Job Description: Finance Coordinator

About ISEAL:
ISEAL is the global membership association for sustainability standards. The ISEAL Alliance is the
backbone of the sustainability standards and certification movement. We are an international non-profit
organisation whose mission is to strengthen sustainability standards systems for the benefit of people
and the environment. We believe that products and services should be created responsibly and that
credible standards are one of best approaches to ensuring a more sustainable future. We are the global
authority in defining credibility for sustainability standards and bring organisations together to innovate
and improve. This leads to greater uptake of standards by businesses and governments and finally to
higher positive social and environmental impact, which is our ultimate aim.
Our members are a group of mission-driven standard-setters and accreditation bodies who are showing
the way to sustainability in a growing number of sectors, including fisheries, agriculture, forestry,
biofuels, textiles, mining and many others. They are distinguished by their commitment to credible
practices and to improving their sustainability impacts.
ISEALs mission is to strengthen sustainability standards systems for the benefit of people and the
environment.
Our four specific aims are to:

Demonstrate and improve the impact of sustainability standards systems

Improve the effectiveness of sustainability standards systems

Increase the uptake of sustainability standards systems

Define credible practices for sustainability standards systems

The Role:
As Finance Coordinator you will be responsible for a range of bookkeeping responsibilities as well as
providing support on finance and project budget management functions. Carrying out and recording
relevant financial transactions as well as coordinating the financial coding of these transactions will all
be part of your daily routine. You will oversee the maintenance and reconciliation of bank records and,
as ISEAL receives funding from a number of internationally based donors, it will be necessary to monitor
foreign exchange rates and make relevant adjustments. You will also be responsible for maintaining
ledgers and contributing to the regular financial reporting as well as budgeting/forecasting functions and

audit related routines. The areas of payroll and pension payments also fall within your remit as does the
assistance with some general administrative and office management tasks.
You will have a close working relationship with the Director of Finance and Operations as well as building
good relationships with the project leads, some of whom are based in international locations. Being part
of a small organisation, you will also have opportunities to participate in events like our annual
international conference and learn about diverse subject areas and our range of stakeholders.

What We Seek:
One of the first things people notice about you is how organised you are, as well as your commitment to
tracking and meeting deadlines.
You enjoy working within a small, versatile organisation as well as excelling at maintaining and
developing effective administrative and accounting routines. You are comfortable in a book-keeping role
but eager to contribute to and take responsibility for broader financial and administrative projects. You
are also great at working effectively with others, and using your communication skills to provide as well
as receive required information and data from the relevant people within the organisation. You take a
methodical and proactive approach to work and, ideally, have experience in providing finance support to
multiple people or projects in the past. Experience with a not for profit or international organisation
would be a plus.
You are enthused by the prospect of applying your skills and experience in order to help ISEAL deliver its
services effectively, as well as being committed to contributing to positive social and environmental
change.

Responsibilities:
See below a list of the main responsibilities of the role. Please note that this may not be an exhaustive
list and successful candidate may also be expected to take on additional responsibilities within the
overall scope of the role.
1

Book-keeping
Recording and processing supplier invoices and staff and other meeting participants
expenses claims and credit card expenses. Resolving financial coding allocation issues.
Initiating, recording and confirming payments to suppliers and service providers

Raising and recording invoices and chasing late payments

Maintenance and reconciliation of bank records. Monitor foreign currency requirements

and handle currency exchange rate adjustments

Maintain and control sales, purchase and nominal ledgers and prepare monthly
reconciliations to ensure that records and information are accurate. Process journal entries
and trial balance information and prepare quarter end financial reports

Process monthly payroll and pension information and payments

Year-end accounting and audit related routines

Assistance with budgeting and reforecasting processes

Financial Reporting
Preparing of donor reports, financial reports for the ISEAL Finance Committee and ISEAL
Board and management reports for project managers

General Tasks
Assist with general office and administrative duties (such as office equipment and
stationery and staff leave records)

Other
Keep colleagues appraised of developments in own area as appropriate
Contribute to staff meetings, and other internal meetings with appropriate content , views
and suggestions
Fulfil requirements of internal staff management processes including performance reviews,
supervisory meetings, etc

Selection Criteria
Essential Knowledge/Skills/Attributes

2-3 years experience as finance/accounts assistant or similar

(Part)-Qualification in accountancy
Good understanding of basic accounting principles
Effective oral and written English skills.
Good level of proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel
Good administrative and organisational skills and ability to keep documentation tidy and
accessible
High level of attention to detail and accuracy
Ability to plan and organise multiple simultaneous tasks efficiently
Ease in communicating with colleagues and third parties via email
Ability to work independently and ask for clarification where needed
Ability to communicate and to work as part of a team
Experience with Sage line 50

Additionally desirable
Undergraduate degree in related subject
Experience with donor reporting
Project budget management experience
Familiarity with virtual meeting tools (eg Skype, gotomeeting, etc)
Experience in working for an international organisation with staff members based in multiple
locations
Committed to contributing to positive social and environmental change

Other Relevant Information:

Term:

This is intended as a long term position with an initial contract of one year

Salary:

28,000 33,000, depending on experience

Working Hours:

Based on a full time equivalent of 37.5 hours per week. The ISEAL Alliance operates a
Flexible Working Policy and is happy to consider applications for flexible working after
the relevant qualification period has passed.

Status:

Candidates from outside the UK/EEA area, who are not in possession of a valid visa, may
be able to apply for a work permit through the Home Offices points based system for
this position.
Please note it is the candidates responsibility to ascertain their eligibility through this
system at http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/pointscalculator. ISEAL may be able to
provide some support to the preferred candidate once a job offer has been made.

Location:

This position will be based in ISEALs London head office.

International Travel: The post holder may be required to undertake very occasional amounts of international
travel including overnight stays.
Annual Leave:

25 days per annum (including office closure between Christmas and New Year)

Equal Opportunities: The ISEAL Alliance strives to be an equal opportunities employer and commitment to this
process is expected.
Ideal Start Date:

ASAP

How to Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a current CV and a statement explaining how they meet the
selection criteria for the position to recruitment@isealalliance.org, quoting the job title Finance
Coordinator. Specific enquiries about this role and the application process can be sent to the same email address.
Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis with a final deadline of 17 July 2014, noon
(GMT). Initial informal telephone interviews will be carried out shortly after the deadline with shortlisted
candidates and in person interviews at our London office are likely to take place w/c 28 July 2014.
We regret that we will only be able to contact short-listed candidates.