Finance Officer

Location: Bath or London with a minimum of 3 days per week in the office

Contract type: Permanent

Salary range: £35,000 - £40,500 dependent upon experience, qualifications and location

Reporting to: Global Head of Finance

About EJF

The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) exists to protect the natural world and uphold our fundamental human right to a secure environment. We work at the frontlines of environmental injustice, alongside communities most affected by climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, and exploitation – transforming evidence into action, and injustice into lasting change. EJF is a global non-profit driven by a powerful belief: that environmental protection and human rights are inseparable. Through courageous field investigations, rigorous research, and strategic international advocacy, we expose environmental crime, challenge impunity, and catalyse systemic reform. Our work delivers real-world impact, shaping policy, strengthening governance, protecting vital ecosystems, and defending those who risk their lives to safeguard them. Our campaigns span four deeply interconnected areas: oceans, climate, forests and wetlands, and the training, protection, and empowerment of environmental defenders and journalists. From illegal fishing and forced labour to deforestation, land grabs, and climate displacement, we confront some of the most complex and urgent crises of our time – always with a focus on accountability, equity, and durable solutions. EJF is an international organisation with a diverse team working across four continents, united by a shared ambition: to protect people by protecting the planet. We are bold, evidence-led, and impact-driven. We speak truth to power – and we build pathways to a fairer, more resilient future.

About the role

EJF is scaling up its global work, and in particular expanding our portfolio of training and support to partner organisations on the front lines of environmental and human rights issues across the Global South. The Finance Officer is one of several new roles being recruited to support this growth. Reporting to the Global Head of Finance, the Finance Officer will be responsible for end-to-end financial processing, donor reporting and partner finance support across a portfolio of geographies and grants. The role works closely with colleagues across the world and gives broad, hands‑on exposure to international project finance, multi‑currency operations, donor compliance, audit and sub‑grant management. The role is offered on a full‑time basis, although we are open to part‑time arrangements for the right candidate. It will suit a part‑qualified Accountant or fully‑qualified AAT, or someone with equivalent experience, looking to develop their career in a fast‑growing, high‑impact international organisation working at the intersection of environmental protection and human rights.

Key responsibilities

• Management accounts and reporting
• Contribute to the production of accurate and insightful monthly management accounts for use by senior leadership.
• Support project managers with project budgeting, forecasting, internal reporting and re‑planning.
• Prepare donor and project reports in the format required by funders, within agreed reporting timetables, for review by budget holders, the Head of Finance and senior management.
• Sub‑grants and partner support
• Oversee sub‑grant disbursements and review incoming partner finance reports, ensuring accuracy, eligible expenditure and correct allocation against budget lines.
• Provide ongoing support to sub‑grantee partners and to non‑finance EJF colleagues on financial systems, processes and donor compliance.
• Transaction processing and controls
• Prepare and process payrolls.
• Process expenditure, ensuring adherence to internal financial controls, approval processes and project allocation.
• Process grant income.
• Process international payments and multi‑currency transactions using online banking platforms.
• Reconcile foreign currency transactions and exchange rate adjustments.
• Process staff advance requests, allocate them onto expense cards and review the related expense claims.
• Prepare payment runs, ensuring adherence to approval limits and authorisation processes.
• Reconcile expense card balances and bank balances on a regular basis.
• Support the implementation and continuous improvement of financial controls across global operations.
• Month‑end, year‑end and audit
• Support month‑end and year‑end close, including reconciliations, accruals and review of financial data.
• Lead audit liaison on project audits within the portfolio.
• Assist with preparation for the annual organisational audit and with responses to audit queries.
• Records and systems
• Maintain accurate financial records and supporting documentation using cloud‑based storage.

Essential skills and experience

• Demonstrable commitment to EJF’s vision, mission and values and a determination to change the world for the better.
• Part‑qualified Accountant (ACCA, CIMA or equivalent), fully‑qualified AAT, or a minimum of three years’ relevant finance experience.
• Strong working knowledge of Excel, including the ability to build and interrogate spreadsheets for budgeting, reporting and reconciliation (lookups, pivot tables, formulas).
• Day‑to‑day hands‑on experience with Iplicit or a similar cloud‑based accounting system.
• Experience in processing transactions in multiple currencies and reconciling foreign exchange differences.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail, with a strong sense of ownership over your work.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing deadlines across a portfolio of projects.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain financial information clearly to non‑finance colleagues and external partners.
• A proactive, solutions‑focused approach.
• A coaching mindset, committed to building the financial confidence and capability of non‑finance colleagues and partner organisations.

Desirable skills and experience

• Experience working in the third sector, ideally with international NGOs or charities subject to UK Charities SORP.
• Familiarity with the financial requirements of institutional donors (e.g. EU, Norad) and sub‑grant compliance.
• Working proficiency in a second language relevant to EJF’s geographies.

We strongly encourage candidates from under‑represented backgrounds in the environmental and human rights sectors to apply. If you believe you would be a great fit but don’t meet every requirement, we would still love to hear from you.

What we offer

• 22 days’ annual leave (exclusive of bank holidays), increasing with each year of service, plus additional paid leave between Christmas and New Year.
• Generous pension scheme, with employer contributions increasing over time.
• Flexible working hours and hybrid working (3 days in the office / 2 from home).
• Option to work from either our Bath or London (Farringdon) offices.
• A dynamic, supportive, and inclusive working environment, with genuine opportunities for professional development and career progression.
• The chance to contribute to an organisation delivering real‑world impact for people and planet.

Candidates must have the legal right to work in the UK. EJF is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity within the workplace.