Director of Finance at The Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA)

Role Overview

WBFA seeks an exceptionally qualified and experienced Director of Finance to provide strategic financial leadership across the organisation. This is a senior leadership role requiring deep expertise in donor fund accounting, internal and external audit management, and organisational financial governance. The Director of Finance will serve as the primary financial interlocutor with WBFA\'s Board of Trustees, external auditors, and donor compliance teams, and will be instrumental in maintaining the highest standards of financial integrity and accountability across all WBFA operations and programmes.

Given the scope and complexity of WBFA\'s donor portfolio, candidates must demonstrate proven experience managing multi-donor grant environments, navigating complex compliance frameworks, and producing audit-ready financial reporting. The role requires close collaboration with WBFA\'s senior Trustee body, including engagement with qualified accountants and auditors at the Board level.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Financial Leadership

• Provide strategic oversight and direction for all financial activities of WBFA, including multi-year budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, and consolidated financial reporting.
• Lead the annual budgeting process in alignment with organisational strategic priorities, donor requirements, and programmatic timelines.
• Present financial reports, risk assessments, and strategic recommendations to the WBFA Board of Directors and Board of Trustees.
• Advise the Executive Director and senior leadership team on financial sustainability, resource allocation, and investment decisions.

Donor Accounting and Grant Compliance

• Oversee the full lifecycle of donor fund accounting across all active grants, ensuring strict compliance with donor financial regulations, reporting schedules, and allowable cost frameworks.
• Maintain accurate, audit-ready grant accounts for all bilateral, multilateral, and corporate donors, including restricted and unrestricted fund management.
• Develop and strengthen internal financial controls specific to donor-funded programmes, ensuring expenditure is correctly allocated, coded, and reported.
• Manage donor financial reporting obligations, including the preparation of interim and final financial reports to funders such as FCDO, EU, Gates Foundation, and corporate partners.
• Ensure compliance with INGO and Nigerian regulatory frameworks including NRS, CAC, and relevant statutory obligations.

Internal Audit and Financial Governance

• Lead and coordinate internal audit processes, working in close collaboration with WBFA\'s Trustee body, including senior qualified accountants and auditors at Board level.
• Manage relationships with external auditors, overseeing annual audit processes and ensuring the timely preparation of all supporting documentation.
• Design and implement robust internal control frameworks to safeguard organisational assets, prevent financial irregularity, and ensure policy compliance across all WBFA offices.
• Conduct regular financial risk assessments and present findings and mitigation strategies to the Executive Director and Board of Trustees.
• Oversee procurement compliance and financial authorisation processes across WBFA state offices (Lagos, Abuja, Kwara).

Team Leadership and Capacity Building

• Lead, manage, and develop a team of finance professionals, including grant account managers, grant account officers, endowment account managers, and account officers.
• Build the financial management capacity of programme and operations staff, including training on grant compliance, budget monitoring, and financial reporting.
• Foster a culture of financial discipline, accuracy, and accountability across WBFA.

Financial Systems and Reporting

• Develop and maintain financial management information systems, ensuring data integrity and accessibility for organisational decision-making.
• Produce timely and accurate financial statements, variance analyses, and management accounts in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) or equivalent.
• Oversee endowment fund management, ensuring investment decisions align with WBFA\'s financial policies and fiduciary obligations.

Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Master\'s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a closely related discipline.
• Professional accounting qualification is required: ACA, ACCA, CPA, ICAN, or equivalent.

Experience

• A minimum of 10 years of progressive senior finance leadership experience, with at least 5 years in an INGO, bilateral, or multilateral development finance environment.
• Demonstrable expertise in donor fund accounting and compliance, including experience managing grants from institutional donors (USAID, FCDO, EU, UN agencies, Gates Foundation, or similar).
• Proven experience interfacing with internal and external audit processes at a senior level, including direct engagement with Board-level Trustees and auditors.
• Track record of producing audit-ready financial reports and managing successful external audits with no material findings.
• Experience managing multi-location, multi-currency financial operations.
• Prior experience in the Nigerian NGO or development sector is strongly preferred.

Skills and Competencies

• Exceptional analytical and financial modelling capabilities.
• Comprehensive knowledge of IFRS, Nigerian GAAP, and relevant statutory frameworks.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex financial information for non-finance senior leadership and Board-level audiences.
• High degree of integrity, discretion, and professional ethics.
• Strong team leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Proficient in financial management software and ERP systems; advanced Excel required.

WBFA is an equal opportunity employer. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.