overview for the project leads. Provide support and advice to project leads.
  • Lead and/or provide oversight to ensure financial reporting is completed on time and submitted to donors.
  • Prepare and monitor financial data for the organisation as a whole as well as for individual grants; support organisational and grant financial reporting including annual organisational and project audits.

DUE DILIGENCE

  • Provide guidance and oversight to ensure all financial transactions are carried out and recorded in accordance with internal and external procedures and policies.
  • Maintain oversight of cash flow, invoices due and bank account transactions.
  • Prepare and/or provide oversight to ensure monthly and annual reconciliation of the accruals and make journals where necessary.
  • Support periodic financial analysis. Provide recommendations to improve systems and approaches.

INTERNAL COLLABORATION

  • Collaborate on donor requests for operational information, documentation, policies and procedures.
  • Maintain financial policies and procedures for the organisation and contribute to the maintenance of the Operations Handbook.
  • Host bi-weekly “open-hour” Q&A on grant management, finance procedures together with Fundraising and Grants Coordinator.
  • Work proactively with managers to identify key financial needs and risks, as well as opportunities and challenges for overall organisational planning and reporting.

Required skills and experience:

  • This post will be based in Berlin, Germany and you must be legally entitled to work in Germany.
  • Over 5 years’ experience in finances or accounting in a comparable organisation - a medium-sized international NGO - accompanied by completed relevant university-level studies.
  • Excellent bookkeeping and accounting skills, meticulous with strong attention to detail and accuracy. Ability to allocate costs independently, identify issues early and provide good suggestions for alternatives.
  • Very good understanding of legal and compliance issues related to NGOs. Understanding of Stichting regulations and of public administration in Germany is considered a plus.
  • Very good understanding of reporting formats and budgets, and substantial experience with financial management and reporting for different types of grants such as from governments, international bodies, and foundations.
  • Ability to contribute within a collaborative team environment and to work independently alike.
  • Ability to delegate and receive instruction from staff across the organisation’s departments.
  • Experience in supporting or leading grant and organisational audits will be considered a plus.
  • Excellent communication skills and experience communicating within a highly diverse and international team. Fluent written and spoken English (working language). German skills will be considered favourably.
  • Self-starter; able to work with limited supervision. Keen and pro-active when seeking solutions.
  • Demonstrable commitment to Tactical Tech's mission and values including an understanding of the geopolitical contexts within which Tactical Tech's work is carried out.

What we offer

  • Starting with a 24-month contract on the 1st November. We plan to extend this position, depending on available funds, organisational needs and performance. Salary varies with experience, our range for this role is from 42,000EUR – 46,000 EUR FTE (equivalent to 33,600EUR-36,800EUR at 80%/32hrs) depending on experience.
  • Annual leave entitlement of 25 days and an additional end of the year break.
  • Flexible work arrangements – core hours, home office and possibility of occasional remote work after probation.
  • An attractive place to work in the center of Berlin, our office is in Rosenthaler Platz and next year we will relocate to the new Publix – House of Journalism „ in Neukölln!
  • A culture of diversity and inclusion, with team members from various places around the world and backgrounds, who bring a variety of professional and personal experiences and dedication to Tactical Tech’s values and goals.

How to Apply

We foresee this role suitable to someone in their initial career development stages as well as someone with several years of experience, so we welcome applicants of all experience levels.
Tactical Tech is committed to equal employment opportunity for all. We cultivate a culture of inclusion for all employees that respects their individual strengths, views, and experiences. Tactical Tech is committed to achieving this through application of its affirmative action, equal opportunity and non-discrimination policy in all aspects of employment and work.
Please apply via email to jobs@tacticaltech.org, subject line “Finance Manager” with your CV (max 2 pages) and a motivation letter in PDF format (max 1 page). Applciations will be reviewed on a rolling basis until a qualified candidate is selected. There will be at least two interviews, the first online and the second in person in our office in Berlin.
Please provide contact details of two references contacts, we would contact them at a later stage of recruitment process with your prior approval.
Please note that only successful candidates will be contacted. If you haven’t been contacted within 14 days from the application deadline, your application has been unsuccessful.

Drop us an email with your application or specific inquiries.

Contact our Human Resources team

About Tactical Tech

Tactical Tech is an international NGO whose mission is to build capacity at the intersection of human rights and technology in order to create more equitable, democratic and sustainable societies.
We explore how digital technologies affect rights, equity and sustainability and how they shift power structures. We work to build the capacity of civil society organisations, communities and citizens worldwide to explore and mitigate the social, economic, environmental and cultural impact of digital technologies on their immediate context and on society at large. Our work informs the responses of key stakeholders, provides practical solutions and enables our audiences to make more informed decisions and take action. We are looking forward to hearing from you!

Road map for the role

In the first month, you will complete your onboarding, have an understanding of Tactical Tech’s operations and have started building relationships with the team. You will start understanding different components of your role and will start fulfilling several of your regular tasks, such as supporting the Finance Coordinator.
After three months, you will have a good understanding of your role, having already taken responsibility of day-to-day tasks. You will have contributed towards project and programme related reporting and initiated due diligence practices. You will have established good working relationships with key project staff.
After six months, you will have established a smooth workflow, in your role and have absolute clarity on your responsibilities. You will have started to co-coordinate existing processes and initiate new practices initiatives. You identified areas for improvement which you contribute to and bring your own experience, knowledge to the organisation.
After 1 year, you will be fully at ease in your role as a Finance Manager, working proactively with managers and Senior Management. You will have started to look at your impact beyond immediate tasks, e.g., in terms of knowledge capture or process optimization, contribution to the overall strategy and direction. You established yourself as the go to person internally for all matters related to payments, filing, banking, reporting, procurement and inquiries.