Finance Officer at African Food Changemakers

Job Summary

• The Finance Officer will act as the leading voice responsible for strengthening AFC's financial management systems, ensuring donor compliance, driving business development through proposal budgeting, producing strategic financial insights, and improving operational efficiency.
• Beyond maintaining accurate financial records, the successful candidate will contribute to AFC's long-term sustainability by providing sound financial judgement to executive management & Board to make informed financial decisions, improving grant management systems, and supporting the organization's transition into a high-performing agribusiness accelerator.
• We are looking for someone who understands that finance is a strategic function—one that enables innovation, unlocks funding, strengthens accountability, and accelerates the growth of African agri businesses.
• The ideal candidate is curious, solutions-oriented, embraces change, and is excited to help build one of Africa's leading agribusiness accelerators.

Key Responsibilities
Financial Management:

• Maintain accurate accounting records.
• Prepare monthly management accounts.
• Manage cash flow and liquidity.
• Process payments and payroll.
• Conduct bank reconciliations.
• Prepare statutory financial reports.
• Ensure timely tax compliance.

Grant Finance & Donor Compliance:

• Develop grant budgets and budget revisions.
• Monitor grant expenditure.
• Track burn rates and budget utilization.
• Ensure compliance with donor regulations.
• Prepare donor financial reports.
• Support grant audits.
• Maintain grant financial documentation.

Strategic Financial Planning:

• Produce financial dashboards for management & Board. 
• Develop budget variance analyses & Measures. 
• Forecast organizational cash flow & Needs. 
• Support annual budgeting & multi-year financial planning. 
• Conduct cost-benefit analyses for strategic investments.
• Provide financial insights to support decision-making.

Business Development Support Partner with the Business Development team & Executive Director to:

• Develop proposal budgets.
• Prepare cost narratives.
• Price consultancy services to drive Earned Income.
• Model earned income opportunities including Finance & Accounting products for AFC Members.
• Develop financial projections for new programmes.
• Support donor due diligence.

 Financial Systems Improvement Lead continuous improvement of AFC's financial systems through:

• Automation of financial processes. 
• Digital expense management. 
• Financial reporting.
• Internal control improvements. 
• Documentation of financial procedures.
• Strengthening procurement systems.

Accelerator Support Work closely with programme teams, & Executive Leadership to ensure: 

• Financial viability of accelerator programmes.
• Cost recovery models. 
• Revenue tracking. 
• Enterprise financing initiatives. 
• Financial readiness tools for SMEs.
• Measurement of programme financial performance.

Required Qualifications
Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or related discipline
• ACA, ACCA or equivalent professional qualification

Experiences:

• Minimum 5 years relevant experience
• Experience managing donor-funded projects
• Strong knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
• Experience with grant compliance
• Advanced Excel skills
• Experience using accounting software (QuickBooks, Xero, Sage or similar)
• Experience working with Executive & Board Leaders with high degree of maturity & sensitivity.
• The ideal candidate should have experience working with:
  •  Consulting firms
  • International NGOs
  • Agribusiness Institutions
  • Accelerator or innovation programmes
  • Technology Requirements
• The ideal candidate should have experience using: 
  • Microsoft Excel (Advanced) & Teams (Intermediate)  
  • Accounting software •
  • Financial dashboards What Success Looks Like at African Food Changemakers

Competencies:

• Strategic Thinking: Looks beyond transactions to understand how finance drives organizational growth.
• Ownership: Takes initiative and follows through without constant supervision.
• Problem Solving: Identifies financial risks early and proposes practical solutions.
• Adaptability: Thrives in a fast-paced, evolving organization.
• Collaboration: Works effectively across departments, and in a matrix structure
• Accountability: Maintains high standards of integrity and accuracy.
• Continuous Improvement: Looks for smarter and more efficient ways of working.
• Communication: Drives trust, and alignment through proactive & honest communication across all levels of the organization including the Board.
• Professional Maturity: Ability to interface with all levels of the organization with poise, confidence and sensitivity.