Senior Accountant Foundations & Gifts

INSEAD is seeking a Senior Accountant, Foundations & Gifts to join our Finance & Administration department. This is a full-time, temporary CDD position until 31 August 2027, to be based in our Europe campus in Fontainebleau, France. A hybrid working model is in place – 3 days on campus, 2 days from home.

About the Job

Reporting to the Associate Director General Ledger, you will play a critical role in ensuring the accurate accounting, reporting, and financial oversight of INSEAD Foundations, donor-restricted funds, gifts, grants, and endowments. You will help safeguard compliance with donor requirements and accounting standards while providing meaningful financial insights that support strategic decision-making across the institution. Working closely with colleagues from Finance, Advancement, Legal and other key stakeholders, you will contribute to strengthening financial stewardship and supporting INSEAD's mission through sound governance and operational excellence.

Your Role Within the Team

• Maintain accurate accounting records for foundations, gifts, endowments, grants and donor-restricted funds.
• Prepare and review monthly and annual journal entries related to gifts, endowments and restricted funding activities.
• Lead or support year-end close activities, including reconciliations of endowed funds, investments, pledges receivable, deferred revenue and capital grants.
• Ensure proper classification, tracking and reporting of restricted and unrestricted funds.
• Monitor compliance with donor agreements, gift terms and foundation governance requirements.
• Partner with Advancement and Legal teams to interpret gift agreements and assess accounting implications.
• Prepare financial statements, board reports and donor-specific financial reporting with a high degree of accuracy and transparency.
• Analyse financial variances, trends and fund balances, providing recommendations and actionable insights to stakeholders.
• Maintain strong internal controls over gift processing, fund accounting and disbursement activities.
• Identify opportunities to enhance accounting processes, reporting capabilities and data integrity across fund accounting activities.
• Act as a subject matter expert on foundation and gift accounting while collaborating with internal and external stakeholders, including auditors and foundations.

The Ideal Candidate Profile

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or a related discipline.
• 5 to 7+ years of progressive accounting experience, ideally within foundations, non-profit organisations, gifts, grants or donor-restricted fund environments.
• Strong knowledge of accounting principles and reporting requirements.
• Experience working with ERP systems and advanced Excel skills.
• Solid understanding of fund accounting, donor compliance and financial controls.
• Strong analytical capabilities with excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to interpret complex donor agreements and translate requirements into appropriate accounting treatment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build productive relationships across multiple stakeholder groups.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Professionalism: You consistently deliver high-quality work, demonstrate reliability, take ownership of your responsibilities and continuously enhance your expertise to drive excellence.
• Integrity: You act with honesty, accountability and sound judgement, building trust through transparent decision-making and ensuring compliance with established policies, processes and donor commitments.
• At INSEAD, we value colleagues who combine technical expertise with a commitment to continuous improvement, collaboration and responsible stewardship. If you are passionate about delivering financial excellence while supporting a globally recognised institution and its mission, we would be delighted to hear from you.

• Kindly submit your application along with a CV in English.
• Maintain accurate accounting records for INSEAD controlled Foundations, gifts, and donor‑restricted funds.
• Lead or support year-end close activities, including reconciliations of Endowed funds & investment accounts, pledges receivable, deferred revenue and capital grant amortization.
• Prepare financial statements and detailed reports for Foundations, boards, donors, and internal leadership as required.
• Maintain strong internal controls over gift processing, fund accounting, and disbursements.