Our client, a respected international NGO delivering training and community infrastructure across Zambia, seeks to appoint an exceptional Director of Finance & Administration to lead its finance and support functions and strengthen long‑term organisational sustainability.

This is a senior, SMT‑level leadership role, central to the organisation’s future success. The successful candidate will ensure the Senior Management Team is fully briefed to make timely, informed decisions on programme direction, cash flow, funding requirements, and reserves management. They will build on strong existing foundations sound financial systems, monthly management accounts, robust budgeting and forecasting processes, and established full‑cost‑recovery models while further strengthening and extending the function in alignment with UK Charity law and Zambia laws.

Key Responsibilities

Financial strategy and sustainability

• Develop financial strategies that support organisational priorities, long-term financial sustainability and organisational resilience.
• Prepare cash flow and reserves forecasts, and advise the Chief Executive Officer, the Senior Management Team, and trustees on the decisions arising from them.
• Model the financial implications of new programmes, partnerships, and social enterprise activity.

Financial planning, reporting, and compliance

• Hold overall responsibility for the accounting, regulatory, banking, and audit requirements of both the UK charity and the Zambian laws.
• Oversee financial planning including long-term (3–5 years), with regular re-forecasting, identification of early warning indicators and development of contingency plans.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and reporting processes.
• Assess, streamline and improve financial processes, including cost recovery and expense management.
• Ensure the timely production of monthly management information and reports for the Chief Executive Officer and the Finance and Audit Committee.
• Oversee the production of expenditure reports for projects and donors, covering both grants and contracts, and liaise with the fundraising team on reporting matters.
• Ensure compliance with financial regulations, policies, and internal controls.

Risk and assurance

• Oversee the organisational risk register, manage the financial risks typical of an international charity, including currency movements, staff retention, and exposure to fraud and cybercrime.
• Support the work of the Finance and Audit Committee, including to prepare and present the financial papers for regular meetings, and work closely with the treasurers.

Leadership and team development

• Key member of the Senior Management Team
• Lead and develop the finance team to deliver high performance and efficiency.
• Mentor key finance staff and support succession planning across the function.

Systems, procurement, and administration

• Ensure that financial and information technology systems and processes in the UK (approximately 100 transactions a month) and in Zambia (around 500 a month) are fit for purpose, efficient, cost effective, and as resilient as possible.
• Oversee the delivery of information technology services.
• Oversee procurement, a major function of the Zambia office, ensuring value for money and sound controls.

Requirements

• A fully qualified accountant with degree in finance, accounting, or equivalent (ZICA, ACCA, CIMA, CA). A postgraduate qualification in finance, business administration, or management is preferred.
• At least 10 years of finance experience, including a minimum of three years at management level leading the annual cycle from budget through to audited accounts.
• Experience in an international non-governmental organisation or NGO operating across more than one country.
• Knowledge and experience of the UK charity financial reporting, including the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) and Charity Commission requirements.
• Current membership and good standing with the Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants (ZICA)
• Strong working knowledge and experience of restricted and unrestricted fund accounting.
• Thorough knowledge of Zambian financial regulations, tax requirements, and reporting standards.
• Grant and contract financial management, including donor expenditure reporting and compliance.
• Managing and developing a finance team, including staff based in more than one location.
• Preparing cash flow forecasts and reserves analysis, and presenting them to a board or a senior committee.
• Building or strengthening financial systems, controls, and procedures.
• Experience of managing foreign currency exposure across more than one operating currency.
• Experience of commercial or social enterprise financial management alongside grant funding.
• Experience of managing procurement at scale.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking, with the ability to translate financial information into decisions that colleagues outside finance can act on.
• Confident use of modern cloud-based finance and information systems like QuickBooks and/or SalesForce, and able to extract the maximum benefit from them.
• Experience managing Payroll information technology services or systems across more than one jurisdiction.
• Concise report writing, presentation, and policy and procedure documentation.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Strong organisational and project management skills.
• Effective in a fast-moving environment with competing demands.
• Sound judgement and complete integrity in handling confidential information.
• Commitment to safeguarding and to gender inclusion in the workplace.
• Willingness to travel to rural project sites in Zambia.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit their application before 11th September 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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