Senior Financial Accountant

At Koala we believe that designing better habitats leads to better lives – for our people, our planet, and the communities we're part of. For a decade we have been perfecting our approach to furniture design; creating beautiful, flexible, innovative and sustainable products that solve the needs of real people.

Why we have this role @ Koala

With rapid growth in Japan, we're strengthening our finance function with a hands-on and technically strong Senior Financial Accountant. Reporting to the Group Finance Manager, this role goes beyond standard reporting — you'll play a multi-functional role, ensuring accuracy in financial reporting while driving improvements in processes, compliance, and business performance.

This is a high-impact position where you'll be trusted to run the numbers for the Japan market, partner with global teams, and ensure our business is set up to scale successfully.

What key responsibilities does this role have @ Koala?

Month-End & Reporting

• Take ownership of the month-end close process, delivering timely and accurate financial results, including reconciliations and preparation of Balance Sheet and P&L

• Reconcile multiple payment gateways across e-commerce sales channels, ensuring accuracy and timeliness in reporting

Tax & Compliance

• Work with third-party advisors to manage statutory tax compliance, including consumption tax, income tax, and asset tax

• Strengthen governance, controls, and compliance frameworks across the Japan entity

Business Partnering

• Act as a key collaborator with the global finance team, ensuring alignment, transparency, and effective cross-border communication

• Contribute to budgeting and forecasting processes, ensuring robust analysis and local insights

Business & Process Improvement

• Apply curiosity and critical thinking to challenge the status quo and deliver practical improvements

• Champion process governance and leverage data, systems, and emerging tools like AI to streamline workflows, enhance accuracy, and provide deeper business insight

• Play a key role in evolving the finance function as the business scales

 Ideal background... 

• Bilingual Japanese & English skills (business level) a must

• 5+ years' experience in financial accounting, with deep knowledge of general ledger, month-end/year-end close, tax compliance and audit

• Previous experience in a manufacturing, eCommerce or retail industry

• Professional qualification in accounting or finance such as CPA

• Strong technical accounting knowledge, paired with the ability to think critically and apply it in a commercial context

• Proven ability to work autonomously while maintaining strong governance and attention to detail

• Excellent communication and influencing skills — able to work across both finance and non-finance stakeholders

• Demonstrated curiosity in exploring new approaches, including how AI and modern systems can improve efficiency and insight

• Successful track record of managing tight deadlines under pressure

• Experience with NetSuite or other ERP systems is an advantage

Treehouse Perks and Privileges…

Koala is only great when its employees are happy — and we're one happy bunch

• Hybrid working - We're mixing it up with ~3 days back in the Alexandria Treehouse (office) and work from bed/home (WFB)

• Take a break - Generous time off - volunteer, parental, Koala life leave and more to help keep your work-life balance, balanced.

  Treehouse goods - Fully stocked kitchen with an emphasis on healthy local produce, think bougie brekky, salad bar, kombucha on tap, monthly barbies and more.

• Pet-friendly - The Koala Treehouse is as pet-friendly as they get

• Surprise & delight - The two-word combo at the core of everything we do. All Koalas can expect to enjoy free Koala products with 'mates rates' for your friends and fam.

• Support & wellbeing - Our employee experience respects and embraces all families, formed, found and evolving. You'll have access to our Employee Assistance Program, which includes unlimited sessions for financial, work, relationship, family or wellbeing support.

• Accelerate your career - via our Learning Management platform Juno, as well as individual and team growth budgets and dedicated days.

• Community & connection - We believe that simply doing 'no harm' isn't good enough So, how are we doing our part? BCorp Certified, WWF Partnership, volunteer days, a member of SoftLanding, 1% and so much more.

All in all, the Koala Kommunity is a great place to hang out and belong to

Koalities we look for…

At Koala, we do things a little differently and we don't shy away from the fact that we expect a lot from our employees We are ambitious. We are curious. We are selfless. We want you to challenge expectations, always look to make a difference and give us something different from the norm. We want people that bring great energy, that have a long-game focus and are always trying to find new angles and approaches to the way we work. We're a team full of entrepreneurial spirit and have a relentless focus on 'what's next' but while always reviewing 'what's been done' and learning, growing and adapting. We're confident, but NEVER arrogant and we adapt to change like Steve Smith under a short ball. Honesty and empathy drive everything we do, as well as a total focus on exceeding our customers' expectations. So if you feel like this could be you... well what the bloody hell are you waiting for? Drop us a line, and let's see what you've got ;)

There's no such thing as a 'perfect' candidate, Koala is a place where everyone has opportunity. So however you identify and whatever background you bring with you, please apply if this is a role that would make you excited to come into work every day. We're an equal opportunity employer, and recognise that a diverse workforce is crucial to our success as a business.

To read more, check out our careers, LinkedIn, or the great work we do with Work180.