Las Campanas Observatory (LCO), of the Carnegie Institution for Science – a World-class International Scientific Organization, with a strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is seeking a:
Chief Accountant & Budget Control Officer
We require a bilingual (fluent oral and written Spanish / English, since as an International Organization with Headquarters in the United States, primary interactions are in English) candidate with a postgraduate degree or specialization in Management Control and / or Budgetary Control, to lead the Accounting, Budget Management and Management Control area of the Observatory.
The ideal candidate must have a verifiable track record of success for more than 6 years in areas of budget control, management, accounting and finance, in public or private organizations, ideally multinational whose activities are related to research, education and development, innovation and technology or with operational structures and / or processes similar to observatories. In addition all candidates should demonstrate skills in leadership, management, achievement, innovation and flexibility, communication, cooperation and teamwork.
This is a full-time position, with residence in La Serena, Chile, and periodic visits to the observatory, located 160 km north of the city.
Applications: send Resume (with salary range desires in CLP) and cover letter addressed to Observatorio Las Campanas, Carnegie Institution for Science, to: postulaciones@lco.cl Abbreviated job description: www.lco.cl Application deadline: July 31, 2021.
Job description
Its purpose is to lead the accounting team, maintain existing good practices and develop, direct and control accounting programs, policies and procedures.
Carry out budgetary control and management control of the observatory, organizing the operational and administrative processes to optimize compliance with productivity, performance indicators (KPI) and cost control, advising and guiding the planning and management and budget control of the technical and administrative areas.
Main duties and responsibilities:
- To be responsible for the accounting function (money flow, accounting, payment of suppliers, payment of salaries and social security obligations) and ensure the accurate record of monetary operations.
- To be responsible for monitoring the budgets and financial information of the Las Campanas Observatory.
- Manage the budget preparation, execution and coordination, with the LCO and Carnegie Pasadena units, and deliver reports required by the Director.
- To be responsible for the supervision and control of the budget execution of Managements and areas, requiring reports and data for budget consolidation.
- Exercise functions of financial, accounting and management Controller. To do this, design and manage LCO management control tools and indicators and ensure their maintenance and updating.
- Prepare financial reports and provide support to all LCO units, supervising compliance with legal and organizational accounting regulations.
- Guarantee and be responsible for the legal compliance of the payment of taxes and tax obligations, both labor and general.
- Perform analysis of audits, accounting and financial reports, administrative processes and management reports, suggesting preventive and remedial measures.
- Prepare and propose policies, standards and procedures for administration and control for the recording of accounting and statistical information.
- Control and coordinate the information requirements for the preparation of monthly and annual statistics.
- Analyze regular or contingent situations of tax and accounting matters that affect the operation of LCO and define actions.
- Analyze and prepare monthly, quarterly, semi-annually and annually the accounting and financial reports required by Carnegie and Director.
- Be responsible for coordinating monthly and annually, the financial and accounting closings and openings.
- Promote and coordinate the planning of the budgetary needs of the observatory in general and of each area in particular.
- Execute and / or supervise the recording of budget movements in the financial – accounting system as well as in external auxiliary systems.
- Coordinate with the technical, mountain and administrative areas, the preparation of the annual budget project to be presented to the Observatory Directorate.
- Prepare proposals for instructions or manuals for the monthly, quarterly and yearly budget management and control processes of the institutional budget according to definitions provided by the Observatory Directorate.
- Assist or advise on budgetary matters to Management, Associate Management, technical and administrative areas.
- Prepare Internal Audit reports for the Director of the observatory in which they are alerted about anomalies or possible risks of budget management, which require intervention and / or rectification.
- Prepare reports on Management Control Audits and monitoring of compliance with the Goals of technical and administrative areas and of Management commitments and / or projects.
- Identify the information needed for management control and budgetary control that allows to measure and monitor the fulfillment of goals and programs of the Las Campanas Observatory areas.
- Standardize and document the administrative management processes of the institution, designing instruments such as a process map and activity flows, among others.
- Model a management control system that allows to visualize the performance of the processes, which contributes to the effective and timely monitoring and permanent evaluation of the progress and fulfillment of the goals of each area and commitments of the observatory.
- Support the areas in the development of KPIs that allow to enhance the management of each area of the observatory and also serve as the basis for the “goals” component of the Performance Evaluation Model of the Las Campanas observatory.
- Propose, implement and maintain periodic controls on the information registered in the accounting system and others, to support the management of the Directorate, Associate Directorate and Administration & People Management.
- Execute and / or review the accounting analyzes, effort, adjustments, determine balances, and prepare monthly, quarterly and annual accounting closing of the different accounts and Cost Centers.
- Validate the issuance of periodic and annual accounting statements such as balance sheets, reports of balances, investments, cash or cash flow statements, reports, management reports and accounting operations and other reports requested by the Director or Manager of Administration and People.
- Check and give financial approval to the contracts to be signed by LCO, in coordination with the Legal Advisor.
- Approve payments made through P.O., credit cards and contracts.
REQUIRED SKILLS/ ABILITIES
Education:
- Management Control Engineer
- Industrial Civil Engineer
- Bachelor of Business
- or equivalent
Postgraduate degree or specialization:
- Magister / Diploma or Specialization in Management control or audit or finance and budget control
- MBA
Experience:
More than 6 years in areas of budget control, management, accounting and finance, in public or private organizations, ideally multinationals whose activities are related to research, education and development, innovation and technology or with operational structures and / or processes similar to observatories.
Specific technical knowledge:
- Chilean legal, accounting, general and specific tax regulations.
- Management of management control systems, budget control, accounting and logistics.
- Budget Management Control.
- Accounting and financial management.
- Management control.
- Project planning, evaluation and control.
- Accounting and process audit.
- Fluent oral and written Spanish / English, since as an International Organization with Headquarters in the United States, primary interactions are in English).
- Driver´s licence “B”
Other Skills:
- Leadership.
- Management.
- Probity.
- Achievement.
- Innovation and flexibility.
- Communication.
- Internal customer orientation
- Cooperation and teamwork
HIERARCHICAL DEPENDENCY:
The Position reports to the Administration and People Manager on finance and accounting issues.
For management and budget control purposes, it depends in a matrix mode on the Director, constituting its advisory, control and monitoring body and internal audit.