Director Of Finance

Overview

Vision Fund Rwanda is a Christian, owner-operated, mission-driven microfinance network working with caregivers in hard-to-reach, impoverished locations so they can create secure futures for their children. Inspired by Christian values, we are dedicated to working with the most vulnerable families and communities regardless of religion, race, ethnicity gender, to create lasting change in their lives.

Vision Fund serves low-income clients living in vulnerable and rural communities by offering financial and livelihood solutions, delivered through our Network, World Vision and partners; empowering families to create income and jobs; and unlocking economic potential for communities to thrive. The products and services offered fall into five broad categories: microloans, savings programmes, microinsurance, training and education. Benefits include sustainable livelihoods, increased economic well-being, improved community well-being, decreased dependence on outside aid and restoration of hope and dignity. Together with World Vision, we are focused on ending extreme poverty by 2030.

The Director of Finance (DF) is a key member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and maintaining a matrix relationship with the VFI Regional Finance Director (RFD). The DF provides strategic financial leadership to ensure VFR’s long-term sustainability, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence. This role is pivotal in safeguarding the institution’s assets, optimizing financial performance, and enabling growth through robust planning, risk management, and governance frameworks. The DF partners with the CEO and senior management to shape business strategy, drive financial innovation and inclusion, and strengthen internal controls that support mission delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Financial oversight of VFR

• Encourage VFR integration with WV and WV National Office (NO) Finance Director (FD) engagement.
• Monitor VFR financial performance monthly through timely review and sign-off of MED reports, and discussion of results with the CEO and COO and provide narrative comments. Annually through audited financial statements.
• Attend VFR ALCO meetings as secretary to the committee and ensure that quality cash flow forecasts are prepared, all financial risk indicators are monitored and reported, any areas of non-compliance (and planned remedies) and upcoming funding needs are communicated to stakeholders on a timely basis.
• Present the financial performance of the VFR to the SLT in monthly performance calls and in the quarterly board meetings and record and follow up on action points arising.
• Lead the annual VFR business planning and budgeting process, ensuring branch-level plans are fully integrated into a comprehensive business plan supported by accurate financial projections and modelling.
• Coordinate all deliverables for external audits, including Global Centre and WVI consolidation audits, statutory financial statement audits, and other annual reporting requirements.
• Acts as a member of the procurement committee and furnishes the committee with the necessary information for them to make sound, viable decisions.

Internal controls, checks and reviews

• Ensure that a robust internal control framework is established and effective in VFR.
• Ensure finance systems implementation and upgrade projects are prioritized and kept on schedule.
• Sign off on reconciliations each month as required by the Finance Manual.
• Ensure full implementation of the Finance policy and Manual, obtain exceptions as required and ensure that a compliance tracker is in place.
• Ensure tax health checks take place as required, sign off on tax advisor to be engaged and TOR and review the report and communicate results to VFI.
• Ensure tracking of local regulatory, legal and tax changes and updating VFI and the VFR Board members promptly when material changes occur
• Engage with the internal and external auditors on key audit findings and ensure the clearing of audit issues.
• Ensures absolute compliance to regulations on liquidity, capital adequacy, and provisioning as well as to reporting requirements set by the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) and other regulators.

Funding

• Oversee the liquidity and funding needs of VFR and ensure timely communications with funding providers (VFI and third parties). Negotiation of loan terms with third-party lenders.
• Ensure the Lender Covenant Tracker is kept updated.
• Preparation of business cases to request debt or equity from VFI.
• Develops contingency plans for VFR to withstand liquidity crises, and updates the contingency plans as the need arises

Capacity building, performance management and training

• Model Christian leadership and VFR Core Values in all interactions.
• Inspire and nurture the spiritual and professional development of finance team members.
• Manage the performance of VFR Finance staff.
• Ensure there is adequate finance team capacity and effective financial systems and processes.
• Perform informal/formal evaluations of Accounting/Finance staff timely as per personnel policy.
• Approve all personnel evaluations of Finance Department staff to ensure compliance with personnel policy.

Knowledge, Skills, and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting from a recognized university.
• Professional certification: CPA or ACCA – fully completed.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience in a senior finance role, such as Chief Financial Officer, Head of Finance, Chief Accountant, or an equivalent supervisory capacity.
• Prior experience in microfinance and/or commercial banking.
• Deep accounting, financial reporting, financial forecasting and financial performance and analysis knowledge and skills developed over a minimum 7 years.

• Thorough knowledge and extensive experience (minimum 7 years) in the microfinance and/or banking sectors.
• Understanding of balance sheet risk management, including interest rate risk, liquidity risk and foreign exchange risk as well as bank funding processes and contracting.
• Ability to analyze problems or options and recommend solutions.
• Cross-cultural sensitivity to engage with VFR staff and stakeholders at VFI global departments and locally.
• Able to balance Christian values with commercial practices.
• Good project management and organization skills.
• Able to simultaneously manage multiple priorities, projects and stakeholders
• Strong communication and influencing skills in written and oral forms.
• Experience preparing board documents and presenting in board meetings L.

Other desirable Experience/qualifications

• MBA or Equivalent post-graduate degree.

Applicant Types Accepted:

Local Applicants Only

Skills Required:

• Accounting / Finance