Accountant (m/f/d)

The role

We are looking for an experienced accounting professional based in Germany to join our finance team. This is primarily an operational accounting role — around 85% of your time will be focused on day-to-day bookkeeping: accurate, compliant, and well-organised to keep pace with Malengo's growth.

The remaining ~15% covers operations support and our ISA portfolio, with scope to expand as the organisation grows. You will be a core member of a small, international team with direct responsibility for the financial integrity of our work.

Your responsibilities

1. Accounting (~85%)

• Full-cycle bookkeeping: recording, categorising, and reconciling all financial transactions in accordance with HGB

• Bank and account reconciliation — reliably and on time

• Accounts payable and receivable: processing invoices, payments, and receipts

• Preparing monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements and reports

• Supporting the preparation of annual accounts and liaising with external tax advisors (Steuerberater) and auditors

• Ensuring compliance with German tax regulations, including VAT (Umsatzsteuer) filings

• Supporting payroll accounting (Lohnbuchhaltung) and related HR administration

• Maintaining audit-ready, well-organised financial records and documentation

• Supporting the Head of Finance with financial planning, budgeting, and ad-hoc analysis

2. Operations & ISA portfolio (~15%)

• Supporting the financial management and tracking of our growing ISA portfolio

• Assisting with operational and administrative finance tasks as the organisation scales

• Contributing to the development and improvement of our financial processes and infrastructure

Requirements

• Completed training or degree in a relevant field, e.g. Buchhalter/in, Finanzbuchhalter/in, Steuerfachangestellte/r, Betriebswirt/in, BWL, or equivalent kaufmännische Ausbildung

• Minimum 2 years of full-time professional accounting experience (or equivalent)

• Solid knowledge of German accounting standards (HGB) and tax regulations

• Experience with VAT (Umsatzsteuer) filings and annual financial statement preparation

• Proficiency in accounting software (e.g. DATEV, Lexoffice, Sevdesk, or similar)

• High proficiency in spreadsheets (Excel / Google Sheets)

• Native-level German (C2) and English at minimum B2 level

• Exceptional attention to detail and a structured, methodical way of working

• Ability to work independently and manage your own priorities

• Commitment to Malengo's mission and the success of our scholars

Nice to have

• Experience in a non-profit, NGO, or social enterprise context

• Familiarity with payroll accounting (Lohnbuchhaltung)

• Interest in international education or development

• Experience working in a remote or internationally distributed team

• 100% remote work — from anywhere in Germany

• Full-time position (100%)

• Flexible working hours

• 30 days of annual leave and overtime compensation

• A highly motivated, international team across Germany, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, and the USA

• Real ownership and the chance to actively shape a young non-profit organisation

• Meaningful work with direct impact on the lives of young people and their families

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Please submit your CV/resume and a cover letter, along with answers to the application questions below.

Anticipated start date: as soon as possible.

Malengo is committed to diversity, and we believe that our work is strengthened by differences in background, culture, experience, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, disability, and more.

Application questions

Please note: we ask that your responses be written entirely by you, without AI writing tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, or similar assistants. Honest, specific answers — even in imperfect English — are far more valuable to us than polished, generic responses.

Question 1: Accounting problem-solving

Describe a specific instance where you identified an error, discrepancy, or irregularity in financial records or accounts. Please include: (a) the approximate monetary value involved, (b) how you discovered the issue, (c) the root cause, and (d) the specific steps you took to resolve it. If you have not yet encountered this professionally, describe how you would approach discovering and resolving a €500 discrepancy between a bank statement and your internal records.

Question 2: Personal connection to the mission

Malengo supports students from low-income countries in accessing education. Describe a specific personal experience — not a general interest — that has shaped your understanding of educational barriers or international opportunity gaps. This could be something you witnessed, participated in, or experienced yourself. Why does this memory stay with you?

Question 3: Salary expectations

What is your expected gross annual salary (in EUR) for this position?

Question 4: Availability

What is your earliest possible start date?