Zurich International School is an independent day school in the Greater Zurich Area serving around 1,300 students aged 3 to 18 from all over the world.

Our mission is to surface and inspire each learner’s curiosity, critical thinking, and high expectations for learning , so that they positively impact their family, community, and the world.

We believe that strong, sustainable operations are a key enabler of excellent learning. As a school community, we are guided by our shared values of Respect, Humility, Courage, and Joy .

We are seeking a Head of Finance who combines financial excellence with leadership, clarity, and a strong sense of purpose.

As Head of Finance, you play a critical role in ensuring the financial sustainability and operational excellence of ZIS. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you provide both strategic insight and hands-on leadership, enabling informed decision-making across the school.

You lead the Finance (incl. Purchasing) team and act as a trusted partner to the Senior Leadership Team, the Board’s Finance Committee, and other stakeholders. With a forward-looking mindset, you continuously strengthen financial processes, governance, and digital maturity—always in service of the school’s mission and community.

Main responsibilities include the following:

• Take full accountability for accurate financial reporting and tax as well as AO, AP, AR and liquidity management.
• Responsible for finance and controlling and leading quarterly forecasts, annual budget and long-term financial planning.
• Lead the procurement team and develop the school’s purchasing process.
• Build confidence and shared understanding of financials within the Senior Leadership Team and Board Finance Committee and peers.
• Oversee finance and controlling functions with a pragmatic, solution-oriented approach.
• Ensure strong alignment between financial processes and broader operational functions.
• As a leader you develop and empower a diverse finance team with clarity, respect, and trust as well as foster strong working relationships across departments in a multicultural environment.

Qualification and Experience:

• A relevant degree and a minimum of 5 years experience in a similar management role.
• A proven combination of strategic thinking and pragmatic, hands-on doing.
• Demonstrated adaptability and growth mindset, with the ability to operate effectively in a dynamic school environment where priorities evolve, decisions balance educational and financial perspectives, and continuous improvement is expected.
• Strong emotional intelligence and stakeholder awareness, enabling constructive collaboration with educators, administrators, parents, and governance bodies, and the ability to translate financial rigor into accessible, trust-building dialogue.
• Resilience and flexibility under complexity, maintaining clarity, professionalism, and calm when navigating ambiguity, competing demands, and the relational nature of a mission-driven educational organization.
• Strong written and verbal communications and interpersonal skills, in both English and German.
• Experienced handling of ERP systems, database management and software implementation.
• Demonstrated success leading teams and building strong work relationships in culturally diverse organizations.
• A values-driven leader who acts with integrity, humility, and courage.

We offer:

• Varied and interesting tasks in a dynamic, multicultural environment
• A meaningful leadership role in a mission-driven, international school environment.
• Varied and engaging responsibilities with real impact on the organization.
• A strong, collaborative, and supportive international community.
• A team-oriented leadership culture aligned with our values.
• Attractive employment conditions, including:
• 40-hour work week
• Generous vacation policy (6 weeks per year)
• Competitive remuneration package in line with industry standards

We look forward to receiving your complete application directly via our website: Employment at ZIS