Accounting & Reporting Lead to Civil Rights Defenders

Are you an accounting professional who enjoys working with routines, precision, and structured processes, while contributing to the protection of human rights? Gazella is now recruiting an Accounting & Reporting Lead for Civil Rights Defenders, an independent international human rights organisation defending civil and political rights globally. As Accounting & Reporting Lead, you will lead and develop the accounting function, working both strategically and operationally as part of the Finance team, reporting to the CFO.

You will collaborate closely with stakeholders across multiple regions and play a key role in driving improvements in processes and reporting, guided by a focus on transparency, simplicity, and communication.

What Civil Rights Defenders offers you

As Accounting & Reporting Lead at Civil Rights Defenders you will be a part of a finance team and an organization that takes responsibility, drives development, and is innovative. Here you will join an international organization with a multicultural environment and some cross-border collaboration.

You are offered opportunities for professional development as the organisation is committed to investing in and supporting its employees. There is a strong commitment to diversity, valuing background, experience, and personality as key contributions to the organisation. 

The role is based at headquarters in Södermalm and is a permanent employment at 100% capacity, with a 6-month probation period.

Your challenge

As Accounting & Reporting Lead, you will be responsible for managing, coordinating, and developing the accounting function as part of the Finance and Operations team, reporting to the CFO. The role combines both strategic and operational work, with close collaboration with the CFO and controllers across Sweden, the Balkans, and Latin America.

You will also play a key role in driving improvements in processes and systems, guided by a focus on transparency, simplicity, and communication in line with leadership principles. 

The role offers great variety, including tasks such as:

• Ongoing accounting and reconciliations.
• Prepare payroll documentation for Civil Rights Defenders´ payroll partner.
• Responsible for an efficient monthly, quarterly, and yearly close process with high quality.
• From an accounting perspective, contribute to budget and forecast processes.
• Main contact for external auditors regarding the organisational audit and responsible for Civil Rights Defenders’ annual report and reporting to different stakeholders.
• Responsible for planning and follow-up of the accountant assignments.
• Perform reconciliations and financial statements independently.
• Streamline and develop the current accounting and financial reporting process.
• Be a part of developing the Finance Team within Civil Rights Defenders.
• Cooperate with our controllers to be able to support our operative reporting to donors, and in some cases do some reporting to donors.
• Participate in and/or drive financial and/or change-related projects at Civil Rights Defenders.

Your experience/qualifications

• At least 5 years relevant work experience in accounting, preferably from an organization with project reporting
• Experience from an NGO is preferred
• Overall knowledge in Payroll management
• Experienced system user, for example from super user in an ERP-system and excellent knowledge of Excel
• Experience from Maconomy is preferred but not a requirement.
• A University degree within Business Administration or similar is preferred but not a requirement
• Fluency in both Swedish and English is required, as you will be communicating in both languages on a daily basis
• It is an advantage if you also bring international experience or a genuine interest in human rights

Personal qualities

To thrive in this role, active contribution and collaboration towards shared goals are essential, along with a positive and supportive attitude. As a leader, you are clear in expectations, take ownership, and keep a long-term and holistic perspective. A humble and flexible team player mindset is important, with the ability to step in where needed in a small and dynamic organisation. You have a strong self-drive and a goal-oriented approach ensure delivery even in fast-changing environments, while maintaining integrity and composure under pressure.

A clear “we” mindset, combined with strong communication skills and the ability to speak up and set requirements when needed, is essential. The role also calls for a structured, analytical, and organised approach with a hands-on attitude. In addition, an innovative and improvement-oriented mindset is valued, with the ability to turn ideas into action and embrace change.**** 

About Civil Rights Defenders

Civil Rights Defenders is a politically and religiously independent international human rights organisation. We defend people’s civil and political rights in some of the world’s most repressive regions. We partner with and support human rights defenders in more than 300 organisations in 50 countries on four continents. Together with our partners, we hold those in power accountable when people’s civil or political rights are violated. We also act as Sweden’s civil rights watchdog. Civil Rights Defenders has around 70 staff members working in various functions towards our vision – a world of democratic societies in which we all enjoy our civil and political rights. Our headquarter is located in Stockholm, and we have eight branch offices around the world. Learn more about our work at . 

Application

Sounds like a role for you? Apply using the "ansök"-button! In this recruitment process, Civil Rights Defenders is working together with Gazella. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Malin Täckdal Thörnroth, the responsible Recruitment Consultant for this position, at .

Gazella är specialister på interim och rekrytering inom ekonomi. Våra nytänkande och engagerade medarbetare arbetar i mindre team, specialiserade på olika roller. I teamen arbetar både seniora rekryteringskonsulter, personalvetare och personer som själva har lång operationell erfarenhet inom ekonomi. Detta gör att vi har god förståelse för alla typer av tjänster, på alla olika nivåer inom ekonomifunktionen.

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