The World Council of Churches (WCC) is an ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948.  It brings together 352 member churches from all over the world, including Orthodox churches, Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran and Reformed denominations, to promote Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world.

From its headquarters at the Ecumenical Centre in Grand-Saconnex, a unique space for its member churches, the WCC conducts its work together with churches and ecumenical partners. Activities include promoting peace and justice in places of conflict; inter-religious dialogue with people of other faiths; and ecumenical education.  The WCC has launched a real estate development project at its site in Grand-Saconnex.

The WCC is looking for a finance manager at 100% who will be leading the finance team and the financial planning processes. The finance manager will be responsible for general accounting, control and reporting functions, and will take a leading role in the ERP project in progress since 2020.

The position will be based at the Ecumenical Centre, Grand-Saconnex, and will report to the finance director.

Fluent in English and French, the finance manager will hold a professional qualification as a certified accountant, or an advanced Degree in Accounting, Business, Finance or a related field and will be able to demonstrate significant years of experience in a similar position. The successful candidate will have responsibility for:

• Managing monthly, quarterly and annual general ledger accounting, working closely with the finance director, to ensure timely delivery of reporting by the team, including statutory and management accounts; monitoring reports; and project schedules.
• Liaising with auditors, for statutory and project purposes.
• Leading the finance staff, including monitoring of their assignments and the annual appraisals.
• Supervising the financial budgeting process.
• Taking a leading role in the ERP project, re-designing and improving workflows and controls.
• Maintaining the internal control system documentation; and the finance working procedures.
• Participating with the finance director in governing body meetings, as required.
• Monitoring developments in Swiss law, regulations and audit requirements with impact on the Council’s financial statements, and ensuring compliance.

Qualifications and special requirements

Experience

• Several years of experience in a similar position.

Education

• Professional qualification as a certified accountant
• Advanced Degree in Accounting, Business, Finance or a related field.

 Requirements

• Understanding of Swiss law and audit requirements in relation to financial accounts and to the grant agreements with donors.
• Ability to manage staff and to work in a team.
• Quality of discretion in handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to represent the WCC and give due attention to its ethical standards in business dealings.

Language skills

• Excellent aptitude to correspond fluently in English and French.
• Other languages, particularly German, would be advantageous.

Computer skills

• Advanced knowledge of Excel, pivot tables, jet reports, and Microsoft Dynamics accounting system.
• Microsoft Office suite applications knowledge, in particular Word and Powerpoint.

Deadline for application

• 5 August 2022

About human resources at the WCC: The WCC is an equal opportunity employer. The sole criteria for recruitment, training and career opportunities are qualification, skills, experience and performance to all its staff members.

The WCC ’s annual Financial report 2021 can be consulted at

• https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/documents/wcc-financial-report-2021