Job Description

Chief Financial Officer

Volunteer Role*
Remote/Homebased*
10hrs a week*

About Project Yananai

Project Yananai is a global nonprofit organisation with Christian values, dedicated to empowering underserved communities through adult education, sustainable skills development, and humanitarian aid. With a rapidly growing international footprint and a commitment to operational excellence, innovation, and high-impact governance, Project Yananai is poised for continued transformation and growth.

Role Purpose

As Chief Financial Officer you will be the senior steward of Project Yananai's financial health and a pivotal member of the Global Executive Leadership Team. You will architect and execute the financial vision that powers our mission to alleviate poverty through education and sustainable skills development across four continents. Leading a distributed Finance Directorate, including National Heads of Finance in India, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, you will ensure that every pound stewarded through Project Yananai delivers maximum social impact return.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Finance & Vision

Shape a multi-year global finance strategy, integrating missional priorities, growth targets, and risk appetite. Lead enterprise-wide scenario planning, stress testing and contingency design to safeguard long-term resilience.

2. Resource Mobilisation & Investment Stewardship

Oversee a mission-aligned investment portfolio; balance liquidity, capital preservation and ethical return. Optimise global cash-flow, treasury and foreign-exchange exposure to ensure uninterrupted programme funding.

3. Planning, Budgeting & Performance Analytics

Direct annual and rolling forecasts, zero-based and programme-based budgeting, and unit-cost analyses. Deliver timely, decision-ready dashboards to the Board of Trustees and Executive peers, translating data into action.

4. Governance, Risk & Compliance

Chair the Global Risk Committee; embed a proactive risk culture spanning market, credit, operational, cyber and reputational domains. Ensure full compliance with UK Charity Commission requirements, IFRS/GAAP, donor regulations and in-country statutory frameworks.

5. Digital Finance & Process Excellence

Champion automation, cloud ERP and data-visualisation tools to drive efficiency, transparency and auditability. Introduce best-practice policies for procurement, grant disbursement and expense management.

6. Stakeholder & Donor Engagement

Serve as primary financial spokesperson to institutional donors, foundations, auditors and banking partners. Translate complex financial concepts into compelling narratives for non-financial audiences, bolstering trust and investment.

7. Cross-Functional Partnership

Collaborate with Communications, Programmes and Fund-Raising leaders to align resourcing with impact goals. Provide commercial insight for new country launches, partnerships and social-enterprise initiatives.

8. Global Team Leadership

Inspire and mentor a culturally diverse finance team; set clear KPIs, succession pipelines and a culture of continuous improvement. Facilitate communities of practice among National Heads of Finance to share knowledge and harmonise standards.

9. Market & Policy Intelligence

Track macro-economic trends, ESG standards and philanthropic financing innovations to keep the organisation future-fit.

Candidate Profile

A visionary, finance executive with 10+ years in senior finance roles, preferably spanning both nonprofit and multi-country contexts. Professional qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA or equivalent) and deep knowledge of charity finance, IFRS/UK GAAP and grant compliance. Demonstrated success in strategic planning, treasury, impact-aligned investing and enterprise risk management. Proven ability to lead geographically dispersed teams, motivate volunteers and cultivate high-performance cultures. Exceptional communicator, able to influence Boards, donors, regulators and community leaders with clarity and grace. Passionate about poverty alleviation, education and Project Yananai's Christian ethos. Adept at balancing big-picture vision with hands-on execution in resource-constrained environments.

Why Join Project Yananai?

Be a part of a passionate, mission-driven team making a significant global impact.

As a volunteer, a flexible work pattern that encourages a healthy work-life balance.

Opportunity for professional growth and continuous learning.

Ready to lead a talented global finance team?

Project Yananai is a UK registered charity number 1209060 and an equal opportunity organisation. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all colleagues. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and culturesBottom of Form

Job Type: Volunteer

Benefits:

Store discount
Application question(s):

Are you a fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA or equivalent)? Have you prepared consolidated financial statements under IFRS or UK GAAP? How many total years have you held senior-level finance positions (e.g., Director, VP, CFO)? Have you partnered with fundraising or development teams to produce financial data for donor proposals? What is the largest annual operating budget (in GBP ) you have directly overseen? Have you managed compliance for restricted or grant funding from institutional donors (e.g., FCDO, USAID, EU)? Are you based in and legally authorised to work in United Kingdom? Can you commit a minimum of 10 hours per week to this volunteer role for at least 12 months?
Work Location: Remote