Chief Accountant

ABOUT EYEWA & THE OPPORTUNITY

Eyewa is the largest and fastest-growing omnichannel eyewear retailer in the Middle East. Since 2017 we've grown from an online store into a regional powerhouse of 150+ owned-and-operated stores across the GCC, backed by a $100M Series C led by General Atlantic and a business that is both profitable and growing at over 50% year-on-year. Our mission is simple and ambitious: make high-quality eyewear accessible to everyone, everywhere.

Egypt is our next frontier — and one of our most exciting. We are building this market from the ground up: a new entity, a new team, and a finance function that starts with a blank page. Someone has to open the books, get the compliance right from day one, and build the financial backbone that a fast-scaling retail business can be run on.

That someone is you. This is not a seat in an established finance department — it is the chance to be the first finance hire in a market, set the foundations properly, and grow into the function you build. If you want ownership, breadth, and a genuine track record you can point to for years, this is a rare opening. We're looking for someone who wants to be a major contributor to a real success story, not a bystander to one.

THE ROLE

As our first finance hire in Egypt, you will set up and run the accounting function end-to-end — from opening the books and establishing statutory compliance to closing the month and reporting to the MD and regional HQ. You'll carry the full breadth of accounting yourself in the early days, build the processes and controls that let the business scale, and grow the team beneath you as we do.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Setting Up the Function

• Establish the accounting function from scratch — chart of accounts, accounting policies, and financial processes aligned to Eyewa Group standards.
• Implement and own the accounting/ERP system, and build the workflows and controls that keep a growing business clean and auditable.
• Set up banking, treasury, and payment processes in coordination with the MD and regional Finance.

Core Accounting & Month-End

• Own the full accounting cycle — general ledger, journal entries, accruals, reconciliations, and fixed assets.
• Run the month-end and year-end close, delivering accurate and timely financial statements.
• Manage accounts payable and receivable, supplier payments, and store cash and revenue reconciliation.
• Own inventory accounting in coordination with Supply Chain — landed cost, stock valuation, and reconciliation.

Compliance, Tax & Audit

• Ensure full compliance with Egyptian statutory, tax, and regulatory requirements — corporate tax, VAT, withholding tax, and e-invoicing.
• Prepare and file all tax returns accurately and on time, and manage the relationship with the Egyptian Tax Authority.
• Own payroll accounting and social insurance compliance.
• Manage external auditors and statutory audits, and act as the point of contact for tax inspections.

Reporting & Business Partnering

• Deliver monthly management reporting to the MD and regional HQ — accurate, on time, and decision-useful.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and cash-flow management as the business scales.
• Partner with the MD and department heads on cost control, spend approval, and commercial decisions.
• Provide the financial data that underpins expansion decisions — new stores, imports, and investment cases.

WHO YOU ARE

• 7+ years in accounting, with strong end-to-end experience across the full accounting cycle — you can close a month on your own.
• Deep, current knowledge of Egyptian tax and statutory compliance — VAT, corporate tax, withholding tax, e-invoicing, payroll, and social insurance.
• Experience in retail, e-commerce, or a business with inventory and imports is a strong advantage; a professional qualification (or working towards one) is a plus.
• A self-starter who is comfortable being the only person in the function — hands-on, resourceful, and able to build processes where none exist.
• Rigorous and detail-driven, with the integrity and discipline to keep the books clean under pressure.
• Commercially aware — you understand the business behind the numbers, not just the entries.
• Ambitious and ready to grow: you want to build a function and lead a team, not stay in a narrow lane. Fluent Arabic and English.

WHY THIS ROLE

• Be the founding finance hire in a new market — open the books and build the function from a blank page.
• Exceptional breadth: full-cycle accounting, tax, audit, payroll, inventory, and reporting, all in one seat.
• Grow with the business: build the foundation now and lead the team that follows.
• The backing of a profitable, fast-growing, well-capitalized regional leader — startup pace without startup fragility.