Group Accounting Officer

Sightsavers implements projects in over 30 countries in Africa and South Asia working to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote the rights of people with disabilities.

Title: Group Accounting Officer

Location: Remote UK with occasional travel required to our Haywards Heath Office

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £31,000 to £37,000 depending on experience

About the role

Sightsavers are seeking a dedicated Group Accounting Officer to join our Finance team, where you will play an important role in ensuring the accuracy, integrity and timely reporting of financial information across the organisation. Working closely with the Group Accounting Manager, you will support a wide range of accounting activities, including reconciliations, month-end processes, statutory accounts preparation, and external audit. This is an excellent opportunity for a finance professional looking to further develop their accounting experience within an international organisation while contributing to Sightsavers’ mission.

Responsibilities

• Support the preparation and maintenance of accurate financial records, ensuring income and liabilities are correctly recorded and reconciled.
• Assist with the preparation of statutory accounts and support external audit processes.
• Contribute to the monthly close process, including transaction analysis and journal preparation.
• Take ownership of monthly reconciliations for balance sheet and profit and loss accounts, maintaining appropriate supporting documentation.
• Manage the CRM to finance system interface, resolving errors and processing recoding requirements.
• Take ownership of Group Accounting service desk queries and tickets.
• Oversee accounting activities relating to the Lions Club, including monthly CRM uploads and reporting.
• Manage the accounting requirements of the Trading Company, including statutory accounts preparation and gift aid processes.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, systems and financial controls within your areas of responsibility.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across Finance and wider Sightsavers teams to support organisational objectives.

This is a varied and involved role and the above is not an exhaustive list of duties or required professional skills. Please see the Job Description for full details.

Jobholder Requirements

Essential:

• Experience working in a finance or accounting role.
• Experience preparing and reviewing balance sheet reconciliations.
• Experience supporting month-end and year-end financial processes.
• Good understanding of accounting principles and financial controls.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate financial records.
• Experience using financial systems and Microsoft Excel.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to build positive working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Part-qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent) or qualified by experience.
• Experience supporting statutory accounts preparation and external audits.
• Experience working with integrated finance and CRM systems.
• Experience of accounting for trading companies and gift aid processes.
• Experience working within the charity or not-for-profit sector.
• Knowledge of charity accounting and reporting requirements.
• Experience of identifying and implementing process improvements.