HQ Accounting Team Lead


 MSF is an international, independent medical humanitarian organisation. We are a non-profit, self-governed worldwide movement of more than 63,000 people.

We provide emergency medical assistance during armed conflict, natural disasters, outbreaks of deadly diseases, and for people excluded from healthcare. MSF delivers care based on need. When we see injustice, we speak out. We remain impartial, knowledgeable, and effective, and this can make the difference between life and death.

People are our priority. At Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) / Artsen zonder Grenzen, we are committed to an inclusive culture that encourages and supports the diverse voices of our employees. We welcome applications from people of all gender identities, ages, sexual orientations, nationalities, races, religions, beliefs, social and marital status, abilities, and other diversity characteristics, and recognise how these intersect.

Our Finance Department is looking for an:

HQ Accounting Team Lead

Based in Amsterdam

MSF Operational Centre Amsterdam (MSF OCA) is reorganising its Finance Department. Historically organised around separate headquarters and programme finance structures, Finance is moving towards a global functional model designed to better support MSF OCA’s strategic direction. The new model enables Finance to operate as one connected function across headquarters and country operations.

We are recruiting an HQ Accounting Team Lead to lead and support the daily work of the headquarters accounting team. You will set priorities, manage workloads, guide and empower team members, and ensure the team delivers reliable accounting services for MSF OCA headquarters.

This role is key to making the new Global Accounting function work in practice. As a people manager and daily team leader, you will create clarity, support collaboration, monitor progress, and help resolve bottlenecks. You will foster an accountable and supportive team culture while providing hands-on technical guidance in bookkeeping, payments, transactional activities, closing processes , and audit preparation . You will also identify risks, inconsistencies, and improvement opportunities to strengthen the quality and reliability of HQ accounting operations.

Key Responsibilitie s

T eam leadership and daily delivery

Manage the HQ Accounting team day to day, including workload allocation, prioritisation, performance management, staff development, and wellbeing. Provide leadership and technical guidance to ensure accurate , compliant, and timely accounting processes, while promoting shared standards, capability development, and knowledge exchange across locations.

HQ accounting

Ensure timely , high-quality delivery of HQ accounting outputs in line with global standards and deadlines. Apply your accounting expertise to bookkeeping, payment processing, audit preparation, and other core financial administration processes. Execute transactional and closing activities directly when areas are complex, time-critical, or high risk .

Quality, compliance, and internal controls

Safeguard the integrity of the financial administration by supporting the consistent application of accounting policies, procedures, and controls. Identify risks, inconsistencies, and operational issues, facilitate internal quality controls, and ensure required documentation is complete, accurate , and up to date.

Audit, systems, and continuous improvement

Coordinate the team’s input to support timely follow-up on audit actions. Contribute to process, system, and ERP changes from an HQ accounting perspective. Identify practical improvements, support implementation, and strengthen the reliability and efficiency of day-to-day accounting operations.

What we’re looking for

Candidate profile

• Educational background in Accounting, Finance, or a relevant field.

• 3 to 5 years of experience in accounting or financial administration, preferably in international environments.

• Strong people management skills/experience.

• Strong understanding of accounting standards, bookkeeping, balance sheet reconciliation, payment processing, audit preparation, and other financ ial processes.

• Chartered accountant background or equivalent professional qualification is desirable.

• Experience with Microsoft Dynamics is an asset.

• Fluency in English is required . Dutch and other MSF working languages are an asset.

• Preference will be given to candidates who already reside in The Netherlands and hold a valid work permit. Relocation support is not provided. This is a meaningful opportunity to help make the new Finance structure work in practice. If you are motivated by leading daily delivery, supporting people, and strengthening the quality and integrity of HQ accounting across MSF OCA, this role offers a direct and practical way to contribute to our humanitarian work.

• You are a team lead who enjoys making daily work run well. You bring structure, energy, and a positive attitude, helping people stay focused even when priorities shift.

• You combine technical accounting credibility with a hands-on leadership style. You understand bookkeeping, payments, closing activities, and audit preparation, and you are willing to step in directly when the team needs support.

• You are steady, approachable, and resilient. You build strong working relationships across Finance and other departments, and you help bring people along through a period of change without losing sight of quality, controls, and delivery. We Offer

An exciting opportunity to join the Finance department within a major international organisation and play a practical leadership role supporting medical and humanitarian operations worldwide.

This is a permanent role. We start off with a 12-month contract, with the intention of renewing based on performance.

T his role is offered on a Dutch employment contract (40 hours/week), with a preferred start date of 1 October 2026 . T he gross monthly salary ranges from €4,269 to €5,877 based on full-time employment. The exact salary depends on relevant work experience.

A diverse working environment with colleagues from around the world representing various cultures and backgrounds.

T he main benefits include:

• 30 paid vacation days annually, contingent upon full-time employment status.
• A competitive pension scheme
• 8% holiday allowance, paid out with the salary every year in May
• Commuting allowance & work from home allowance
• Hybrid working option with a minimum of 3 days in the office, based on full-time employment
• Learning and development opportunities through in-house and external training.
• Discounted (delicious!) daily lunch at the office Application

If you recognise yourself in this profile, we welcome you to apply directly via our website and upload a letter of motivation and Curriculum Vitae in English.

The closing date for applications is: Sunday 6 September 2026 . Selection will be by means of one interview round. A test may be part of the selection/interview process. Interviews will take place in the week following the close of applications .

Please note the application deadline specified above may be subject to change at MSF-Netherland’s discretion.

Information

For questions about the role or process, contact Irene Tellekamp ( Team Recruitment) at irene.tellekamp@amsterdam.msf.org .

*** No agencies please ** *