Head of Finance & Operations

Build the backbone that keeps our work safe, compliant, and sustainable.

The Home Fund is building an infrastructure-focused fund to support LGBTQIA+ civil society organisations in East Africa to access and steward property and space. We combine movement values with strong governance, so communities can build long-term safety, autonomy, and resilience.

The opportunity

This is a hands-on leadership role in an early-stage organisation. You will design and run the finance and operations engine that makes our work possible: budgeting and cash flow, internal controls, compliance and audit readiness, and the practical systems that keep the team supported and programs running smoothly. You will help us build a fund that is trusted by partners, credible with donors, and strong enough to grow.

Reporting line

• Reports to: Executive Director & Head of Programs, with functional oversight from the Board Finance and Audit Committee.

Decision authority

• Financial and operational approvals within delegated thresholds.
• Custodian of internal controls, compliance systems, and risk management processes.

What you will do

1) Finance leadership and financial integrity

• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management.
• Maintain accurate, donor-compliant financial records and reporting.
• Manage grant, loan, and operational disbursements with clear controls, documentation, and segregation of duties.
• Prepare monthly financial packs and analysis for leadership and the Board, including variance analysis and forward-looking risks.
• Lead audits, statutory compliance, tax matters (as relevant), and relationships with external accountants and auditors.
• Develop, implement, and maintain finance policies and SOPs (procurement, approvals, expense management, reserves, anti-fraud).
• Strengthen financial planning and reporting across restricted and unrestricted funding.
• Support funding proposal budgets and donor financial reporting, ensuring compliance with grant terms.

2) Operations leadership and organisational risk

• Build and run core operations systems, including HR administration, contracting, and cross-border hiring arrangements (including Employer of Record partners where relevant).
• Oversee procurement, vendor selection, contracting, and performance management to ensure value for money and strong service delivery.
• Maintain operational SOPs and internal controls that make delivery smoother and reduce risk.
• Lead organisational compliance readiness, including data protection and information management practices appropriate to the Fund’s work.
• Manage insurance, basic legal compliance workflows, and organisational risk registers with leadership and the Board.
• Lead on liaising with the Management Company, ensuring smooth coordination, timely inputs, and strong compliance across relevant workflows.
• Coordinate operational planning so the team has what they need to deliver high-quality programs without burnout.

3) Leadership and collaboration

• Partner closely with the Executive Director to align financial decisions with strategy and program priorities.
• Support program teams to design practical workflows for disbursement, reporting, and partner support.
• Train and support staff on finance and operations processes so systems are understood and consistently used.
• Contribute to a culture of accountability, clarity, and care.

What success looks like in the first 12 months

• Reliable month-end reporting, clean documentation, and board packs that support good decisions.
• Audit-ready systems with strong segregation of duties and clear approval thresholds.
• Smooth operational systems (HR, contracting, procurement, vendors) that protect program teams’ time and enable delivery quality.
• Strong compliance posture across contracts, restricted funding, and donor reporting requirements.
• Practical, well-used SOPs that make the organisation more consistent and resilient.

Who you are

Essential

• Significant experience leading finance and operations in a nonprofit, fund, or donor-funded environment.
• Strong knowledge of internal controls, compliance, financial governance, and audit management.
• Experience managing restricted funding and donor reporting requirements.
• Fundraising and donor relations experience, including supporting proposal development and maintaining strong donor relationships.
• High integrity, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Strong systems thinking, with an ability to build processes that enable delivery rather than slow it down.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to explain financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues.

Desirable

• Experience supporting a fund that disburses grants and loans or other financial tools.
• Experience across multi-country operations and compliance environments, including working with management companies.
• Familiarity with setting up lean, fit-for-purpose systems in early-stage organisations.

If this sounds like the right role for you, great! Here’s what you should know:

• This is a remote full time role, open to candidates who are based in East Africa and have the legal right to work in their country of residence, with occasional travel across the region.
• If you are excited about the mission and can do much of what’s described, please apply. You do not need to meet 100% of the criteria to be considered.
• We strongly encourage applications from people of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences, including LGBTQIA+ people, women, and people with disabilities, and people from historically marginalised communities. We are committed to building a workplace where people feel safe, supported, and able to do their best work.
• We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. If you need an accommodation at any stage, please tell us in your application or once you are contacted about the role.

Applications close on Friday, 20 March 2026 (23:59 EAT).

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