International Accountant

We are recruiting for a private international charitable foundation which seeks to support environmental recovery, supported by cultures and economies grounded in Earth lore, in line with their “breathe freely” ethos.  As such they are committed to grants and other investments that are healing to the climate, to biodiversity, and to human cultural relations with the other-than-human. The foundation is currently based in a Hong Kong family office, with personnel in Hong Kong and the UK, as well as Cameroon, Brazil, Australia, Papua, and the US. The candidate can choose to be in the U.K. or in Hong Kong, working visa can be offered if needed.

The organization has been in a phase of significant growth and change over the last five years and are increasingly bringing systems, data and associated functions in-house to support the record-keeping and analytics they need to inform their growing operations.

Role

This is a new position. Under the general direction of the Director of Operations, you will be involved in all the duties required to maintain a complete general ledger and financial records and support financial planning/forecasting.

International Accountant Responsibilities

— The responsibilities of the International Accountant will include, but are not limited to:

International Accounting Operations

• Develop a General Ledger Chart of Accounts which supports our current grantmaking operations with the flexibility to accommodate various directions in our growth, allows easy consolidation with sister entities, and is IFRS compliant to allow us to provide regulatory and audit reporting in various jurisdictions.
• Implement optimal Chart of Accounts and processes, evaluating current and alternate accounting systems as needed and developing interface processes to existing systems as needed (HRIS, Payroll, Grants Management System, expense reporting) as needed.
• Perform duties necessary for the timely and accurate verification and recording of financial and investment (MRI/PRI) operations including general ledger, entries and reconciliations, investment portfolio tracking and transactions, international payroll, benefits and taxes.
• Work closely with Human Relations Specialist on payroll and benefits administration processes.
• Collaborate with senior management team, Operations Manager and others to determine an optimal process for reviewing and approving expenses.
• Audit corporate credit card(s).
• Identify institution and global consolidated reporting needs with senior management team and agree schedule and distribution for regular financial reporting.

Budgeting and Financial Planning

• Assist in preparation of the annual organisational and department budgets.
• Monitor and provide quarterly budget performance reports and analysis to organisation and departments with close cooperation to develop and implement measures to minimize variance.
• Assist staff to self-manage budgets.
• Support financial planning and forecasting including developing scenarios for growth.

Cash Flow Management

• Reconcile annual and quarterly projected expenses and cash flow requirements and coordinate with family office for redemption decisions.
• With Operations Manager and Human Relations Specialist, maintain and improve policies and organization discipline for accurate and timely processing of accounts payables, employee expense reports, travel guidelines, time reporting, etc.

Regulatory and Audit Compliance (initially in support of regulatory reporting through the family office)

• Strengthen financial systems integrity and controls according to IFRS, tax and regulatory measures and foundation policies.
• Build systems for timely and accurate provision of data and provide direct support for annual audit and tax filing.
• Work with external advisors, as needed, to ensure compliance with relevant country and international regulatory requirements in areas of taxes, documentation requirements, payroll and benefits.

General and Other

• Develop and manage relationships with accounting related service providers as needed including in-country and global accountants, auditors, payroll and tax experts.
• Develop and maintain an asset inventory/schedule.
• Support for MRI/PRI activities as needed.
• Continually improve internal financial processes.
• Potential management of banking relationships, international wire transfers and/or other payment systems.
• Occasional travel as required for the execution of duties.
• Other duties are consistent with the accountant’s role and experience as the foundation continues to evolve, or from time to time as prompted by institutional priorities.

Qualifications

— The successful International Accountant candidate will likely reflect much of the following profile:

 Essential

• Several years of progressively responsible professional experience in international accounting, ideally in an international organisation and / or in auditing / tax consulting.
• Accounting experience in philanthropy or non-profit.
• Experience in multiple tax jurisdictions and working in multi-currency environments.
• In-depth IFRS knowledge.
• Excellent, hands-on knowledge of web-based systems including accounting (current platform is Xero), and office suite platforms (proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite preferred).
• Comfortable in complex and highly matrixed environments. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and effectively with peers across disciplines and functions in shared efforts with proven ability to influence without direct formal authority.
• Comfortable working remotely.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to be flexible and re-prioritize as needs arise.
• Pleasant and effective communication skills, written and oral. (English is our working language).
• Experiential cross-cultural understanding and perspective, aware and appreciative of differing worldviews and the ability to communicate with and learn from the wide variety of people who comprise our grantees, allies and staff.
• Kind and generous with partners and colleagues.

Desired

• Prior experience with an international non-profit organization or grantmaking foundation.
• Fluency in a second language with preference for dominant languages of one of our working regions (e.g. French, Portuguese, Bahasa, Thai, Lao, Burmese).
• International living and/or working experience including in the Global South.
• Strong analytical, conceptual, and creative problem-solver who continually looks for new ways to improve processes with a “can do” attitude and a sense of humour.
• Located in and able to legally work in the UK or Hong Kong.

Alongside this we will value applicants who are:

• Deeply committed to regenerative/ecological cultures and economies, preferably with experience of holistic/indigenous cosmologies.
• Humble, recognising humanity’s place amongst all living creatures on this one planet.

We pride ourselves on being diverse and inclusive.

TO APPLY FOR THE INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTANT ROLE

Please submit a letter of interest outlining your relevant experience and financial requirements with a resume to Pin Han. Review of credentials will begin immediately. We seek to have someone in place as soon as possible.

The organisation does not maintain a website but will provide more detailed information on the foundation to qualified applicants.

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