Chief Finance Officer

Chief Finance Officer Job Description

Title: Chief Finance Officer

Location: Kenya (Flexible Work Location)

Start Date: As soon as possible; applications reviewed on a rolling basis

Compensation: Competitive and commensurate with experience within the Kenyan nonprofit sector

Lwala strongly encourages applications from Kenyan nationals and individuals committed to locally-led systems transformation.

Organizational Background

Founded by a group of committed Kenyans, Lwala unlocks the potential of communities to advance their own comprehensive well-being. We support communities to design, implement, and evaluate solutions to their most pressing health challenges. In order to address systemic inequities in health outcomes—and a health system that often leaves communities out of decision-making—Lwala deploys a community-led health model that has three pillars: professionalized community health workers (CHWs), community committees and health facilities. These pillars are underpinned by research and advocacy. Lwala is an organization rooted in the communities we serve. When it comes to improving health outcomes, we believe that communities should be in the driver's seat—no one can identify challenges and solutions better than communities themselves. Our model centers communities as leaders and change-makers breaking cycles of inequity.

Overview

Lwala seeks an exceptional Chief Finance Officer (CFO) to serve as a core architect of the organization’s next phase of national scale and systems influence. As Lwala advances its 2028 Strategy — mobilizing $90M, expanding across five counties, stewarding a growing hospital endowment, and shaping the future of community-led health systems in Kenya — the CFO will play a defining role in ensuring financial resilience, operational excellence, and long-term institutional strength.

Reporting directly to the Co-CEOs and serving as a key strategic partner to the Board, the CFO will shape enterprise-wide decision-making, guide capital allocation strategy, and build durable financial and operational systems capable of supporting national impact.

The CFO will ensure Lwala’s long-term financial strength, resilience, and sustainability while overseeing core operational functions—including procurement, logistics, and enterprise systems—that enable high-quality service delivery in complex and rapidly scaling environments. Working in close collaboration with senior leaders across programs, research, and government partnerships, the CFO will translate financial and operational data into strategic insight — helping guide organizational decision-making at a pivotal moment of growth and national influence.

This is a rare opportunity to shape the financial and operational architecture of one of Kenya’s most respected health organizations at a pivotal moment of national growth. The successful candidate will bring strategic vision, operational excellence, and a demonstrated commitment to building and developing high-performing teams across diverse professional backgrounds. The CFO will build financial and operational systems that outlast any single individual and will ultimately contribute to improving health access and outcomes for millions of Kenyans.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership and Management

Serve as a core member of the Executive Leadership Team, shaping enterprise-wide strategy and organizational performance.
Partner with the Co-CEOs to advance Lwala’s 2028 Strategy through disciplined financial planning and operational execution.
Build, mentor, and lead high-performing finance and operations teams capable of supporting continued national scale.
Foster a culture of accountability, integrity, cross-functional collaboration, and service orientation across the organization.
Strengthen systems for performance management, decision-making, and continuous improvement.

Finance Strategy

Oversee all aspects of financial management in the US and Kenya, including budgeting, forecasting, reporting, cash management, investment strategy, and risk management.
Lead rigorous financial analysis and forecasting processes, including monthly performance reviews and quarterly board reporting, translating financial data into strategic insight and actionable decision-making.
Build and improve systems for strategic planning, annual planning, budgeting, budget tracking, and spending against grant funding.
Integrate restricted and unrestricted funding streams into long-range financial strategy, ensuring alignment between programmatic ambition and financial sustainability.
Directly partner with the Co-CEOs and fundraising team on business development strategy and engage with potential and existing donors.
Clearly communicate the organization's financial position and strategy with audiences of varied finance understanding, including: partners, funders, auditors, the board, and leadership teams.
Ensure compliance with relevant financial regulations and reporting requirements in Kenya and the United States.
Strengthen internal control systems and oversee annual audits in both Kenya and the United States, ensuring full compliance with regulatory and donor requirements.

Operations

Provide executive oversight of procurement, logistics, and enterprise systems to ensure efficient, transparent, and accountable operations across multiple counties.
Lead enterprise-wide operational transformation, including successful ERP implementation and expansion of technology-enabled systems.
Ensure field teams are supported by responsive, compliant, and timely procurement and fulfillment processes.
Establish scalable policies and internal systems that support continued geographic and programmatic expansion.

Qualifications and Experience

10–15+ years of progressive senior financial leadership experience within complex, multi-site, mission-driven organizations
Demonstrated stewardship of $10M+ annual operating budgets supported by diversified institutional, philanthropic, and government funding streams
Experience operating within Kenya’s regulatory, tax, and compliance environment
Proven success leading integrated finance and operations teams at scale
Expertise in long-range financial planning, capital allocation, investment stewardship, and enterprise risk management
Track record of strengthening organizational systems and infrastructure to support sustainable growth and accountable governance
Demonstrated ability to serve as a trusted strategic partner to executive leadership and boards of directors
Advanced degree in business, finance, management, or related field; CPA, ACCA, or equivalent professional certification strongly preferred
Deep personal integrity and demonstrated commitment to community-led development and health equity

To Apply

Please send Current CV/resume to hiring@lwalacommunityalliance.org with the subject line “Chief Finance Officer”