Europe Regional Accounting Manager

Job Posting Organization:
The World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent research organization established to improve people's lives, protect and restore nature, and stabilize the climate. With over 2,000 staff members, WRI operates in more than a dozen focus countries and collaborates with partners in over 50 nations. The organization is committed to leveraging data, expertise, and global reach to influence policy and catalyze change across critical systems such as food, land and water, energy, and cities. WRI's mission is to encourage human society to live in ways that protect the Earth's environment and its capacity to meet the needs and aspirations of current and future generations. The organization values independence, integrity, impact, partnership, and care, which guide its operations and interactions with stakeholders.

Job Overview:
The Europe Regional Accounting Manager position is a hybrid role that requires the employee to work in the office for 8 days per month, with the option to be based in either London or The Hague. This role is crucial for supporting the operational and analytical aspects of the regional finance function. The successful candidate will be responsible for various day-to-day accounting, reporting, and budgeting activities, allowing the Regional Manager to focus on strategic development. The position involves close collaboration with the Global Accounting team and Program Coordinators, making it integral to the Europe Operations Team. The role aims to ensure that the accounting systems and processes are robust and efficient, contributing to the overall operational capabilities of WRI Europe.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Europe Regional Accounting Manager include:

• Accounting and Finance (50%): - Preparing and performing first-line reviews of monthly and quarterly reconciliations for WRI Europe entities, including bank, balance sheet, intercompany, payroll, and tax/VAT reconciliations. - Supporting the monthly and year-end finance closure by preparing and posting journal entries, accruals, prepayments, and reclassifications. - Coordinating and monitoring expense tracking to ensure correct coding, approvals, and documentation in line with policies. - Processing and/or reviewing vendor invoices for Europe entities, ensuring accuracy and completeness. - Preparing and executing payment runs to ensure timely settlement of obligations. - Assisting with cash-flow forecasts and monitoring cash positions for WRI Europe entities. - Supporting budget monitoring by preparing standard budget-versus-actual reports and variance commentary.
• Internal Coordination and Alignment (20%): - Acting as a key operational contact point for internal stakeholders on finance questions. - Contributing to the development of the WRI Europe Accounting and Finance function by proposing improvements to daily processes and controls. - Ensuring that systems, policies, and processes are documented and aligned with organizational strategy. - Supporting compliance monitoring with Europe statutory requirements and internal WRI finance policies. - Assisting in the preparation of information for internal and external audits.
• Systems (20%): - Supporting the configuration of accounting and budgeting systems for WRI Europe. - Ensuring global systems meet local regulatory and reporting needs. - Monitoring data quality in the ERP and related systems.
• Other Work (10%): - Contributing to the maintenance of the Accounting Handbook for WRI Europe. - Identifying opportunities for system and process improvements. - Supporting the maintenance of dashboards and operational reports for management. - Assisting with ad-hoc analysis, reconciliations, and reporting.

Required Qualifications:
The required qualifications for the Europe Regional Accounting Manager position include: - A completed bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field. - An accounting qualification such as ACCA, CPA, CMA, or equivalent is advantageous. - Full-time, relevant experience with accounting processes, year-end closing work, and audit procedures. - A demonstrated understanding of accounting principles and monthly closing procedures. - Experience in contributing to the establishment of policies and processes. - Competence in budgeting, financial analysis, and forecasting. - Experience preparing dashboards or management reports for non-finance stakeholders. - Ability to interpret financial information for a non-technical audience. - Experience collaborating effectively with a distributed team. - Experience managing and mentoring teams is a plus. - Familiarity with Workday, Time & Expense, and online payment processing systems is advantageous. - Experience working with donor-funded projects or grants within an international NGO is desirable. - Experience with system implementation, automation, testing, and troubleshooting is a plus.

Educational Background:
Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field. An accounting qualification such as ACCA, CPA, CMA, or equivalent is considered an advantage, as it demonstrates a higher level of expertise and commitment to the field of accounting and finance.

Experience:
The position requires full-time, relevant experience in accounting processes, year-end closing work, and audit procedures. Candidates should have a demonstrated understanding of accounting principles and monthly closing procedures, as well as experience contributing to the establishment of policies and processes. Additionally, experience in budgeting, financial analysis, and forecasting is essential, along with the ability to prepare dashboards or management reports for non-finance stakeholders. Experience in collaborating effectively with a distributed team and managing or mentoring teams is also beneficial.

Languages:
The position requires proficiency in English, as it is the primary language of communication within the organization. Additional language skills may be advantageous, particularly in languages relevant to the regions where WRI operates, but are not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
This position is a hybrid role requiring 8 days per month in the office, with the option to be based in either London or The Hague. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission, as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position. The initial contract duration is for one year, with the possibility of renewal. The potential salary for this position varies based on location: if based in the Netherlands, the salary ranges from €63,000 to €79,000 (excluding an 8% vacation allowance), and if based in the UK, the salary ranges from £54,000 to £68,00

• WRI offers access to a global network, opportunities for career development, a commitment to diversity and inclusion, and a hybrid working model with flexible working hours.