Deputy Finance Director

Role Overview

Lead financial management and operational coordination for a complex, multi-country project, giving project leaders a clear view of budgets, delivery costs, cash needs and financial risks. You will work closely with the Project Director, the project management unit and central support teams to safeguard donor resources and help turn implementation plans into sound financial decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee financial performance across participating countries and project components, advising leaders on budget use, value for money and resource allocation.
• Direct annual and multi-year budgeting, revisions and forecasts; analyse spending, commitments, burn rates and variances, and recommend appropriate action.
• Lead financial reporting and management analysis, using reliable data to highlight emerging trends, delivery risks and opportunities.
• Manage financial oversight throughout the grant and contract lifecycle, including partner budgets, donor compliance, reporting, close-out and audit readiness.
• Maintain effective controls and financial records, assess project-level risks, resolve control weaknesses and escalate significant compliance concerns.
• Coordinate financial input to internal, external, donor and project audits; track findings through to corrective action.
• Oversee cash-flow forecasts and funding needs, coordinating requests and transfers with Finance and supporting banking, payment, reconciliation and treasury processes.
• Guide finance and operations staff, build financial capability among non-finance colleagues, improve systems and workflows, and partner with project leadership on planning and delivery.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration or a related field, and a mandatory master’s degree in a relevant discipline.
• Professional accountant qualification with active, good-standing membership in a recognised body such as ICPAK, ACCA or an equivalent organisation.
• At least 12 years of progressively responsible finance experience, including five or more years in a senior or managerial role with budget and team leadership responsibilities.
• Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-donor grants, awards or contracts, including budget development, donor reporting, compliance, close-out and audit.
• Experience overseeing financial compliance for consortium partners, subrecipients or implementing partners, and supporting proposal budgets, pricing or financial due diligence.
• Strong working knowledge of budgeting, forecasting, management reporting, cash-flow management, internal controls, audit, taxation and statutory compliance.
• Experience with substantial project or organisational budgets, preferably USD 10 million or more, and work across multiple countries or jurisdictions; East Africa experience is preferred.
• Strong ERP and financial-management systems capability, preferably Microsoft Dynamics, with advanced Excel skills. Dashboard and decision-support tool development is an advantage.
• Ability to lead and coach teams, analyse complex financial information, manage risk, influence stakeholders and exercise sound professional judgement with integrity and accountability.

What We Offer / Why Join

The role offers the opportunity to shape financial decisions for a large, multi-country project and strengthen the systems, controls and partner capacity that support effective implementation.