Accounting Specialist

505 Burrard Street Suite 1650, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V7X 1M7
full-time . June 27, 2026

Description

Commonwealth of Learning (COL) helps governments and institutions to expand the scale, efficiency and quality of learning by using new approaches, appropriate technologies, and open and distance learning methodologies. Headquartered in British Columbia, Canada, COL promotes learning for sustainable development. It is financed by voluntary contributions from Commonwealth Member States.

Position Overview:

The Accounting Specialist owns the end-to-end financial accounting process to ensure precision, compliance, and strategic clarity. This role manages everything from day-to-day transaction processing to the final delivery of accurate monthly financial statements.

Duties and Responsibilities:

In consultation with the Director: Finance and Corporate Services (the Director), prepare and coordinate financial plans and the annual budget process; develop budgets and forecasts for the medium term; and monitor costs and regularly report progress.
Responsible for the organisation’s full cycle of accounting duties – responsibility for the General and Sub Ledgers, preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual financial statements for COL, both audited and consolidated, review of CEMCA’s financial information.
Responsible for accurate processing of external payments, both locally and internationally.
Implementation of internal controls, monitoring of cash flow, investment of reserves and expenditures against budget.
Process semi-monthly payroll, calculate taxable benefits, and ensure proper and timely filing of statutory payroll reports. Maintain a high level of confidentiality with regards to organizational issues.
Responsible for analysis of data, preparation of relevant financial reports (including commentary on the report) for Senior Management, as well as the preparation of custom financial reports as requested.
Manages the day-to-day accounting and finance activities in accordance with established guidelines and develop appropriate systems to support these functions. Monitor and evaluate system activities, and practices. Make recommendations for improvements to the accounting policies and practice.
Acts as a resource in the use of Excel and Netsuite. In consultation with the Director, prepares and conducts training for staff in preparation of budgets, monitoring of budgets against the action plans and other areas as may be needed.
Meets all statutory filing requirements for GST, EHT, Worksafe etc.
Perform other financial duties related to COL activities as required.

Qualifications & Experience:

Undergraduate degree or equivalent training. Accounting designation is nice to have but not required.
Minimum 10 years of experience with responsibility for the full accounting cycle, preparation of accounting policies, development of internal controls and preparation of all facets of payroll.
Experience working for international organisations. (Desirable)
Any experience of working in either education or international development will be an added advantage.(Desirable)

Core Competencies

Core competencies support COL’s mission, vision and values. COL strives to model a high performing culture supported by professionals with the following competencies:

I. Innovation & Creativity

Employees demonstrate curiosity, share ideas and learning, and embrace change to strengthen outcomes. They encourage diverse perspectives, brainstorm collaboratively, and create safe conditions for experimentation and learning from failure. At advanced levels, they remove barriers to innovation and champion solutions that advance COL’s mission and continuous improvement.

II. Teamwork & Collaboration

Employees communicate with respect and transparency, honour commitments, and support shared goals. They strengthen cohesion by sharing information, seeking diverse perspectives, and upholding accountability. At advanced levels, they champion team decisions, build cross‑unit partnerships, and proactively remove barriers to collaboration to advance COL’s mission.

III. Stewardship & Accountability

Employees act with integrity, follow through on commitments, and take responsibility for actions, resources, and outcomes. They raise concerns when quality or ethics may be compromised, ensure fairness and transparency, and align daily work with COL’s mission. At advanced levels, they identify gaps, strengthen resource stewardship, and guide ethical, evidence‑informed decisions that protect public trust and support sustainable results.

IV. Equity & Inclusion

Employees demonstrate respect, cultural awareness, and fairness in all interactions. They raise concerns about exclusion, invite diverse perspectives, address inappropriate behaviours, and ensure equal access to information and opportunities. At advanced levels, they remove systemic barriers, shape equitable practices, and champion inclusive learning environments that expand access, representation, and opportunity across communities and partner institutions.

V. Leadership in Context

Employees, regardless of role or title, demonstrate leadership by showing self-awareness, seeking feedback, and adapting their behaviour to strengthen team effectiveness. They model openness and flexibility as contexts shift and help others navigate complexity with clarity. At advanced levels, they foster shared leadership, elevate diverse perspectives, and align actions with long term organisational sustainability.

VI. Communication

Employees communicate with clarity, respect, and purpose. They share information clearly and at the right time, and they listen closely to understand others. They adjust how they communicate so their message resonates with different audiences. As they grow, they anticipate what stakeholders need to know, make complex issues easy to understand, and communicate in ways that strengthen alignment across programmes and Member States. At advanced levels, they serve as respected thought-leaders, and persuasive advocates, influencing stakeholders and advancing COL’s strategy.

VII. Proactive Problem Solving

Employees identify issues early, analyze root causes, and take initiative to resolve challenges. They anticipate risks and unintended consequences, collaborate across functions to cocreate solutions, and apply adaptive, solution focused thinking. At advanced levels, they recognise systemic patterns, promote scalable approaches, and guide teams through complex decisions that strengthen continuous improvement and evidence informed action.

To Apply:

Interested applicants must apply online at the latest by Friday, July 10, 2026. We thank all applicants for their interest in COL. Applicants who have not been contacted by August 15, 2026 should consider that there will be no follow-up to their application for the above position. Please note: Background checks are a mandatory part of the employment process as an intergovernmental organisation.

Compensation

$75,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year

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