Regional Accounting Lead in London

This is a hybrid position that requires 8 days per month in the office. You can be based in our office in The Hague or London. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position. This will be a 1 year contract initially with the possibility of renewal.

About The Program

The WRI Operations Department strives to make all global offices capable and low risk, enhancing their operational capabilities, establishing sustainable growth through a bond of mutual respect, collaboration and sharing knowledge across the sisterhood of WRI offices. This is done by targeting standards of performance, and measuring efficiency and effectiveness across all the offices. You will be part of a relatively new and growing European office and will help ensure that systems and processes are robust now and in the future. WRI Europe currently has staff based in three locations in Europe: the Netherlands, the UK and Germany.

Job Highlight

Reporting to the Regional Manager, Accounting and Finance – Europe, you will focus on the operational and analytical work that underpins our regional finance function. You will take responsibility for many of the day‑to‑day accounting, reporting and budgeting activities so that the Regional Manager can concentrate on strategic development of structures, systems and stakeholder engagement. You will work closely with the Global Accounting team and Program Coordinators (PCs) across the institute and will be an integral member of the Europe Operations Team. You will support the efficient operation of the Europe accounting function and help WRI maintain accurate and timely financial accounts.

What Will You Do

• Accounting and Finance (50%)
  • Prepare and perform first‑line review of monthly and quarterly reconciliations for WRI Europe entities (e.g. bank, balance sheet, intercompany, payroll, tax/VAT)
  • Support the monthly and year‑end finance closure, including preparing and posting journal entries, accruals, prepayments and reclassifications
  • Coordinate and monitor expense tracking, ensuring correct coding, approvals and documentation in line with policies
  • Process and/or review vendor invoices for Europe entities, Purchase Order review, ensuring accuracy, completeness and appropriate supporting documentation
  • Prepare and help execute payment runs, ensuring timely settlement of obligations and alignment with cash‑flow plans and authorization matrices.
  • Assist with preparing cash‑flow forecasts and monitoring cash positions for WRI Europe entities
  • Support the Regional Manager with budget monitoring, including preparing standard budget‑versus‑actual reports and basic variance commentary for core team budgets.
• Internal Coordination and Alignment (20%)
  • Support the daily financial management and accounting operations for WRI Europe, acting as a key operational contact point for internal stakeholders on finance questions
  • Contribute to the further development of the WRI Europe Accounting and Finance function by proposing improvements to daily processes and controls, particularly around reconciliations, close routines and expense handling
  • Help ensure that systems, policies and processes are documented, consistently applied and aligned with organisational strategy and values
  • Assist the Regional Manager and the Europe Operations Director to help monitor compliance with Europe statutory requirements and internal WRI finance policies
  • Support preparation of information for internal and external audits, including reconciliations, samples and documentation.
• Systems (20%)
  • Support the configuration of accounting and budgeting systems for WRI Europe, ensuring they are set up to support day‑to‑day processes (invoice flows, payment runs, reconciliations)
  • Help ensure that global systems are appropriately configured to meet local regulatory and reporting needs in Europe
  • Help monitor data quality in the ERP and related systems (e.g. vendor master data, chart of accounts, project codes).
• Other Work (10%)
  • Contribute to the maintenance of the Accounting Handbook for WRI Europe, especially sections related to monthly close, reconciliations, expenses, invoicing and payments
  • Identify opportunities for system and process improvements and support their implementation, with a focus on efficiency and standardisation of daily accounting work
  • Support the maintenance of dashboards and operational reports (e.g. open items, overdue invoices, unposted expenses) for the Europe Operations Director and Regional Manager
  • Assist with ad‑hoc analysis, reconciliations and reporting
  • Provide backup support for selected tasks of the Regional Manager or accounting staff.

What Will You Need

• Education: You have completed bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or a related field. An accounting qualification (e.g. ACCA, CPA, CMA or equivalent) is an advantage
• Experience: You have full‑time, relevant experience with accounting processes, year‑end closing work and audit procedures
• You have a demonstrated understanding of accounting principles and monthly closing procedures
• Experience contributing to the set‑up of policies and processes. Demonstrated competence in budgeting, financial analysis and forecasting
• Experience preparing dashboards or management reports for non‑finance stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to interpret financial information for a non‑technical audience.
• Experience with Workday, Time & Expense and online payment processing systems – or similar ERP and expense tools – is an advantage
• Experience working with donor‑funded projects or grants within an international NGO is desirable
• Experience with system implementation, automation, testing and troubleshooting in collaboration with external vendors/consultants is a plus.
• Experience collaborating effectively with a distributed team.
• Existing work authorisation is required for candidates based in the UK, as WRI is unable to sponsor visas in the UK.

Potential Salary

• Netherlands: €68,000 – €86,000 (including 8% vacation allowance)
• United Kingdom: £54,000 – £68,000

What We Offer

• Access to the WRI global network with the opportunity to exchange with and learn from passionate colleagues working at the cutting edge of their fields across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the US
• The chance to have an impact and to develop your career within a mission‑driven organization with access to varied learning and training opportunities
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work
• The opportunity to join and get involved in different working groups and affinity groups to shape the future of WRI
• Commitment to hybrid working model with flexible working hours
• Generous leave days that increase with tenure.

Equity and Diversity Statement

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well‑being in our mission including equal opportunities in employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, caste, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status.