Director, Finance & Operations

• Lead and align Finance, HR, and IT into a cohesive operating model, with direct line management of the teams in all three functions.
• Shape the financial strategy for a changing business model: overheads, fee structures, cost recovery, and the financial case put to prospective funders.
• Sit on the Leadership Team and support the Board: presenting audit findings, and preparing Board materials including the budget.
• Translate organisational strategy into operational priorities and annual plans.
• Ensure support functions enable programme teams to deliver impact globally.
• Drive continuous improvement, simplification, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the COO on organisational effectiveness.
• Lead financial operations, ensuring strong financial management, accurate reporting, effective controls, and alignment with organisational strategy.
• Lead the annual audit processes across our legal entities (currently a US foundation audit, a US LLC audit, a UK Services Limited audit, a UK charity audit, and a Kenyan branch audit), serving as the primary liaison with external auditors and ensuring timely completion of financial statements and filings.
• Manage cash flow and lead the treasury function, including banking relationships, financial systems, and operational processes.
• Ensure strong internal controls, segregation of duties, financial policies, and risk management practices that safeguard organisational resources, owning the controls and policy environment across finance, IT, and people.
• Oversee accounting operations, including month-end and year-end close processes, reconciliations, financial reporting, and compliance with US GAAP.
• Ensure compliance with applicable requirements, tax filings, regulatory obligations, and donor/funder requirements.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning processes (a strong team member leads FP&A day to day; your role is direction and quality assurance rather than execution).
• Translate complex financial information into actionable insights for non-finance leaders.
• Partner with leadership to continuously improve financial systems, automation, reporting tools, and processes that reduce administrative burden and increase transparency.

• Strong working knowledge of US GAAP (UK accounting knowledge helpful but not required).
• Demonstrable experience leading statutory audit processes, ideally across multiple entities and jurisdictions, together with internal controls, compliance, and risk management.
• Experience of cash management and leading a treasury function.
• Experience leading multiple corporate functions like Finance, People/HR, and IT.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to build and develop high-performing teams, leading by influence and consultation as much as by authority.
• Strategic thinker able to translate organisational priorities into operational plans.
• Experience operating across multiple countries and complex regulatory environments.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to translate financial and regulatory complexity.
• Strong judgement and independence.
• Familiarity with UK Charity and US private foundation rules.
• Strong preference Professionally qualified accountant (or equivalent), able both to guide the team and to do the work personally.
• A dual US and UK qualification would be exceptional.
• Experience of managing or supporting a UK charity, and familiarity with UK charity reporting and governance obligations, as we establish our UK entity.
• Experience of multi-donor, multi-revenue funding models.

Demonstrates strong financial management capabilities, including expertise in US GAAP, statutory audit processes, and compliance with regulatory obligations. Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and translate strategic priorities into operational plans while ensuring effective internal controls and risk management.

• US GAAP Expertise
• Statutory Audit Leadership
• Cash Management and Treasury Function
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Financial Compliance and Risk Management

• Financial Management
• Audit Processes
• Budgeting and Forecasting
• Financial Reporting
• Internal Controls
• Risk Management
• Cash Flow Management