Head of Finance

Position Summary

Application Deadline: Rolling

Start date: As soon as possible

Location: Remote with a preference for London. If based in London, the ability to co-work from our office three days per week is required. LEEP is unable to sponsor visas for this role.

Time Zone: Being located in UTC-5 to UTC is required. Exact working hours are to be confirmed based on location to optimise for overlap with LEEP’s Operations team.

How to apply: Fill out this application form

Contact: hiring@leadelimination.org

About LEEP

LEEP is an impact-driven, evidence-based nonprofit that aims to eliminate childhood lead poisoning, which affects an estimated one in three children worldwide. We primarily focus on one important source of exposure: lead paint. Our paint programs involve generating data, supporting governments with the introduction and enforcement of regulation, and assisting manufacturers in switching to lead-free paints. Beyond our paint programs, we are piloting interventions to address other sources of lead exposure, such as spices and cosmetics.

Since our founding in September 2020:

• We have initiated lead paint elimination programs in 31 countries; completed paint studies in 18; and agreed on goals to establish lead paint regulation with government agencies in 16 (e.g., Angola).
• We’ve made crucial progress in engaging with manufacturers in 10 countries (e.g., Pakistan), and in reducing the lead paint market share in Malawi.
• Founders Pledge estimates that it costs $1.66 to prevent one child’s lead exposure (in expectation) through our work, making LEEP one of its most cost-effective nonprofit recommendations. Our own analysis estimates that it costs under $5 to avert one DALY equivalent through LEEP’s first 13 established programs.
• We are a partner of the WHO and UN Environment Programme's Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint and a member of the Partnership for a Lead-Free Future.
• We have received grants from major grantmaking organisations, including Founders Pledge, Open Philanthropy, and Schmidt Futures.
• We have appeared in Nature, Vox, Time Magazine, The New Yorker, Prospect, on the 80,000 Hours Podcast, and our co-founders were named in Vox’s Future Perfect 50.

About the Role

LEEP is looking for an experienced accountant with expertise in charity finances and a passion for our mission. As our first dedicated, full-time finance hire, you will play a key role in shaping our financial strategy and systems during a pivotal phase of growth.

Working closely with the COO and LEEP’s Ops team, you will help navigate important organisational decisions while ensuring our financial operations are strong, efficient, and aligned with our expansion. You will work closely with leadership and key stakeholders to provide clear financial insights that support informed decision-making. This role requires you to think carefully about how to make systems and processes human-centric and easy for our team to follow, thereby enabling LEEP to maximize its impact. A strong candidate will have outstanding communication skills, thrive in a fast-paced startup environment, and take a pragmatic approach to managing risk.

If you’re excited by the opportunity to build and lead financial processes in a dynamic, mission-driven organization, we’d love to hear from you.

Responsibilities

Budgeting and Finances

• Lead the annual budgeting process, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.
• Provide leadership with financial insights to guide decision-making.
• Develop project-level budgets where necessary and ensure financial sustainability.

Internal Reporting and Management Accounts

• Prepare monthly management accounts and financial reports with key insights.
• Provide financial updates to the board and team.
• Develop and track financial metrics and dashboards.
• Support strategic decision-making with financial analysis.

Donor Finance and Grant Management

• Ensure compliance with donor financial reporting requirements.
• Manage restricted and unrestricted funding allocations and budgets.
• Provide financial input for grant applications and proposals.
• Track grant spending and ensure funds are used appropriately.
• Contribute to donor reports, ensuring transparency and accountability.

Financial Controls and Compliance

• Implement and monitor financial policies and procedures to mitigate risk.
• Oversee cash management, ensuring liquidity and operational efficiency.
• Review and revise approval processes for payments and financial transactions (including payroll).
• Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and charity finance requirements.
• Improve our fraud prevention measures and risk management strategies.

Finance Systems and Process Improvement

• Streamline financial processes to improve efficiency and accuracy.
• Recommend and implement systems to enhance financial management.

Additional responsibilities

• Lead the preparation and coordination of the annual audit.
• Manage outsourced accounting and bookkeeping services as needed.
• Determine the appropriate balance between in-house and outsourced finance functions.
• Provide finance training and support to non-financial staff.
• Line manage team members if and when required.
• Support the wider team as and when required.

What We’re Looking For

A successful applicant will possess or be the following:

• Passion for LEEP’s mission and a strong commitment to financial stewardship and impact.
• Qualified accountant.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a strategic mindset.
• Confidence and experience with charity accounts (specifically managing restricted donor funds).
• Strong understanding of nonprofit financial regulations and donor compliance.
• High attention to detail and ability to maintain accuracy in financial reporting.
• Experience in budgeting, financial planning, and risk management.
• Proficiency in financial software and reporting tools (preferably including QBO).
• Comfort working in a remote environment.
• Knowledge of charity accounting practices is essential (knowledge and experience of US nonprofit accounting practices is advantageous).
• Experience living and/or working in low- and middle-income countries is advantageous.
• Minimum of five years relevant work experience.

Work Environment

Our culture is one of genuine care for each other and passion for our work and its impact. We are a team that values collaboration, openness, and mutual support, which creates an environment where everyone can thrive while contributing to meaningful work.

Though we are a remote team, we are supportive and close-knit. We stay connected through weekly team calls and 1:1 calls, where we have conversations about both non-work and work topics; we regularly share photos and celebrate milestones and successes in our Slack; and we come together annually for an in-person retreat to strengthen relationships and reflect on our mission.

Our team of 19 people is based across five continents and speaks over 10 languages. We have diverse expertise, from medicine to environmental health to international law.

Our work schedule is flexible. Some of the team work 9-5:30, and some adjust their daily schedule around school pick-up. We value work-life balance and rarely contact the team members outside their work hours.

LEEP offers:

• A chance to have a very large positive impact on the world
• 33 days of paid leave
• Generous sick leave and parental leave policies
• 4% pension contribution