WIDE+ is seeking a short-term consultant to help improve the financial accounting in process and for professional review according to Belgian Law. Our accounting system is functional but basic. This consultancy is aimed to make the accounting cycle more efficient (e.g. online tools for declaring costs and accounting) as well as help ensure it will be ready for a professional controller.
We are also seeking a professional controller for the closing of the financial year, which follows the annual calendar (December-January).
Background to call
Women In Development Europe+, in short WIDE+, is a European feminist network of feminist activists and organizations, women’s rights advocates, gender specialists, migrant women associations, as well as other NGOs that promote an intersectional feminism as part of their overall goal of promoting human rights and sustainable development. It works through interlinked strategies of analysis and capacity building, encouraging innovative movement building through creating spaces for exchange and collaboration or fostering participation in existing spaces, and advocacy towards the EU and European countries on a range of topics.
It is a democratic membership-based international Non-Governmental Association (IVZW) registered in Belgium in the languages Dutch and for our network in English (which is our main language for the accounting). The WIDE+ General Assembly, which is the annual meeting of all members, is the body that approves the yearly expenditures. During the annual meeting, the members decide about the annual financial report of the previous year. This report is formally prepared by the board, which delegates the implementation to the General Coordination. It contains an overview of all assets (the bank account), the balance sheet and income and expenditure overview. Additionally, the General Assembly receives a report from the audit committee, which is a group of members outside the board that volunteer to review the account in more details.
The General Assembly must approve (or reject) the financial report and relieve the board of its responsibility for the previous fiscal year, in case it approves the work done. The accounts have been approved by the General Assembly and regularly new suggestions have been made to improve the structuring of the financial accounts. The accounting is completely managed digitally, with receipts in scan if need be.
The annual budget varies from 100.000 to recently 500.000 Euros. As a result of increased funding from the European Union, we are seeking a consultant to improve our financial accounting, in line with donor requirements.
The scope of the consultancy
WIDE+ uses a single-entry accounting system that is digital where different projects and costs are earmarked. This is in line with Belgian regulation for small NGOs (VZWs). As said, it annual accounts have been since its inception reviewed by a committee of members external to the board. The 2026 annual accounts will be reviewed by a professional controller. We are seeking support and advice towards two objectives:
- Making sure our accounts can be easily approved by a financial controller, which implies we are presenting and accounting the accounts and documents in accordance with standard guidelines;
- Improving the efficiency of the accounts and declaring processes in automatization.
We are seeking a consultant that can start relatively soon, but the duration and numbers per hour per week or month can be further defined upon advice from the consultant.
We offer
We offer an opportunity to work with an NGO that promotes feminist values. The consultant has the possibility to conduct the work from their location in Belgium, with the understanding that the consultant will meet at least once face-to-face in Brussels in our shared office space or any other location that can be reached from Maastricht in the Netherlands within a two-and-half hour journey. We will pay standard rates per hours, which we request to be indicated in the offer for the consultancy.
Profile of the Consultant
Necessary Qualifications:
- Having demonstrated experience and education in financial bookkeeping and accounting
- Being located in Belgium.
- Being able to work in English or Dutch, with at minimum intermediate understanding of English.
- Interest and affinity with non-profit work, especially around promoting gender equality, human rights, etc.
How to apply
Please send a CV and a 1-page motivation letter to info@wideplus.org before 23:59 PM (CET) on 18 September 2026.
For more information, contact the above-mentioned e-mail address. Interviews will be organised shortly after the closing date.