Junior Accountant (Fixed-term contract)

ABOUT US The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading news organisations, globally recognised for its authority, integrity and accuracy, with a mission to deliver quality information and services worldwide. At the FT, curiosity thrives and ambitious thinking is rewarded. Here, you’re given the chance to reach millions, create work that matters and deliver impartial journalism in a polarised world. In our warm, collaborative culture, you’ll connect with a diverse community of experts who support your growth, career aspirations and wellbeing. Your future at the FT will be filled with opportunities that challenge and inspire you. With no fixed path, you’ll discover new skills and forge a career that can take you anywhere. Build a newsworthy career at the FT. OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION We believe in the power of unique perspectives and want all voices in our organisation to be heard, respected and valued. A supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves and operate to their full potential. We are committed to removing barriers for everyone, with a focus on addressing those faced by underrepresented groups. The role  The Junior Analyst plays a foundational role within the Procurement-to-Pay (P2P) team, providing essential support across day-to-day operations. This entry-level position is responsible for executing routine tasks with accuracy, managing data entry, and maintaining basic communication with vendors to ensure smooth transactional processes. Key responsibilities: * Assist in the creation, review, and processing of supplier records and invoices based on the Procurement Policy. * Ensure timely and accurate data entry of invoices, including matching invoices to purchase orders and resolving discrepancies. * Support the processing of vendor payments and assist in reconciling vendor statements to maintain account accuracy. * Maintain comprehensive and organized documentation for all P2P activities, ensuring audit readiness and compliance. * Respond to basic inquiries from vendors and internal employees, providing status updates and escalating issues as needed. * Perform routine data entry and support basic reporting tasks to facilitate decision-making and process improvement. * Participate in scheduled audits by preparing and providing necessary documentation and transactional records. Required skills and experience: * Candidates must possess at least a Bachelor's/College Degree in Accountancy or Finance and/or equivalent courses. Certification of Public Accountancy is preferred, but not required. Core Competencies: * Accounting Principles: Basic understanding of foundational accounting standards such as GAAP or IFRS, with the ability to apply these principles in financial transactions and reporting to ensure compliance and accuracy. * Excel & Financial Tools: Proficiency in Excel and financial tools for data management, analysis, and reporting. Ability to perform calculations, use formulas, and create structured reports to support financial operations. * Industry Knowledge: Awareness of industry trends, regulatory requirements, and the broader market landscape relevant to the organization. This knowledge supports better decision-making and risk anticipation in financial operations. * Strategic Thinking: Although a junior role, the ability to understand how daily tasks contribute to larger business objectives. Willingness to adopt a forward-looking mindset in process improvements and reporting.  * Communication Skills: Clear and effective verbal and written communication with both internal stakeholders and external vendors. Ability to interpret and relay information professionally. * Stakeholder Management: Basic engagement with internal and external stakeholders to support smooth financial transactions and issue resolution. Demonstrates a service-oriented approach. * Collaboration: Team-oriented mindset with a focus on sharing information and working cooperatively with colleagues across finance, procurement, and vendor relations teams. * Data Analysis: Ability to collect, organize, and interpret basic data sets to support reporting and decision-making. Familiarity with data integrity and basic statistical tools is a plus. * Problem-Solving: Demonstrates initiative in identifying and resolving routine issues in the P2P process using structured, logical approaches. * Decision-Making: Uses sound judgment to escalate issues appropriately and supports informed decision-making by providing accurate data and documentation.   What’s in it for you? Our benefits Our benefits vary by location but we are committed to providing best-in-class perks across all our offices. These include generous annual leave, medical cover, inclusive parental leave packages, subsidised gym memberships and opportunities to give back to the community. Full details of our benefits are available here. We’ve embraced a 50% hybrid working model (averaging two to three days onsite) that fosters trust and remote adaptability while encouraging in-person camaraderie and peer learning. Additionally, we are open to accommodating specific flexible working pattern requests for all roles where feasible. Accessibility We are a disability confident employer and Valuable 500 signatory. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments/personalisation as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements or have any questions, email talent@ft.com and a member of our team will be happy to help Further information At the FT, we embrace innovation and the use of technology and appreciate that individuals may leverage AI tools as part of their job application process. Whilst we are happy for you to use AI to assist with your application, it is essential that all information provided is authentic and accurately represents your skills, experience, and qualifications. Candidates should be aware that the use of AI throughout the application process may be monitored to ensure a fair and transparent hiring process for all. Please beware of fraudulent job postings and offers claiming to be from the Financial Times. All legitimate opportunities will direct you to apply through the official Financial Times careers site, and the FT will never ask for financial information, payments, or referrals to third parties during the hiring process. If you have any concerns about the legitimacy of a job posting or suspect any scam activity, please contact talent@ft.com.  Interested in the FT but don’t see the right role yet? Join our Talent Community to receive exclusive updates, featured jobs, and insights into working at the FT.

JOB DESCRIPTION ✈️About Smart Freight Centre  Are you passionate about reducing the climate impacts of transport, freight, and logistics?   Smart Freight Centre (SFC) is a globally active non-profit driving climate action in the freight and logistics sector. We work with multinational corporations, freight forwarders, carriers, NGOs, technology providers, governments and global partners to help organizations measure, report and reduce logistics greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Our ambition is to guide industry efforts to reduce freight emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030 and support the transition to zero-emission logistics by 2050 or earlier.   ⚓About SFC India  SFC India is building a platform to decarbonize India's freight ecosystem across road, rail, maritime and aviation. We convene government ministries and regulators, industry leaders, research institutions and global climate actors to build India's most credible and scalable green freight platform.   ⏰Employment Type: Full-time  ⚓Location: New Delhi India  ⌛Employment Type: Fixed term contract  ⭐ The Role  We are looking for an analytical, detail-oriented professional with 3-5 years of experience to support SFC India's research, stakeholder engagement and program delivery work. This role is suited to someone who can combine quantitative analysis, technical writing and practical stakeholder coordination in freight decarbonization. You will work under the guidance of the Research & Engagement Manager and Principal Technical, collaborating with SFC global teams, local partners and external stakeholders. The role focuses on zero-emission freight research, TCO and techno-economic analysis, financing models, charging infrastructure assessment, policy research and development of technical reports, briefs and program materials. ⭐ Why This Role is Different  India is one of the world's fastest-growing freight markets and one of the most consequential for global emissions. Decisions made this decade will shape how India's supply chains decarbonize, how charging infrastructure scales and how policy frameworks evolve. At SFC India, you will contribute directly to the models, reports and stakeholder platforms that inform policy, investment and deployment decisions.   ✏️What You will Support The role involves working on zero-emission freight research and program delivery, including technoeconomic modelling, TCO analysis, charging infrastructure assessment, policy research, stakeholder engagement, and development of technical reports, policy briefs, and funding support materials. 1.  Technical Research & Data Analysis This is the primary focus of the role. You will:  • Build and maintain quantitative models for zero-emission truck adoption, including total cost of ownership comparisons, financing structure scenarios, and sensitivity analyses on key variables (fuel prices, capex, utilization, subsidy levels) • Support Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) modeling and compare financing models for zero-emission truck adoption in the Indian market • Review and synthesize policies, scientific literature, and best practices related to zero-emission freight and emissions standards • Support mathematical modelling across freight electrification use cases, including demand estimation, deployment scenarios, and infrastructure planning • Support emissions accounting analysis aligned with global freight decarbonization methodologies and reporting frameworks • Produce structured outputs including quarterly technical reports, briefing notes, dashboards and data summaries capturing program progress and ecosystem insights • Support design and analysis of innovative financial instruments but not limited to credit guarantee structures, blended finance mechanisms, and fund economics for ZET adoption programs  2. Stakeholder & Partner Support  You will support (but not independently lead) engagement with external partners and stakeholders:  • Coordinate with academic institutions, NGOs, industry partners, and government bodies • Engage with regulatory and utility bodies (including state electricity DISCOMs, Ministry of Power, and BEE) in support of charging infrastructure and grid planning work • Work with port operators, terminal operators, and logistics service providers in support of port electrification and drayage decarbonization programs • Support corridor development and demand aggregation efforts through stakeholder coordination and technical engagement • Support the growth of SFC India’s community platform by conducting market research, preparing value propositions, and developing sector-specific engagement materials • Help prepare briefing materials, presentations, and consultation summaries for stakeholder meetings and workshops • Track relevant market, policy, and industry developments and synthesize key takeaways for internal team  • Assist in the delivery of workshops on freight electrification and emissions accounting, including supporting facilitation and preparing materials • Attend relevant industry events and webinars; prepare internal summaries of key takeaways  3.  Knowledge Development & Communication  You will contribute to SFC India’s thought leadership outputs:  •  Draft and contribute to technical reports, working papers, and policy briefs under the guidance of senior team members • Help prepare presentations for workshops, conferences, and stakeholder briefings; may co-present with senior colleagues • Support development of tools and communication materials to promote emissions accounting and freight electrification • Contribute to internal knowledge sharing and alignment with SFC’s global methodologies and reporting standards  Occasional support (not core to the role): • Assist in organizing webinars, meetings, and outreach events as needed • Support inputs to funding proposals and research applications   Experience & Background  * 3–5 years of relevant experience, ideally including 1–2 years in freight, energy, transport, sustainability, or financial analysis  * Bachelor's degree in engineering, environmental science, economics, or a related field; master’s degree in supply chain, sustainability, public policy, or finance is preferred  * Familiarity with freight decarbonization topics such as electric trucks, charging infrastructure and overall freight supply chain  * Prior experience working on implementation-oriented projects involving multiple stakeholders is an advantage Technical Skills  * Strong quantitative and analytical skills, with the ability to work with data and translate it into structured insights * Advanced Excel skills, including experience building multi-scenario financial models from scratch; able to construct and stress-test models, not just populate existing ones * Experience with financial or economic modeling and forecasting (such as TCO analysis or technoeconomic assessments) is a plus * Exposure to development of innovative financing solutions including blended finance, development finance, or financial instrument design (credit guarantees, concessional lending structures) is a plus * Familiarity with freight corridor or infrastructure analysis; experience with geospatial tools (QGIS or similar) is a plus * Familiarity with any of the following is a bonus: data analysis or visualization tools; emissions calculation tools or LCA frameworks is added advantage  Communication Skills  * Strong written communication in English, with the ability to produce clear, well-structured reports and briefing documents * Comfortable preparing and supporting presentations for diverse audiences, from industry to policymakers * Strong stakeholder coordination skills with the ability to follow through on discussions, maintain momentum, and track action items effectively * Proficient in PowerPoint  Why This Role is Different This role sits at the intersection of freight, energy, and infrastructure, and focuses on solving real system-level challenges such as demand aggregation, grid readiness, and deployment planning for electric freight corridors. Who You Are A results-oriented professional who:  * Understands how freight supply chains and decarbonization pathways operate in practice * Translates technical knowledge into actionable insights and program outputs * Engages confidently with senior stakeholders across government, industry, and research * Thrives in global, multi-stakeholder environments * Comfortable in a small, fast-moving team operating across multiple work streams * Genuinely motivated to accelerate sustainable freight and climate action in India What You'll Gain  * Direct exposure to government ministries, industry leaders, and global policymakers * Experience in national and international climate and freight initiatives * Opportunity to shape emissions transparency and freight electrification frameworks * Collaboration across global logistics and sustainability experts * A platform to influence India's freight decarbonization transition  Career Development  This role offers strong exposure to:  * National freight and climate policy landscapes * Design and scaling of national and international initiatives * Engagement with multilateral institutions and global bodies  * Industry platform development  * Senior stakeholder engagement  Mindset  * Comfortable working on-ground with stakeholders, including site visits, consultations, workshops, and ecosystem engagement where required  * Highly organised, with strong discipline in maintaining records, tracking activities, documenting discussions, and following through on action items * Able to manage multiple parallel work streams, balance competing priorities, and exercise sound judgement on task prioritization * Genuinely cross-domain: comfortable moving between a port logistics assessment, a financial instrument scenario, and a grid infrastructure gap analysis in the same week, and approaching each with rigor * Detail-oriented with a structured, analytical approach to problem-solving * Proactive and able to manage multiple work streams with guidance from senior colleagues * Comfortable in a small, fast-moving team where roles involve some ambiguity • Genuinely motivated to contribute to climate action and sustainable freight in India   ❤️Join a culture of collaboration, innovation, and sustainability. What you will get: At Smart Freight Centre, we believe in collaboration, creativity, and sustainability. We value everyone’s ideas and create a welcoming space where you can grow and make an impact.  * Take time for yourself: Enjoy 27 days of holiday and 10 public holidays to relax, recharge, and do what matters most to you.  * Grow with us: We provide learning opportunities; you can keep building your skills and knowledge.  * Care for your mind: Full access to OpenUp means you can connect with psychologists, join mindfulness classes, and explore courses to support your mental health.  * Good times guaranteed: Whether it’s a creative workshop, a fun challenge, or some drinks and bites, join our team-building activities and enjoy time with your colleagues.