Job Announcement: Staff Accountant

September 2024

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Job Title: Staff Accountant

Organization: International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights

Location: Washington, D.C.

Start date: October 2024

 

Organization:

The International Institute on Race, Equality, and Human Rights (Race and Equality) is a human rights organization created in 2014 working in partnership with local activists in Latin America to build grassroots movements that promote and protect the rights of populations marginalized because of gender, ethnicity, race, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

 

Race and Equality has a dynamic capacity-building approach to promote human rights and combat discrimination based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Our work largely focuses on the rights of Afro-Latinos, LGBTI people, indigenous peoples, women, and other marginalized communities. Using a combination of litigation, community mobilization, human rights reporting, research, and advocacy methodology at the domestic and international level, we join our partners in developing and implementing strategies for change.

 

We work with our partners to combat racial discrimination and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) through a holistic, multi-faceted approach. Critical to this work is expanding the role of NGOs representing marginalized communities at the regional level. Hence our program includes building the capacity of our partners for advocating for the full incorporation of discrimination issues at the Organization of American States (OAS) and litigation within the Inter-American Human Rights System, in coordination with domestic litigation, policy advocacy, and community mobilization. Using the Universal System is crucial for the advancement of human rights, in particular the Treaty Bodies, Special Procedures Mandates, and the Universal Periodic Review. Race and Equality works extensively in the UN system.

 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Working in close with the Finance manager and the Senior Accountant, the Staff Accountant will prepare and analyze Race and Equality’s financial records.
• Oversee daily accounting activities, including accounts receivable, accounts payable, cash disbursements and receipts, and proper coding of transactions to the general ledger.
• Prepare journal entries, account reconciliations, and bank statements.
• Review budgets and compare with actual results with a view to identify, explain, and correct variances as appropriate.
• Maintain internal control and safeguards for receipt of revenue, costs, and program budgets and actual expenditures.
• Ensure accurate and timely recording of financial transactions.
• Process the monthly closing and account reconciliations in a timely manner.
• Support Race and Equality in the development of financial reports for internal and external stakeholders, including the board, funders, and auditors.
• Proactively identify trends, variances, and potential risks.
• Oversee all accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems ensuring compliance with appropriate GAAP standards and regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate and assist with annual audits, Prepared By Client (PBC) schedule, and ensure timely and accurate reporting.
• Assist the Race and Equality finance manager in the annual budgeting and planning process.
• Ensure compliance with restricted funds, including grant agreements and related reporting requirements.
• Responsible for financial, project/program, and grants accounting; ensure that expenditures are consistently aligned with grant and program budgets throughout the grant/fund period; collate financial reporting materials for US government and foundation grants.
• Assist in the preparation of restricted funds and grant proposals and budgets.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

 

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting field.
• 2-4 years of accounting experience, with non-profit accounting experience preferred.
• Knowledge of GAAP and fund accounting principles.
• Strong accounting software (QuickBooks) experience preferred.
• Experience in MS Office, with intermediate to advanced knowledge of Excel.
• Strong time management/organization skills; strong attention to detail; deadline oriented. Ability to work in a team environment.
• Familiarity with federal and state regulations governing non-profits (e.g., Form 990, grants, and donor-restricted funds).
• Fluency in English is essential; knowledge of Spanish is a plus.

 

Salary: Commensurate with experience and scale in non-governmental organizations.

Apply: Send cover letter and resume by email to jobs@raceandequality.org. No calls please.

 

Afro-descendants, women and LGBTI persons are encouraged to apply.

Race and Equality is an equal opportunity employer.

Job Announcement: Racial Justice Program Officer

International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights
Location: Washington, DC
Start date: ASAP

The International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights is a human rights organization created in 2014 working in partnership with local activists in Latin America to build grass roots movements that promote and protect the rights of populations marginalized because of gender, ethnicity, race, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.

Race and Equality has a dynamic capacity-building approach to promote human rights race and combat discrimination based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Our work largely focuses on the rights of Afro-Latinos, LGBTI people, indigenous peoples, women and other marginalized communities. Using a combination of litigation, community mobilization, human rights reporting, research and advocacy methodology at the domestic and international level, we join our partners in developing and implementing strategies for change. We work with our partners to combat racial discrimination and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) through a holistic multi-faceted approach. Critical to this work is expanding the role of NGOs representing marginalized communities at the regional level. Hence our program includes building the capacity of our partners to advocate for the full incorporation of discrimination issues at the Organization of American States (OAS) and litigation within the Inter-American Human Rights System, in coordination with domestic litigation, policy advocacy and community mobilization. Using the Universal System is crucial for the advancement of human rights, in particular the Treaty Bodies, Special Procedures Mandates, and the Universal Periodic Review. Race and Equality works extensively in the UN system.

About the Position: The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of racial justice with a particular focus on the Afro-descendant population from Latin America, policy development to design and oversee a pressing racial justice portfolio for more racially just policies in the future. The candidate also needs to have experience in engaging movements to drive policy change at the national and local levels in the countries where we work, and in reducing inequality through policy development, organizing, advocacy, research and analysis, and capacity.

Responsibilities: Working in close partnership with our partners, the Executive Director and other team members to accomplish assigned tasks. Duties include organizing/conducting human rights trainings; coordinate research and analyses of racial impacts in different areas which will be assigned depending on the hire’s areas of interests and abilities; and writing reports, memos, and press work. Other duties include translation of documents into English, Spanish and/or Portuguese; copy-editing and formatting documents; assisting with the logistical coordination of public and virtual events, conferences, and delegations; attending OAS meetings and other public events; researching Racial Justice funding opportunities; and staying informed about racial and afro[1]descendant issues in different UN bodies. Other duties not listed here, provide administrative, logistical, and financial support, including possibility of limited travel.

Qualifications: Advanced university degree in Law, Political Science, or related field. Specialized study of human rights and racial justice preferred. Three (3) to five (5) years of experience working on Racial Justice or Afro-descendant human rights issues or related field on Latin America / USA. Mature political judgment and knowledge of Latin American. Knowledge of/experience with Afro-descendant human rights issues in the region preferred. Highly organized and methodical. Good judgement, ability to quickly problem-solve and work under tight deadlines. Able to collaborate and work well with diverse groups. Fluency in Spanish is essential, strong knowledge of Portuguese is helpful. Must be US citizen or legal resident with work permit.

Salary: Commensurate with experience and scale in non-governmental organizations.

Apply: No calls please. Send immediately cover letter, resume, and writing samples in English and Spanish by email to jobs@raceandequality.org.

Afro-descendants, women and LGBTI persons are encouraged to apply.

Race and Equality is an equal opportunity employ.