Regional Finance Manager
Reporting to the Finance Director – Africa Area Office, the Regional Finance Manager is the primary finance partner for National Directors and NO Finance Managers across the AFR region. The role provides oversight across the full financial management cycle – planning, budgeting, reporting, fund transfers, audit, and internal controls – ensuring Branch and NO operations are financially sound, donor-compliant, and audit-ready. Beyond technical oversight, the role drives capacity building and embeds best practices across a decentralized, multi-country portfolio, with direct impact on HFHI’s ability to deploy funding effectively and maintain donor confidence across Africa.
Essential Duties
1. Financial Management, Reporting & Fund Transfer Management
- Perform quality control reviews of Branch/National Offices(NO) financial reports, including producing the financial and statistical indicators. Follow up with HFHI Branch and NO Finance to ensure all issues raised during the review process are addressed.
- Monitor adherence to HFHI policies, GAAP/IFRS standards, local laws, and Project-Based Funding principles; conduct periodic reviews of accounting systems and business processes to confirm data integrity
- Review and approve international fund transfer requests from AFR Branches and NOs, verify accuracy and policy compliance, and maintain complete tracking and reporting of all transfers at Branch/NO level
- Monitor regional cash flow positions and funding utilization, proactively identifying liquidity risks, inefficiencies, or idle funds, and escalating material issues to Area Office leadership
- Ensure Monthly Management Reports are issued and reviewed by Branch/NO management and escalate material variances or cash management concerns to the AFR Area Office promptly.
- Review and analyse Branch/NO annual operating plans, budgets, and bi-annual forecasts; assess alignment with HFHI strategic priorities and funding constraints, and report findings and recommendations to AFR Area Office management
- Provide ongoing financial advisory to National Directors and NO Finance Managers on budget performance, cash flow management, and corrective actions required to keep operations on track.
- Ensure approved budgets are accurately uploaded into financial systems with correct coding and structure, maintaining integrity of budgetary controls and reporting
- Coordinate the planning, preparation, and timely completion of HFHI Branch external audits in line with HFHI external audit policy; review reconciliations and consolidations of audit reports and confirm all adjustments are correctly posted in the ledger.
- Track, monitor, and drive timely resolution of external audit management letter findings across AFR Branches/NOs; provide regular status updates and escalation of overdue actions to Area Office leadership
- Review internal audit findings in collaboration with the Governance , Risk Management and Compliance (GRC) unit and ensure corrective action plans are practical, tracked, and fully implemented.
- Lead the implementation, standardization, and periodic assessment of internal control frameworks across AFR Branches and NOs, ensuring effectiveness and alignment with HFHI policies and global best practices.
- Partner with GRC to assess control environments, identify gaps, and drive timely remediation of control weaknesses, including high-risk or fraud-prone areas.
- Support rollout and institutionalization of new HFHI finance policies and procedures; guide countries in adapting and localizing procedures to reflect regulatory and operational contexts.
- Drive continuous process improvement by standardizing financial workflows, tools, and reporting templates across the region to enhance efficiency, consistency, and compliance.
- Proactively identify, assess, and escalate financial risks, including fraud indicators, regulatory breaches, and control breakdowns; support investigations and implementation of corrective actions.
- Assess finance capacity and capability gaps across AFR Branches and NOs; design and deliver targeted training and coaching interventions to strengthen financial management, reporting quality, and internal controls
- Convene and facilitate the National Office Finance Leads Community of Practice to drive peer learning, share emerging best practices, and strengthen financial management standards across the region.
- Provide ongoing financial advisory to Branch/NO management on accounting, reporting, systems, and operational challenges; support Branch/NO finance staff recruitment and onboarding as required.
- Provide financial input into Branch/NO go/no-go decisions, assessing viability, cost structure, and risk exposure of proposed grants.
- Review and advise on Branch/NO proposal budgets to ensure accuracy, donor compliance, and appropriate cost recovery prior to submission.
- Provide oversight of grant financial management at Branch/NO level, ensuring compliance with donor requirements, timely reporting, and adherence to approved budgets.
- Review and validate Branch/NO donor financial reports and fund requests for accuracy, completeness, and compliance before submission to donors.
- Monitor Branch/NO grant performance, analyse variances, and advise on corrective actions to address financial or compliance risks.
- Review Branch/NO donor audit findings, support root cause analysis, and drive timely resolution of identified issues in coordination with NO teams and GCDR.
Education
• Bachelor’s in finance/accounting (or equivalent), related degree
• CPA, ACCA, or equivalent professional qualification
Years of Related Experience
Minimum 8 years of progressive finance and accounting experience, with at least 3 years in a management position, preferably within an international NGO or donor-funded environment
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Deep working knowledge of GAAP, IFRS, and internal control fundamentals.
- Strong analytical capability with ability to translate financial data into strategic insights
- Creativity and innovativeness in work practices and process to enhance and improve efficiency
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence diverse stakeholders across finance and non-finance functions
- High cultural intelligence and experience influencing without authority
- Proficiency in financial systems (SunSystems or equivalent an advantage)
- Experience in installation and training on computerized accounting systems is an added advantage
- Prior experience in an international NGO or donor-funded environment
- Cross-border/multi-country experience.
About Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity, founded in 1976, is a global, Christian-based nonprofit organization that grew out of an intentionally multi-racial community in rural Georgia. Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat brings together people of all faiths and people of no faith to build homes, communities and hope. Working alongside each other, we help families and individuals build and improve places to call home and achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Habitat seeks individuals who have a willingness to affirm these principles and values.
At Habitat for Humanity International, we are compelled by our Koinonia roots to put God’s love for all into action and pursue housing equity and opportunity by bringing all people together to build community and drive impact. We strive to build a culture rooted in learning, accountability and trust, attracting and retaining mission-driven talent reflective of the global communities we serve.
As an equal opportunity employer, we realize our success depends on courageously committing to being a workplace where all staff feel safe, welcome, visible, respected, supported and valued, and building a workforce that reflects a variety of lived experiences, backgrounds and perspectives, in which every person experiences dignity and respect.
We also require that all staff take seriously their ethical responsibilities to safeguarding our intended beneficiaries, their communities (especially children) and all those with whom we work. In line with the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, all staff must pass a thorough background screening and will be held accountable to upholding our policies around ethical behavior, including safeguarding and whistleblowing.