Finance and Operations Manager

About the Role

The Circulate Initiative is looking for an energetic and highly motivated individual to join our team in the role of Finance and Operations Manager. This role requires a self-starter with keen attention to detail, solid problem-solving skills, and an ability to work independently. The Manager will manage end-to-end financial lifecycle and operational processes. The role is responsible for ensuring the organizational finance accuracy and high operational efficiency.

This is a full-time contractor role, reporting to the Senior Director, Finance and Operations, who is based in Queensland, Australia. The candidate will have the opportunity to work with colleagues and partners across regions.

Key Responsibilities

Finance (85%)

• Financial Management
  • Lead the month-end close process by reviewing monthly financial statements (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow) and balance sheet reconciliations to ensure completeness, accuracy, and validity. Propose and verify journal entries. Manage and monitor prepayments, accruals, and revenue postings.
  • Prepare and analyze organizational and grant-level budgets and forecasts to optimize organizational performance. Provide monthly P&L and GL reports to Budget Managers and work closely with them to track variances ensuring grant spending on-time. Prepare financial reports for funders.
  • Lead quarterly “Latest Thinking” updates to forecast future financial performance and recommend strategies to optimize the organizational financial health. Prepare quarterly financial updates to the Board.
  • Proactively identify and implement continuous improvements for financial reporting workflows.
  • Oversee a Singapore-based outsourced accounting services provider. Support the Senior Director, Finance and Operations as needed.
• Compliance and Risk
  • Ensure all transactions, tax filings, and donor and statutory regulations are met. Generate tax submission documents.
  • Manage the annual financial audit. Oversee insurance submissions and facilitate financial setup for new funders.
  • Maintain a robust internal control environment.
• Accounts Payable
  • Execute bi-weekly processing of invoices and expense reports via BILL, ensuring precise project code allocations. Review expense reports for policy compliance and receipt accuracy.
  • Monitor approval workflows to ensure timely payments and maintain proactive communication with team members regarding missing documentation.
  • Manage vendor onboarding, including profile creation and verification of banking details to mitigate risks.
  • Communicate with banks, vendors, and payment platform providers to troubleshoot issues and improve outcomes.

Operations (15%)

• Streamline and design operational processes and workflows. Draft onboarding manuals that are agile and fit for purpose as the organization grows into new geographies. Integrate existing processes where possible to ensure high efficiency.
• Draft partner contracts in collaboration with Project Leads for final reviews and sign-offs.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance or similar area. Minimum of 7 years of experience in finance accounting. CA or CPA qualification is desirable.
• Work experience with U.S. nonprofits is essential.
• Familiarity with the U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles or “U.S. GAAP”. Experience with the U.S. Department of State and United Nations grants is a plus.
• Committed to finance and operations excellence. Advanced Excel/data management skills. Attention to detail is essential.
• A self-starter who is comfortable to work independently in a fully remote role and is able to work flexibly to accommodate remote teams in multiple time zones.
• Exceptional communication skills to work effectively with teams across the organization and with partners. Proven ability to translate complex financial data into actionable insights for non-finance team members.
• Experience in operational scaling or process design. Some experience with contracts is ideal but not required.

Location

• Remote position for candidates based in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines. Candidates must be authorized to work in their respective country. While we have a preference for candidates based in the listed countries, candidates located in other countries in Asia (with authorization to work in respective countries) are also encouraged to apply.

Contract information

• Full-time 1-year contract with the option for renewal.

To Apply

Please complete this application form, which includes submission of your resume and cover letter. The letter must address (a) why you are interested in the role and (b) what values added you’re bringing to the team.

Application deadline : September 9, 2026

Note:

• AI-Assisted Screening: We may use technology, including AI-assisted tools, to help review and screen applications against key responsibilities and requirements. AI does not make hiring decisions. All applications and final hiring decisions remain subject to human review.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and as interviews may be conducted on a rolling basis , interested candidates are encouraged to apply early.

About The Circulate Initiative

The Circulate Initiative is a non-profit organization that works to solve the plastic pollution challenge and build circular and equitable economies across emerging markets. It delivers cutting-edge research, builds high-impact programs, and drives collective action with industry stakeholders, including businesses, investors, and policymakers. For more information, please visit: