Chief Financial Officer: Tostan needs your financial leadership!
Our organization, Tostan, is celebrating 25 years on the path to human dignity in West Africa this year. We are a non-profit organization focused on empowering rural communities to bring about their own sustainable social change, and have witnessed significant positive transformation over the years — communities abandoning harmful practices like female genital cutting and child marriage, improved health and well-being, successful income-generating microcredit enterprises, and empowered women rising up to take leadership positions in their communities.
We want to see Tostan’s work continue for another 25 years and beyond, and we are in search of a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) who can embrace our mission and vision and help us ensure a healthy financial future for Tostan.
You will be working at our international headquarters in Dakar, Senegal, with a team spread out across six West African countries as well as the United States. In your role as CFO, you will manage and evolve Tostan’s financial procedures and systems, and help our programs and national offices make smart resourcing decisions based on your forward-looking analyses and insights. You’ll be responsible for making sure that our annual operating budget of $11+ million is used wisely and appropriately to support Tostan’s mission. As part of our senior leadership team, we think you’ll find your colleagues to be a diverse, talented, and committed group who believe in Tostan…and in one another.
You will be responsible for assembling financial statements, developing organizational budgets and latest estimates, projecting cash flow and validating donor financial reports. Being dedicated to mentoring and training the finance and accounting team towards their best teamwork and achievement of their individual aspirations is a must.
Other responsibilities include:
- Ensuring maintenance of appropriate internal controls and financial procedures.
- Preparing actionable, accurate, and timely financial and management reports for the senior leadership team and board of directors; overseeing the preparation and communication of monthly and annual financial statements.
- Developing and utilizing forward-looking, predictive models and activity-based financial analysis to provide insight into the organization’s operations and business plans, including cash requirements.
- Coordinating audits and proper filing of tax returns.
- Developing and managing accounting staff with the help of an International Accounting Manager.
We are seeking someone who has a passionate belief in and commitment to Tostan’s mission; as well as someone who can bring unique and aligned gifts that contribute to Tostan’s long-term success. Having experience with the financial operations of a complex international non-profit with a diverse funding mix and working in multiple countries in Africa is highly important, in addition to experience in a senior financial-management role, partnering with executive staff, resulting in the development and implementation of creative financial management strategies. Other qualifications we are looking for include:
- 10+ years of experience in accounting and finance
- direct experience and deep knowledge of working with nonprofit accounting software systems
- knowledge and ability to design and develop accounting systems and procedures, with a knowledge of U.S. accounting standards, GAAP, for non-profits managing grants, and a strong knowledge in financial modeling and forecasting in a multi-currency environment.
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation is highly desirable.
Proficiency in French and English required, with applicants fully fluent in one or both strongly preferred.
This position is located in Tostan’s headquarters office in Dakar, Senegal and some travel (20%) is expected. If you are interested in learning more, please email me at alexanderdavey@tostan.org with a brief 500-word reply. In your letter, show me why you’re a great fit for this role— not just by listing your qualifications, but also by answering the question: “What is the key to successful budgeting in a non-profit organization?” I’d also like to hear about some trends you’ve observed in non-profit financial management, and lastly, what you would view as the major areas of priority for you as you step into this leadership position at Tostan. Please apply by November 13.
