Financial Analysis and Budget Officer

Better Cotton; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A global not-for-profit organization is seeking a Financial Analysis and Budget Officer to support budgeting and financial reporting. Reporting to the Financial Analysis Manager, this role involves developing financial reports, collaborating with teams to ensure accurate data, and analyzing financial trends. Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree and at least 2 years of experience in a related role. This position offers hybrid working arrangements and a chance to contribute to sustainability efforts in the cotton industry.

Benefits

Hybrid working

Flexible working hours

Generous annual leave package

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years professional experience in a financial role.
• Proven ability to analyze financial information.
• Advanced MS Excel skills required.

Responsibilities

• Support the internal budgeting and planning process.
• Redesign internal financial reporting for improved clarity.
• Develop and maintain reporting templates and dashboards.

Skills

Financial analysis

Budget management

Data management

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, or accounting

Tools

MS Excel

Power BI

Salesforce/Certinia

Job description

The role holder will primarily report to the Financial Analysis Manager within the Global Finance Team and secondarily report to Financial Budget and Reporting Manager. The purpose of this role is to:

• Enable the organization to have accurate, timely and reliable budgetary information. Empowering budget holders, communicating with largely a non-finance audience. Goal driven and ability to meet budgetary objectives.
• Participate in delivering the step-change of financial data reporting, improving the quality, accuracy, and timeliness of critical management information to drive decision-making.

To achieve this, you will be involved in the budget process, in the development of reporting and monitoring tools and, more generally, in matters relating to the quality and analysis of financial data.

The Financial Analysis and Budget Officer will engage primarily with all the budget holders within the organization and the teams responsible for revenue generation. They will need to communicate and work in close collaboration and consultation with the support function teams, including general accounting, IT and procurement teams. The expected result is smooth process delivery and integrated fit for purpose reports that are easily accessible in the financial IT system.

The Challenge

Looking ahead to 2030, we are targeting reducing GHG emissions from cotton production by half, big cuts in synthetic pesticide use, improve soil health across our network, improve farm income and support women’s empowerment among farmers and farm workers.

Responsibilities

We are seeking a motivated Financial Analysis and Budget Officer to join our Global Finance Team. In this role, you will be responsible for

• Supporting the internal budgeting and planning process to meet the needs of the organisation and ensure its smooth running.
• Supporting to redesign, adapt and improve the internal financial reporting and management information. Assist the financial analysis manager to prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports by extracting, compiling and formatting financial data into clear and concise management reports.
• Supporting the financial budget and reporting manager to upload approved budget in our financial system.
• Developing, maintaining and updating reporting templates and dashboards using Excel, Power BI, Salesforce/Certinia or other tools, in collaboration with other support functions team member (including IT).
• Assisting in answering queries/questions from budget holders on their actual versus budget variations.
• Checking data quality in Certinia (financial ERP) and ensure consistency of information, liaising in between budget holders, budgeting team and general accounting team. Coordinate with accounting and finance teams to reconcile data discrepancies, reviewing both general and analytical accounting aspects
• Assisting in analysing financial data to identify trends and variances and supporting managers for any ad-hoc requests. Perform analysis with practical and timely financial information.
• Helping streamline budgeting and reporting processes and automate repetitive tasks.

Experience

the following skills, knowledge, and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, data and system or finance and accounting.
• Minimum 2 years professional experience in a similar role or scope of responsibilities. Proven experience in analysing financial information, with understanding of both general and analytical accounting.
• Proficiency in IT literacy, to include MS Word; MS PowerPoint; MS Excel; MS Outlook as well as experience working with systems and Database management. Advanced MS Excel skills in particular.
• Proven experience with extracting and preparing reports from a financial system handling important volume of data.
• An ability to manage time efficiently and meet deadlines in a dynamic, changeable environment.
• Clear communicator in English: orally and written.
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively with diverse groups of people in a multicultural and team-oriented environment.
• Knowledge of PowerBI or similar technology is a plus, as well as previous experience with SalesForce/Certinia or a similar financial system.
• Experience working within an NGO or sustainability-focused organisation.

What we offer

• Hybrid working – once a week in the central London office
• The opportunity to work from anywhere in the world for up to one month per year
• Flexible working, with core hours from 10 am to 4 pm local time
• Continuous learning and development
• A generous annual leave package, including paid holiday, public holidays, additional paid days off during the festive season, study and exam days, and extra discretionary leave for life events such as family weddings or moving home
• Enhanced parental benefits
• The opportunity to make your mark and make a difference.

Working arrangements

The position is full-time (40 hours per week) and will be based in London. Better Cotton Initiative offers flexible working, with core hours being 10 am – 4 pm. The position may require some international travel.

Apply now

Send us your CV (2 pages maximum) and a brief cover letter (1-page maximum) by or before 16.01.2026 via the application link.

In your cover letter, please include an explanation of why your experience is specifically relevant to this role at Better Cotton Initiative. We want to see your personal style – what makes you tick and why you think your next opportunity is here with us.

Better Cotton Initiative does not use artificial intelligence or automated screening tools in its hiring process. Every application is reviewed by our People & Culture team and relevant hiring managers to ensure a fair and human-led assessment experience.

Our hiring process

Initial Screening

Applicant screening is a crucial step in our recruitment process. This stage may involve a brief phone interview or video call to evaluate your suitability for the position. During this screening, we review resumes and cover letters, and may conduct initial background checks to narrow down the pool of applicant. Internal candidates are encouraged to inform their line manager about their application to promote transparency and help facilitate a smooth transition if selected.

Interviews

If you successfully pass the initial screening, you will be invited for interviews. The interview process at Better Cotton Initiative may include one or more rounds of interviews with various stakeholders, such as the hiring manager, team members, and potentially senior management. As an internal candidate, you may have discussions regarding your current responsibilities and how they will transition to the new position.

Assessment and Testing

Depending on the role, you might be required to complete assessments, technical tests, or skills evaluations to gauge your competency and suitability for the position. Internal candidates may have the option to demonstrate their existing skills through current job performance or past project outcomes.

Reference Checks

Once you progress further in the process, reference checks are conducted to validate your work history, skills, and qualifications, and for some roles, your education and criminal history. Internal candidates may be asked for references from current or previous supervisors within Better Cotton Initiative to provide insights into their performance and capabilities.

After completing interviews, assessments, and reference checks, the hiring team evaluates your performance and fit for the role. If you are selected and your references are relevant and satisfactory, you will receive a formal job offer letter outlining the terms of employment, compensation, benefits, and any other relevant details. For internal candidates, the offer process may include a discussion about how your transition to the new role will be managed and any support needed for a smooth handover.

About Better Cotton Initiative

Better Cotton Initiative is a global not-for-profit organisation supporting the production of more equitable and sustainable cotton at farm level. We exist to catalyse the cotton farming community with partners, governments and others to continuously drive positive impact by setting standards and facilitating the supply and demand of more sustainable cotton from farm to brand. In just 15 years we have aligned more than a fifth of the world’s cotton with our standard and helped farmers and farming communities thrive. Join us in building a better, more sustainable future for cotton worldwide.

About our Values

The post holder will be expected to operate in line with our workplace values which are:

• Trustworthy (including honest, transparent, credible)
• Integrity (including responsible, authentic)
• Positive (including problem-solving, pragmatic)
• Engaging (including adaptable, inclusive, holistic)
• Daring (including courageous, innovative, game-changing)

Better Cotton Initiative is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to good practice and transparency in the management of natural, human, and financial resources.

We have a zero-tolerance approach to any attitudes or behaviours that put children or adults at risk of harm. Safeguarding incidents are acts of serious misconduct and are grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including, dismissal and referral to relevant authorities for criminal prosecution. Therefore, all offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks.