Head of Accounting (w/m/d)

About Us:
Light for the World is an international organization committed to building inclusive societies where people with disabilities have access to quality education, economic empowerment, and advocacy. Partnering with communities, governments, and other stakeholders, we drive sustainable change to empower individuals with disabilities to fully participate in all areas of life. Light for the World is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants of diverse backgrounds to join our mission of creating a more inclusive world.

Place of Work: Vienna, Austria
Employment Type: Full time, permanent
Starting Date: ideally August 2025
Salary: from EUR 60.000 annually (for 38h, full time) , market rates apply elsewhere

About the Role:
As Head of Accounting & Consolidation at Light for the World, you’ll play a pivotal leadership role ensuring accurate, compliant, and transparent financial reporting across 13 international entities. Reporting directly to the International Director of Finance and Operations, you will oversee accounting operations, lead global consolidation efforts, and help drive continuous improvement across systems and teams. This is a key position for someone passionate about operational excellence and purpose-driven finance.

Tasks

• Ensure compliance and audit readiness across all Light for the World entities, working closely with external auditors and local teams
• Lead month- and year-end closings for our Global North entities, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and adherence to relevant GAAP standards
• Prepare statutory financial statements and oversee general ledger management with a focus on consistency and quality
• Consolidate financial data across our legal entities, ensuring accurate intercompany reconciliations and clear external reporting
• Oversee key finance operations, including treasury, receivables, payables, and intercompany transactions
• Maintain and improve internal control systems, identifying risks and ensuring global compliance with accounting and tax regulations
• Drive process improvement and automation, supporting our digital finance transformation efforts
• Develop and document accounting policies, process manuals, and training materials to ensure clarity and audit-readiness
• Provide strategic financial insight to senior management and contribute to decision-making with timely, clear reporting
• Lead and mentor international finance teams, fostering development, collaboration, and accountability across countries

Requirements

• Certified accounting or audit professional, ideally with expertise in Austrian GAAP and multi-entity reporting.
• Ideally, 5 years of leadership experience in accounting, ideally in a complex international setup.
• Deep knowledge of accounting processes, compliance, and audit standards, with hands-on experience in managing audits.
• Experience with consolidation and external reporting, ideally across diverse geographies.
• Proficient in financial systems and tools, and enthusiastic about driving digital improvements.
• Fluent in both German and English, with strong communication and documentation skills.
• Comfortable navigating complexity, with the ability to align global standards with local requirements.
• Collaborative leadership style, able to motivate teams and build strong relationships across departments.
• Solution-oriented and proactive, with a mindset for continuous improvement.
• NGO or non-profit experience is a plus, but not essential—purpose-driven alignment matters most

Benefits

• This is your chance to drive meaningful change with an internationally recognized development organization, while expanding your professional skills and experience
• Join a motivated, diverse, and professional team committed to continuous growth and innovation. We value participatory leadership, where your ideas and expertise will shape our collective success
• Enjoy a competitive salary within the national NGO sector, complete with full social insurance and a range of additional benefits
• Benefit from flexible working hours and the option to work remotely, empowering you to balance professional and personal commitments
• Experience a warm, dynamic, and inclusive work environment where everyone’s contributions are valued, and collaboration is at the heart of our mission

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and place a high value on diversity and inclusion in our organization. We welcome and encourage applications from all people regardless of national origin, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation or gender identity, and we very much welcome applications from people with disabilities.

For any questions related to accessibility and inclusion at Light for the World, please do not hesitate to contact us.