Global Accounting Manager - Close, Compliance & Process Improvement

The Role
The Accounting Manager is responsible for the detailed management of their legal entities and supports finance leadership in the strategic oversight and stakeholder management of the business. This role owns the accuracy of the books, the integrity of the close process, and the resolution of outstanding items across the entities in scope.

This is a hands-on role for someone who takes genuine ownership, knows their numbers, and operates with a high degree of independence. You will work closely with our outsourced accounting partner and internal stakeholders to ensure the integrity of our books, the accuracy of our reporting, and the smooth running of our monthly close.

Our Finance team in Zurich sits at the heart of a complex, international business supporting multiple products, legal entities, and stakeholders across Europe and beyond. Within central finance, some roles are product-focused while others own processes that run across all products. You will work closely with functions such as legal and tax, and you will oversee an outsourced offshore service center that handles a significant portion of day-to-day transaction processing.

What You Will Do

- Own the month-end close process for your assigned legal entities

- Coordinate day-to-day with our outsourced service centre - reviewing and challenging journal entries, reconciliations, and financial reports, and escalating where needed

- Produce financial reports, statements, and variance analysis on a regular basis

- Manage relationships with external advisors and auditors

- Manage tax and regulatory compliance for your entities, working closely with the tax, legal, and other central function teams

- Drive process improvements and contribute to standardisation across the team

- Support budgeting and forecasting for your legal entities

What We Are Looking For

- 4–6 years of experience in accounting, ideally with Big 4 or multinational exposure

- Degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration

- Strong technical accounting knowledge

- Experience working in or alongside an outsourced or shared services model is a plus

- Independent, organised, and deadline-driven

- Clear communicator who can work across functions and levels

- Fluent in English; additional languages are an advantage

- EU national or holder of a valid Swiss work permit

Why Join EF?

- International Exposure:
Be part of a truly global organization with career growth opportunities worldwide.

- Entrepreneurial Culture:
Work in an environment that values initiative, innovation, and ownership.

- Career Development: EF invests in continuous learning and career progression.

- Dynamic Work Environment:
No two days are the same—adaptability and creativity are key.

- Collaborative Team:
Join a high-energy, supportive team that balances professionalism with camaraderie.

About EF
At EF we believe that the world is better when people try to understand one another. Since 1965, we have helped millions of people see new places, experience new cultures, and learn new things about the world and about themselves. Our culturally immersive education programs—focused on language, travel, cultural exchange, and academics—turn dreams into international opportunities.

When you join EF, you join a multicultural and diverse community working across more than 600 schools and offices in 50 countries, all with one shared mission of opening the world through education. Whoever you are, whatever you are passionate about—we welcome you and want you to bring that to work every day. EF is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to inclusion and belonging across race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, caste, parental status, identity, experience and everything else that makes you unique.

Founded in Sweden in 1965, EF has schools and offices around the world, including hubs in Boston, London, Mexico City, São Paulo, Shanghai, Stockholm, Zürich, and more. Learn more at https://