Head of Finance and Operations

About Akili Dada

Akili Dada is an award-winning leadership incubator anchored on the belief that girls and young women CAN, DO and WILL LEAD. Our mission is to nurture transformational feminist leadership in girls and young women from underserved backgrounds to meet the urgent need for more African women in leadership.

We journey alongside adolescent girls and young women, supporting them in creating and implementing solutions to their communities’ challenges. We build their capacity to lead, applying a holistic approach that encompasses financial investment, intergenerational mentorship, movement building, and advocacy through education and leadership.

After close to two decades of engaging and collaborating with girls and women, our philosophy is embedded in Igniting inherent power and amplifying voices and perspectives while nurturing Legacies of influence that can be sustained and replicated worldwide. Through W.A.U (Washa – Ignite. Angaza – Amplify. Legacy – Urithi), we conduct rigorous research and development to inform our programmatic pillars.

Job Summary

The Head of Finance & Operations is the organisation’s senior leader for financial stewardship, operational excellence, risk management and institutional controls. The role converts financial and operational data into timely decisions; protects restricted and unrestricted resources; ensures compliant, efficient systems; and enables programs to deliver without avoidable administrative bottlenecks.

As a core member of the Senior Management Team, the role advises the Executive Director and supports the Board and Finance Committee with accurate, forward-looking information on financial health, sustainability, risk and organisational performance. The role leads through clear delegation and review and is not the default preparer of routine transactions, audit schedules, or donor reports.

1. Strategic Financial Leadership

• Lead the finance and operations strategy and annual departmental plan, aligned with organisational priorities.
• Advise the ED and SMT on sustainability, affordability, resource allocation, cost recovery and trade-offs.
• Develop multi-year financial models, cash forecasts, annual forecasts and minimum/base/maximum operating scenarios.
• Provide accurate financial health reports and analysis to the Finance Committee and work closely with the Board Treasurer on Finance Committee priorities and decision-making.
• Provide recommendations on reserves, liquidity, investments, endowment governance, receivables, payables and funding concentration.

2. Budgeting and Performance Analysis

• Lead the annual budget and quarterly reforecast process with accountable budget-holder participation.
• Ensure work plans, procurement plans, staffing assumptions, donor restrictions and cash timing are integrated.
• Produce monthly organisational BVA analysis with clear drivers, risks, forecast impact and corrective action.
• Challenge persistent under-spend, over-spend, miscoding, unsupported assumptions and unfunded commitments.

3. Financial Reporting and Governance

• Ensure timely, accurate monthly management accounts and dashboards for the SMT and ED.
• Prepare concise, decision-oriented Finance Committee and Board packs covering financial position, cash/runway, reserves, investments, forecasts, variances, compliance, audit and top risks.
• Maintain agreed reporting calendars and ensure papers are circulated within governance timelines.
• Translate financial information for non-finance leaders and support accountable decisions.

4. Grant Finance and Donor Compliance

• Set standards for proposal costing, grant set-up, restricted-fund tracking, donor reporting, close-out and document retention.
• Review and approve proposal budgets and donor financial reports.
• Allocate donor portfolios across finance staff, ensuring primary and backup ownership.
• Partner with Resource Mobilisation and program teams while preserving the distinction between donor relationship ownership, program delivery ownership and financial compliance.

5. Controls, Compliance and Risk

• Maintain fit-for-purpose Finance, Procurement, Travel, Cash Advance, Asset, Investment, Reserves, Fraud and Delegated Authority frameworks.
• Ensure effective segregation of duties, maker-checker controls, reconciliations, exception management and evidence retention.
• Maintain a compliance calendar covering tax, payroll, PBO/regulatory, donor, insurance, lease, licence and operational obligations.
• Own the department’s contribution to the organisational risk register and ensure mitigation actions are implemented.

6. Audit and Assurance

• Set the audit strategy, timetable, governance approvals and readiness standards.
• Hold the Finance Officer accountable as audit coordinator and the full team accountable for monthly evidence readiness.
• Lead key accounting judgements, auditor escalation, management responses and Finance Committee communication.
• Track audit recommendations to closure and prevent repeat findings.

7. Treasury, Banking, Payroll and Investments

• Oversee liquidity, banking relationships, payment controls, signatories, investment performance, receivables, payables and cash advances.
• Review and approve payroll, statutory schedules, and material payroll changes; ensure secure handling of confidential information.
• Ensure daily operational work is prepared by the Finance Officer and independently reviewed according to the control matrix.

8. Procurement and Operational Excellence

• Set procurement governance, thresholds, approval routes, service levels and value-for-money standards.
• Hold the Operations Officer accountable for sourcing administration, vendor due diligence, contract records, logistics, facilities, physical assets and safety/security operations.
• Ensure Finance performs budget, tax, donor, and financial-control checks without duplicating Operations’ process ownership.
• Monitor payment turnaround, procurement cycle time, vendor performance and operational risks.

9. Systems, Data and Automation

• Own the finance and operations systems roadmap, including ERP controls, access, workflow design, integrations, backup coverage and reporting automation.
• Ensure mandatory data dimensions and evidence are captured at source.
• Reduce spreadsheet dependency and manual rework while maintaining documented business-continuity procedures.
• Ensure no critical system, process, approval, or relationship depends on one person.

10. People Leadership and Succession

• Set clear objectives, KPIs, portfolios, review standards and development plans for direct reports.
• Build a culture of service, control, timely escalation, documentation and continuous improvement.
• Delegate preparation and coordination work while retaining appropriate review and accountability.
• Maintain cross-training and tested backup coverage for all critical processes.
• Partner with the HR Business Partner on recruitment, performance, employee relations and sensitive people matters; do not absorb the HR function by default.

• Monthly close cycle time: Close completed within 10 working days for 10/12 months, with documented checklist, owners, and sign-offs.
• Management reporting timeliness & quality: SMT monthly finance pack issued by the agreed date each month, including BVA commentary, cash/runway, top risks, and corrective actions.
• Forecast accuracy & cadence: Rolling 13 week cash forecast updated weekly; quarterly reforecast completed on time with clear scenario assumptions.
• Donor compliance: 100% donor financial reports and compliance submissions delivered by deadlines.
• Audit readiness: Standing audit file updated monthly; annual audit completed on schedule with no repeat high risk findings and action plan tracked to closure.
• Controls & segregation of duties: Maker checker controls implemented for payments, payroll, and journal postings; zero material control breaches without documented exception approval.
• Budget-holder accountability: Monthly budget-holder sign offs received on time (variance explanations + forecast updates) for all departments.
• Cash & working capital management: Monthly cash/commitments review held; overdue staff advances reduced to within policy thresholds; supplier payment ageing within agreed terms.
• Policy & governance rollout: Finance/Procurement/Travel/Cash Advance/Asset and Delegated Authority frameworks reviewed, approved, and rolled out with staff training and compliance checks.
• Systems & automation: ERP mandatory fields/attachments configured; reduction in manual rework evidenced by fewer recoding corrections and fewer incomplete payment packs.
• Team performance & succession: Clear portfolios and backups assigned; cross training completed for payroll, payments, donor reporting, and ERP admin; performance objectives set and reviewed quarterly.

 

Candidate Profile

• Professional accounting qualification such as CPA(K), ACCA, or equivalent; relevant degree required.
• At least 8 years of progressive finance experience, including 3 years in a leadership role; strong NGO/nonprofit experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with restricted grants, donor compliance, multi-project accounting, budgeting, forecasting, treasury, audit, tax/statutory compliance, and Board reporting.
• Evidence of improving ERP-enabled processes, internal controls, monthly close, and management reporting.
• Experience overseeing procurement and operational functions through clear role separation.
• Strong people leadership, delegation, change management, judgement, and communication skills.
• Ability to communicate complex financial issues clearly to non-finance audiences.

Skills and Competencies

• Strategic and analytical judgement
• Integrity and stewardship
• Risk-based decision-making
• Clear delegation and accountability
• Operational discipline and continuous improvement
• Collaborative business partnering
• Calm escalation and problem-solving
• Board-ready communication
• Coaching and succession development

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