About The Project:

Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) is a global conservation organisation dedicated to protecting biodiversity and wilderness areas. FZS Zambia manages a large, geographically dispersed conservation portfolio with complex donor requirements, multiple legal entities and high operational demands. The Finance function ensures accountability, compliance, and sustainability across programmes and projects.

About The Position:

The Chief Finance Officer (CFO) provides strategic financial leadership to strengthen FZS Zambia’s sustainability, growth, governance, and resilience. The role transitions finance from a transactional function to a proactive strategic partner, delivering timely financial insight for decision-making. The incumbent will work closely with the Conservation Director, EXCO, Board, Finance staff, Grant team, Project and Programme Managers, and Head of Human Resources.

Your Tasks:

Strategic Financial Leadership

• Develop and implement financial strategy aligned with organisational priorities.
• Lead long-term sustainability and growth planning (reserves, unrestricted funding, cost recovery).
• Advise Conservation Director, EXCO, and Board on performance, risks, and opportunities.
• Strengthen donor financial management and institutional cost recovery.
• Provide strategic analysis to support planning, investment, and resource allocation; and limit risk, liability and non-compliance.
• Streamline financial controls and systems to reduce duplication of effort whilst strengthening accountability.

Budgeting & Financial Planning

• Lead annual budgeting and forecasting, aligned with programme delivery.
• Establish structured reporting with KPIs and dashboards.
• Deliver monthly management reports and quarterly Board/EXCO updates.

Donor Financial Reporting

• Develop and maintain donor reporting frameworks that integrate with internal financial systems and programme delivery.
• Provide proactive analysis of donor funding gaps, variances, and compliance risks to management, EXCO, and HQ.
• Support tracking and systems to strengthen co-financing in large bilateral grants in terms of budget structure at grant making and ongoing reporting.

Risk Management

• Lead the organisation’s financial risk management framework, ensuring proactive identification, assessment, and mitigation of risks across funding, compliance, liquidity, FX, and operational exposures.

Systems & ERP Roadmap

• Drive ERP readiness (process mapping, requirements, change management).
• Improve ABACUS configuration, reporting tools, and data architecture.

Procurement

• Provide strategic oversight of procurement, ensuring transparency and value for money.

Banking & FX Management

• Strengthen cash-flow forecasting, liquidity, and banking controls.
• Monitor FX exposure and implement mitigation strategies.

Governance, Compliance & Organisational Resilience

• Ensure compliance with donor, statutory, tax, and HQ requirements.
• Lead financial risk management and support audits (internal/external).
• Establish clear RACI arrangements across Finance, HR, Procurement, and Field Operations.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and mentor finance staff across ZCO and field locations.
• Promote collaboration between finance and other functions.

Your Profile:

• Professional accounting qualification (ACCA, CIMA, CPA or equivalent).
• 10+ years’ senior financial leadership, preferably in NGOs / multi-donor environments.
• Experience managing complex donor-funded portfolios.
• Strong ERP/system transformation experience.
• Proven governance, controls, and organisational process leadership.
• Experience leading dispersed teams.
• Fellow membership of ZICA.
• Valid work permit (if applicable).

Skills & Attributes

• Strategic financial leadership and governance expertise.
• Strong business acumen and ability to translate financial data into insights.
• Systems and change leadership (ERP, process standardisation).
• Integrity, accountability, and ethical judgement.
• Collaborative, influential, and safeguarding-focused.

We Offer:

• Meaningful and purpose-driven work: An opportunity to apply your financial expertise in support of wildlife conservation and the protection of some of Africa’s most outstanding wilderness areas.
• Strategic leadership and influence: Play a key role in shaping organisational strategy, strengthening financial sustainability and contributing to high-level decision-making.
• Professional autonomy and innovation: Scope to bring your own ideas, creativity and expertise to improve financial systems, processes and organisational effectiveness.
• An inspiring working environment: Become part of a dynamic, committed and diverse team, working collaboratively across FZS Zambia and the wider international FZS network.
• Competitive remuneration and benefits: A fair and competitive remuneration package commensurate with qualifications and experience.

• Develop and implement financial strategy aligned with organisational priorities.
• Lead long-term sustainability and growth planning (reserves, unrestricted funding, cost recovery).
• Advise Conservation Director, EXCO, and Board on performance, risks, and opportunities.
• Strengthen donor financial management and institutional cost recovery.
• Provide strategic analysis to support planning, investment, and resource allocation; and limit risk, liability and non-compliance.
• Streamline financial controls and systems to reduce duplication of effort whilst strengthening accountability.
• Lead annual budgeting and forecasting, aligned with programme delivery.
• Establish structured reporting with KPIs and dashboards.
• Deliver monthly management reports and quarterly Board/EXCO updates.
• Develop and maintain donor reporting frameworks that integrate with internal financial systems and programme delivery.
• Provide proactive analysis of donor funding gaps, variances, and compliance risks to management, EXCO, and HQ.
• Support tracking and systems to strengthen co-financing in large bilateral grants in terms of budget structure at grant making and ongoing reporting.
• Lead the organisation’s financial risk management framework, ensuring proactive identification, assessment, and mitigation of risks across funding, compliance, liquidity, FX, and operational exposures.
• Drive ERP readiness (process mapping, requirements, change management).
• Improve ABACUS configuration, reporting tools, and data architecture.
• Provide strategic oversight of procurement, ensuring transparency and value for money.
• Strengthen cash-flow forecasting, liquidity, and banking controls.
• Monitor FX exposure and implement mitigation strategies.
• Ensure compliance with donor, statutory, tax, and HQ requirements.
• Lead financial risk management and support audits (internal/external).
• Establish clear RACI arrangements across Finance, HR, Procurement, and Field Operations.
• Lead and mentor finance staff across ZCO and field locations.
• Promote collaboration between finance and other functions.

• Strategic financial leadership and governance expertise.
• Strong business acumen and ability to translate financial data into insights.
• Systems and change leadership (ERP, process standardisation).
• Integrity, accountability, and ethical judgement.
• Collaborative, influential, and safeguarding-focused.

• Professional accounting qualification (ACCA, CIMA, CPA or equivalent).
• 10+ years’ senior financial leadership, preferably in NGOs / multi-donor environments.
• Experience managing complex donor-funded portfolios.
• Strong ERP/system transformation experience.
• Proven governance, controls, and organisational process leadership.
• Experience leading dispersed teams.
• Fellow membership of ZICA.
• Valid work permit (if applicable).