Interim Head of Group Accounting (all genders)
Lingoda GmbH
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Qualifications
- 10+ years in Accounting with 5+ years in a leadership role.
- Strong knowledge of HGB and German tax law.
- Proven ability to lead high-performing teams.
Responsibilities
- Lead all accounting operations and ensure accurate reporting.
- Guide compliance with HGB and IFRS regulations.
- Manage consolidated reporting and oversee tax compliance.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
4 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants
Department: Central Functions
Location: Remote - Germany (occasionally visits to Berlin)
Founded 12 years ago, Lingoda addresses a pressing global challenge: meeting the demands of growing economies and aging populations through the mobility of global talent. Driven by its mission "to empower global talent with the language, cultural, and technical skills for integration and success", Lingoda has established itself as a leader in education.
Lingoda’s highly effective Small Group Learning Model is delivered via over 800,000 classes a year, powered by 2,400 qualified teachers and a unique proprietary curriculum designed to help learners achieve their goals, whether that be career progression or integration into a new country.
A rapidly growing and ambitious company, Lingoda operates in both B2B and B2C: while the B2B business has a strong focus on the healthcare sector in Germany and a credible ambition to expand into other professions and geographies, Lingoda’s B2C business has a global presence, teaching German, English, Spanish, French, and Italian to students worldwide.
Joining Lingoda means becoming part of a team that is committed to getting better, together. We foster an inclusive culture of bravery, curiosity and growth, where insight turns into action, and every team member contributes to igniting positive change.
Be part of our journey to transform lives through Education!
We are seeking an Interim Head of Group Accounting (all genders), based in Germany for a short‑term contract with occasional visits to our office in Berlin.
As the Interim Head of Group Accounting you will report directly to the CFO and lead all accounting operations. You will ensure accurate reporting, compliance, strong controls, and efficient processes across the group. In close partnership with the CFO, FP&A, Data, and senior leadership, you will support profitable growth, strengthen governance, and build a scalable, PE‑grade finance function. You will also develop and lead an eight‑person accounting team.
- Strategic Leadership & Financial Governance
- Set and execute the accounting strategy aligned with company goals.
- Ensure compliance with HGB and applicable IFRS.
- Advise senior leadership on accounting and reporting matters.
- Maintain and improve internal controls and financial governance.
- Support PE reporting, investor requests, audit readiness, and due diligence processes.
- Financial Accounting & Reporting
- Lead month‑end, quarter‑end, and year‑end closings.
- Prepare and review statutory financial statements under HGB.
- Manage consolidated group reporting under HGB and IFRS.
- Ensure correct application of accounting policies and identify improvement areas.
- Oversee accounting for Lingoda GmbH, German subsidiaries, and one European entity.
- Tax Compliance & Liaison
- Ensure compliance across all tax areas and manage filings.
- Act as primary contact for tax advisors and manage advisor transitions.
- Coordinate tax audits and assessments.
- Identify and execute tax optimisation opportunities.
- AP/AR, Treasury & Working Capital
- Oversee AP/AR operations and ensure correct accounting treatment.
- Manage cash flow and liquidity planning with FP&A and the CFO.
- Improve working capital and shorten the cash conversion cycle.
- Serve as the main banking contact and support financing topics.
- Audit Management
- Coordinate the annual audit and ensure timely delivery.
- Act as the main contact for auditors.
- Prepare audit documentation and drive follow‑up actions.
- Process Improvement & Digitalization
- Align financial processes with FP&A, Data, Legal, and operations.
- Scale processes and systems to PE‑grade standards.
- Lead ERP and finance‑system improvements.
- Drive automation of reporting, reconciliations, and core workflows.
- Improve data integration across Accounting, FP&A, and BI/Data.
- Support business initiatives with accounting expertise.
- Leadership
- Lead and develop a six‑person Accounting/AP/AR team.
- Build a high‑performance organisation and make staffing decisions.
- Promote accountability, ownership, and cross‑functional collaboration.
- Communicate financial topics clearly to non‑financial stakeholders.
- Shape the future accounting organisation, including structure, roles, and succession.
- Build capabilities to support international scale and automation.
- Certified Balance Sheet Accountant (Bilanzbuchhalter IHK) mandatory; business/finance background.
- Degree a plus.
- 10+ years in Accounting, incl. 5+ years in a leadership role, ideally with "buy & build" experience.
- Track record of successfully hiring high performing people, developing within teams and restructuring where necessary.
- Strong knowledge of HGB, exposure to IFRS and German tax law.
- Hands‑on experience with DATEV, Excel and tools like Spendesk, Atlar, LucaNet/Planful.
- Proven track record in process improvement, automation, and building scalable accounting processes.
- Experience in PE/VC‑backed or high‑growth environments.
- Ability to work in a fast‑paced environment; high stress resistance is crucial.
- Strong, empathetic team leader with hands‑on, performance‑driven mindset.
- Clear communicator and effective stakeholder manager.
- Strategic, analytical, and commercially minded.
- Fluency in German and English.
- SaaS/subscription experience is a plus.
- Approachable leaders and transparent communication – every voice counts.
- Company events and colleagues who are always happy to socialise; budgets towards team building events.
- An inclusive environment with great team spirit and passion for languages.
- A well‑structured onboarding process to set you up for success.
- The possibility to work remotely from home or in the office located in the heart of Berlin.
- Learning & development opportunities.
- Free access to our language classes.
- Mental Health programs.
- Corporate benefits & pension funds.
- 30 vacation days per year.
- Free snacks & drinks at the office.
- The modern hardware necessary for your work (n/a for freelancers).
- Flexible working hours.
Does that sound exciting? Then, send us your CV right away!
We are looking forward to hearing from you! Your contact person for the position is Megan.
Lingoda is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. As an equal opportunities and affirmative action employer, we strive to create a workforce that reflects the diversity of our user base. Our commitment ensures that every applicant is assessed on the basis of their skills and qualifications, regardless of age, gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or religion.
We ask that you please apply directly via the link provided in the job description or directly on our website. Due to GDPR regulations, applications sent otherwise will not be considered.
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