• Location: Australia wide
• Term: ongoing
• Job Type: Full-time 37.5 hours per week
• Remuneration: SCHADS Level 4 to SCHADS Level 5: $88,300 - $100,175 + 11.5% super + 17.5% Annual Leave Loading
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and members of the Global Majority* are particularly encouraged to apply.

Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) is the largest environmental legal centre in the Australia Pacific, dedicated to protecting our climate, communities and shared environment by providing access to justice, running ground-breaking litigation and leading law reform advocacy.

As the region’s legal experts in our field, we aim to be a brave, unified, and focused team, committed to inclusion and excellence in all that we do. We strive to be a diverse and inclusive workplace supporting a highly skilled, engaged, and effective team, where everyone can feel that they belong.

We are recruiting for a Finance Officer to drive the daily demands of the accounts payable function of the Finance team and overall finance processes as well as working with staff in the wider EDO organisation to contribute to the achievement of desired Finance Team outcomes.

The opportunity:

In this role you will work closely with the Financial Controller and Finance Manager with oversight from the Director of Finance & Operations, to meet the daily demands of the finance function as well as preparation for the annual organisational audit.
The role will primarily involve leading the accounts payable function and the administration of the Finance team.

Candidate Profile:

You are an experienced bookkeeper, accountant or financial administrator keen to be part of a purpose-driven organisation. You are a self-directed worker who is able to manage your responsibilities to a month-end timeline and also work as part of a team to resolve complex issues. You are comfortable liaising with people across the organisation as well as external service providers and suppliers. You will be passionate about supporting EDO’s wider staff and excel working with a high level of autonomy within a collaborative team environment.

To be suitable for this role you will also demonstrate values and behaviours aligned with our organisational culture and a strong interest in First Nations culture.

You will use your proven ability to build rapport with a wide range of people at all levels, in conjunction with your clear communication skills to help guide and work with staff and mangers promptly and sensitively.

EDO is a diverse and inclusive workplace. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and members of the Global Majority* are particularly encouraged to apply.

Key selection criteria:

Essential requirements

• Minimum 5 years accounting, bookkeeping or financial administration experience.
• Relevant accounting qualification.
• CPA or CA qualification or in progress (preferrable).
• Excellent attention to detail without sacrificing efficiency.
• Strong communication skills and willingness to interact regularly with suppliers and stakeholders.
• Proactive and self-motivated with the ability to meet deadlines.
• Ability to work in a geographically disseminated team and organisation.
• Experience with SAGE (preferable).
• Excellent organisational and administration skills
• Demonstrated ability to work productively and to deadlines.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills suited to a range of audience.
• Demonstrated ability in exceptional customer services and business relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to meet multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment

Substantive Experience

• Demonstrated experience in non-for-profit sector (preferable)
• Experience contributing to the improvement of financial policies and procedures

Core Skills

• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to confidently exercise sound judgement and make decisions in high-pressure scenarios, based on consideration of different views
• Demonstrated ability to work productively autonomously, within a collaborative team environment, and to deadlines
• Excellent oral and written communication skills suited to a range of audiences

Personal Qualities and Cultural Competency

• A champion of the EDO values
• Strong initiative and self-motivation
• Commitment to the protection of the environment and related human rights
• A strong sense of ethics and understanding of professional obligations
• Demonstrated awareness of, and sensitivity to, the needs and concerns of First Nations peoples and peoples from diverse cultures, backgrounds and orientations in both the delivery of our work and our internal culture
• Thrive in a collaborative team-based environment

Our Culture and Benefits:   

• We care deeply about creating a workplace where our team members feel valued, respected, and empowered. We are committed to providing equal opportunity regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or life stage. 
• The chance to be part of the largest environmental legal practice in the Australia-Pacific 
• A very flexible and family-friendly workplace 
• While primarily office-based, some flexibility to work from home
• 8 weeks paid parental leave, regardless of gender or carer status
• 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave per year
• 3 days paid cultural leave per year
• Extra leave over the Christmas period
• Access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Ongoing professional development opportunities 
• EDO proudly has a JEDI (Justice, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion) Committee and a Mental Health Ambassador Committee, and has developed a First Nations Program with the aid of indigenous-led consultancies. 
• Three Affinity groups for the following: Disability, Global Majority* and LGBTQIA+

*Global Majority is a collective term that first and foremost speaks to and encourages those so-called, to think of themselves as belonging to the majority on planet earth. It refers to people who are Black, African, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and or, have been racialised as ‘ethnic minorities’.

Our Values

Commitment – We are committed to a united organisation, to each other, to collaboration, to justice, to our communities and to creating a world where nature thrives.

Diversity – We are respectful of, and welcome, diversity of staff, volunteers, offices, environmental regions, communities, stakeholders.

Integrity – We work effectively, efficiently, strategically, professionally, and ethically; “justice is in our nature”.

Vision – We lead change and environmental empowerment using innovation, creativity, and courage.

How to Apply

• Click 'Apply Now'
• A position description is attached.

If you have queries in regard to this advert, please feel free to contact us at [email protected], using the subject line: Finance Officer - Australia-Wide / Flexible Location enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Applications must include a CV and a letter that clearly addresses each of the selection criteria above.

The Key Selection Criteria show the minimum essential requirements of the position. The desirable criteria outline additional attributes which would enable the successful candidate to perform the role more effectively; they are not essential but may be used to distinguish between applicants during the shortlisting process.

EDO particularly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Pacific Island people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, workers of all ages, people with disabilities and people who identify as LGBTQIA+.

Please note: Your application may be considered for future roles at the EDO within the next 12 months without additional advertising.

Please notify us in your application if you would not like to be considered for similar roles beyond this recruitment.

If you have any accessibility needs for the recruitment or interviewing process, please let us know in your application or by emailing [email protected]. 

Vaccination Requirements

EDO is not issuing a vaccination mandate. EDO staff have the option to share vaccination details within the EDO HRIS system, EDO will maintain this record of vaccination status of EDO employees, however if staff do not wish to disclose this information, it will not be enforced.
Working with clients face-to-face:

• EDO works with diverse peoples and groups across the Australian and Pacific communities, including people who are considered a high-risk group in terms of COVID-19.
• In order to ensure the safety of all EDO employees and the people we work with and around, staff visiting overburdened communities are required to take a COVID-19 test three (3) days prior and on the day of travel to the overburdened community.

Other Information

All offers of employment may be subject to satisfactory background checks including a National Police Check, disclosure of previous or current disciplinary action, referee checks, proof of eligibility to work in Australia and qualification checks.