Front Line Defenders is seeking expressions of interest from exceptional candidates for the post of Lighthouse Finance Coordinator. This is a two-year fixed term contract to be made permanent if funding is secured. The role will be based in Dublin and will report to the Lighthouse Program Manager. 

Overview

The Lighthouse, the Global Protection Fund, team manages the functioning of the Lighthouse programme and is housed at Front Line Defenders. The team leads on all aspects of managing the fund, including donor relationships and reporting as well as with consortium partners. As the Fund is new, the team is currently small and agile. It comprises a Program Manager and this role. 

The Lighthouse Finance Coordinator will work collaboratively to ensure that procedures and policies of the new fund meet requirements from Front Line Defenders, donors, and consortium members. They are responsible for dealing with donor reports and donor audits by working collaboratively with the finance team, development team and grants team.

Background

Front Line Defenders is an international organisation based in Ireland that works exclusively for the protection of human rights defenders at risk. Human rights defenders are people who are persecuted because of their peaceful work for the rights of others. Front Line Defenders provides practical help through protection grants, physical and digital protection training, lobbying, advocacy and campaigning. 

Role responsibilities

Key duties include: 

• Maintain accurate grant set-up in our accounting system (SAGE), including budgets, coding, and reporting dates.

• Manage salary allocations across multiple donors, preventing double-funding or over-allocation, and maintaining 100% accuracy.

• Monitor grant income and expenditure against approved budgets and flag variances or compliance risks to the Finance Manager and Lighthouse Program Manager

• Lead on compliance with donor financial rules, eligibility criteria, cost allocations, and reporting requirements

• Lead on Donors budget proposals with accurate financial data, forecasts, and risk analysis to strengthen donor submissions.

• Lead in ensuring timely submission of donor financial reports tailored to their specific requirements

For further information, please view: https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/sites/default/files/lighthouse_finance_coordinator_jd.pdf 

Salary & Benefits

• €36,241 - €66,700 per annum

• 26 annual leave days

• Pension

• Paid Health Insurance 

• Income Protection & Life Assurance

• Employee Assistance Scheme (EAP)

• Monthly Well-Being Provisions

Requirements 

Interested applicants must have:

• Experience working in the NGO / not-for-profit sector

• Familiarity with institutional donors and their financial rules and requirements (e.g. EU, FCDO, Global Affairs Canada, foundations)

• Strong numerical and analytical skills

• Ability to manage deadlines and multiple priorities

• Clear written and verbal communications skills

• Ability to work collaboratively with non-finance colleagues

• Professional judgment and discretion when handling sensitive information

• Strong understanding of donor-funded grant accounting and restricted fund

• management

• Knowledge of donor financial rules, eligibility criteria, and audit requirements

• (e.g. EU, bilateral donors, foundations)

• Experience reconciling donor reports to the general ledger and supporting

• schedules

• Strong Excel skills for reconciliations, reporting, and financial analysis

• Experience working with accounting systems (e.g. Sage Intacct or similar ERP

• systems)

• High level of attention to detail and ability to maintain audit-ready

• documentation

• Ability to interpret financial policies and donor agreements and apply them

• consistently

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in a finance, grants finance, or donor reporting role

• Demonstrated experience preparing donor financial reports and reconciliations for institutional donors

• Experience supporting donor audits or compliance reviews

• Experience working to multiple reporting deadlines across different funding streams