Head of Finance & Controlling

For the Finance Department at the headquarters in Zurich, we are looking, immediately or by arrangement, for a committed, autonomous, and team-oriented person who wishes to invest themselves in a newly created position:

Head of Finance & Controlling
To continue the strategic development of our organization, we are looking for a leadership personality with an entrepreneurial spirit and promoting inclusion for the position of Head of Finance & Controlling. In this key role, you assume overall responsibility for financial management, governance, and the development of the financial architecture at national and international levels.

Technical management and personnel management of the Finance & Controlling Department

• Overall responsibility for the Finance & Controlling Department;
• Technical management, personnel management, and development of employees through coaching and targeted internal/external continuing education;
• Ensuring clarity of roles, deputies, and efficiency of organizational structures;
• Establishing a team culture based on trust, respect, and performance;
• Responsibility for cost centers for all cost centers within the department.

Accounting, financial statements, financial management, and planning

• Overall responsibility for regular accounting in accordance with the recommendations for financial reporting (Swiss GAAP RPC), the Swiss Code of Obligations (CO), and Zewo guidelines;
• Overall responsibility for individual and consolidated accounts;
• Overall responsibility for the annual accounts of the staff pension foundation, in accordance with the CO;
• Management and coordination of the annual audit process (individual and consolidated accounts);
• Ensuring an audit framework compliant with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in international coordination offices;
• Coordination of project-specific audits in Switzerland and abroad;
• Technical support in case of judicial investigation;
• Contact person and sparring partner for the Management Group and the Finance Committee of the Foundation Council;
• Financial evaluation of strategic initiatives and investment decisions;
• Overall responsibility for budget preparation, forecasts, and multi-year strategic planning;
• Development and provision of modern control instruments (management reports, key performance indicator systems, scenario analyses, profitability calculations);
• Support for operational divisions in project budget preparation, cost recovery, and calculation of variable cost margins;
• Development of an integrated performance management system (finance and impact);
• Ensuring transparency of reports to the Foundation Council and relevant bodies;
• Measuring financial impact in the context of non-profit organizations.

Treasury

• Treasury management (development and implementation of an organization-wide treasury concept, ensuring permanent solvency, liquidity planning, and active management of foreign currencies);
• Capital structure (sustainable investment strategy compliant with regulations (ESG-oriented),ensuring efficient and secure payment processes in Switzerland and abroad, bank account management, and strategic guarantee of long-term financial stability).

Governance, compliance, and risk management in the financial area

• Development and implementation of a comprehensive financial risk management system;
• Establishment and development of an internal control system (ICS) compliant with the CO;
• Overall responsibility for financial governance of subsidiaries, participations, and sites in Switzerland and abroad;
• Ensuring uniformity of financial standards, guidelines, and management principles;
• Technical management and support for local financial managers in governance and compliance matters;
• Ensuring compliance with national and international standards in accounting, compliance, and anti-corruption;
• Monitoring regulatory developments in Switzerland and abroad.

Financial processes, digitalization, and data

• Overall responsibility for the existing financial architecture (processes, applications, data model) and its development as a management tool;
• Strategic modernization of the financial infrastructure focusing on efficiency, data quality, and automation;
• Ensuring effective change management by involving all relevant stakeholders;
• Ensuring adequate controls in the area of data security and information technology with financial impact;
• Ensuring the quality of external financial reports (e.g., project accounts to authorities or donors and funders);
• Responsibility for annual reporting to the SDC ("financial counterpart").

Other areas of responsibility

• Tax exemption and tax compliance;
• Handling of legacies and inheritances;
• Professional exchanges in relevant networks;
• Assistance to other divisions on insurance and finance matters.

• Degree in business administration with a specialization in finance or comparable qualification (e.g., finance and controlling expert, certified accountant);
• Several years of management experience in a complex organization, ideally in a non-profit and/or international environment;
• In-depth knowledge of Swiss GAAP RPC, CO, consolidated accounts as well as foundation and public utility organization law;
• Experience in international financial management and governance structures;
• Strategic and conceptual thinking as well as strong operational implementation skills;
• Excellent analytical skills and strong affinity for numbers;
• Leadership style focused on inclusion and communication;
• Strong affinity for digitalization and process optimization;
• Very good command of German, French, and English, both spoken and written.

• A challenging and varied job in a renowned NGO with national and international focus;
• A wide scope for action and the opportunity to contribute your ideas;
• A motivated and dynamic team;
• Great flexibility regarding working hours and workplace;
• Attractive employment conditions.