We’re looking for a Finance Operations Manager to lead GÉANT’s Accounts Payable function while remaining actively involved in day-to-day purchase ledger activity. You'll play an important role in ensuring supplier payments, financial controls and month-end processes are delivered accurately, efficiently and in line with regulatory requirements.
Working within the CFO team, you'll be responsible for leading Purchase Ledger operations, supporting month-end close activities and maintaining strong financial controls, helping colleagues across the organisation access reliable financial information and services.
This is a hands-on finance operations leadership role, suited to someone who enjoys balancing people management with practical delivery, solving problems, improving processes and contributing directly to the success of the wider Finance function.
You'll lead and actively support the end-to-end Purchase Ledger and Accounts Payable function, helping ensure transactions are processed accurately and on time.
You'll review invoice coding, supplier account creation and supplier master data to maintain accuracy and strong financial controls.
You'll coordinate supplier payment runs and help ensure appropriate approvals and payment controls are maintained.
You'll act as an escalation point for supplier, employee and project partner queries, helping to resolve issues quickly and effectively.
You'll lead the Purchase Ledger month-end close process, ensuring key activities are completed accurately and on schedule.
You'll calculate, review and post accruals and prepayments.
You'll prepare and review balance sheet reconciliations and follow up on outstanding items.
You'll contribute supplier, commitment and cost information to forecasting, budgeting and audit activities.
You'll manage, coach and support members of the Finance Operations team.
You'll promote collaboration, knowledge sharing and cross-training across Finance and the wider organisation.
You'll provide practical guidance to colleagues on supplier invoices, expenses, approvals and purchase ledger processes.
You'll help create a supportive and solution-focused team environment.
You'll help ensure strong financial controls are maintained across the Purchase Ledger function.
You'll identify opportunities to improve efficiency, automation, data quality and compliance.
You'll work closely with colleagues and stakeholders to simplify processes and reduce avoidable rework.
You'll support enhancements to finance systems, workflows and related tools.
We're open to candidates from a range of backgrounds. You may not have worked in a role exactly like this before, but you should be able to demonstrate many of the skills, experience and capabilities needed to succeed.
Please consider the responsibilities of the role carefully and how your experience aligns with the following areas:
Experience working with a Purchase Ledger or Accounts Payable function.
Experience leading, coaching or coordinating the work of others.
Strong understanding of month-end close activities, including accruals, prepayments and balance sheet reconciliations.
Experience supporting supplier payments, creditor reconciliations and related financial processes.
Strong understanding of accounting principles, financial controls and purchase ledger compliance requirements.
Familiarity with VAT requirements and their application within finance operations.
Confidence in using Microsoft Excel and ERP or accounting systems.
Able to balance multiple priorities while working to deadlines.
An organised approach to maintaining accuracy, control and attention to detail.
The following experience could be helpful, but is not required for every candidate:
Experience in an international, membership, mission-driven or grant-funded organisation.
Experience working across multi-currency and multi-VAT environments.
Knowledge of EU VAT requirements and practices.
Experience using automation, AI or technology-enabled finance solutions.
Experience using Sage 200, Yooz, MEO or similar finance systems.
Familiarity with invoice workflow, purchase order and expense management platforms.
We recognise that people build experience in different ways and do not expect candidates to meet every point listed above. If your background aligns with many of these areas and you're interested in the opportunity, we'd like to hear from you.
The role follows our flexible-hybrid working model, with employees working flexibly between a remote and office environment.
For this role, we anticipate that you may be required in the office for around 3 days per week following onboarding. During the initial onboarding period, regular office attendance is expected, likely 4 to 5 days per week for approximately the first six months.
There may also be occasional travel for meetings, stakeholder engagement and relationship-building activities, including travel within Europe and between our Cambridge and Amsterdam offices.
You'll receive excellent benefits at GÉANT, including a generous holiday allowance and a 5% end-of-year bonus/allowance as standard.
The other benefits you receive will depend on the country you are employed in, but will include an appropriate pension scheme and medical insurance.
Full details of our benefits package are available on our careers website.
We are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process where candidates are assessed based on their skills, experience, potential and ability to do the role.
We encourage you to apply even if you do not meet every point listed. Not all strong candidates will have the same background, and we recognise that experience can be built in different ways.
If you need any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know. This could include adjustments to the application process, interview format, timing, accessibility needs, or anything else that would help you participate fully.
To apply, please submit your application through our careers site.
Applications close on August 30th, although we may close the role earlier if we receive sufficient interest.
For this role, we expect the process to include:
We will confirm the full process with shortlisted candidates.
