Job Purpose

The Head of Finance will lead the finance department, providing strategic direction, financial expertise, and leadership to drive the bank’s financial performance and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and accounting standards.

Summary of Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement financial strategies, policies, and plans aligned with the bank’s goals, objectives, and vision.
• Provide leadership and direction to the finance team, including financial managers, analysts, and accountants, to achieve departmental and the bank’s objectives.
• Oversee all financial operations, including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, cash flow management, and risk management.
• Manage the annual budgeting process, working closely with department heads and senior management to develop and review budgets, forecasts, and financial plans.
• Monitor financial performance against budget, forecast, and key performance indicators (KPIs), analyzing variances and trends and providing insights and recommendations to improve financial results.
• Ensure timely and accurate preparation of financial statements, reports, and disclosures in accordance with accounting principles, regulatory requirements, and internal policies.
• Coordinate and liaise with external auditors, tax authorities, and regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with financial reporting and tax obligations.
• Develop and maintain effective internal controls, policies, and procedures to safeguard assets, mitigate risks, and ensure integrity and accuracy in financial reporting and operations.
• Assess and manage financial risks, including currency exchange risk, interest rate risk, credit risk, and market risk, and implement strategies to mitigate and manage these risks effectively.
• Lead financial analysis and modeling initiatives to support strategic decision-making, investment evaluation, and business planning processes.
• Evaluate and optimize capital structure, financing options, and investment opportunities to maximize shareholder value and support growth initiatives.
• Provide financial insights and guidance to senior management and the board of directors, presenting financial performance, forecasts, and recommendations at meetings and presentations.
• Lead mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activities, including due diligence, valuation, negotiation, and integration efforts, to support strategic growth and expansion initiatives.
• Stay updated on industry trends, market developments, and regulatory changes affecting the bank’s financial operations and performance.
• Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement within the finance department, promoting teamwork, professional development, and excellence in performance.

Required Skills and Competencies:

• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to analyze complex financial data, identify trends and insights, and develop actionable recommendations.
• Strong Leadership qualities and the ability to inspire and motivate teams to achieve excellence.
• High level of integrity
• Excellent Strategic skills
• Excellent regulatory knowledge skills
• Business acumen

Primary Areas of Accountability:

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance.
• Must have professional certification, such as CA Zambia, ACCA, CIMA or CFA
• Must have a minimum of 7+ years experience in financial management, with at least 3–4 years in a senior leadership role in a Commercial Bank or well-established microfinance institution
• Strong knowledge of banking and financial regulations, practices, and risk management principles
• Proven experience in finance leadership roles, with a track record of success in financial management, strategic planning, and business performance improvement.
• Deep knowledge of banking financial principles, accounting standards, taxation, and BOZ regulatory requirements
• Experience in managing cross-functional teams and collaborating with stakeholders at all levels of the bank, including senior executives and board members.
• Exceptional financial planning, analytical, and strategic thinking skills.
• Proficiency in financial analysis tools, modelling techniques, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, such as SAP, Oracle, or Microsoft Dynamics.
• Must be a member of ZICA

• Develop and implement financial strategies, policies, and plans aligned with the bank’s goals, objectives, and vision.
• Provide leadership and direction to the finance team, including financial managers, analysts, and accountants, to achieve departmental and the bank’s objectives.
• Oversee all financial operations, including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, cash flow management, and risk management.
• Manage the annual budgeting process, working closely with department heads and senior management to develop and review budgets, forecasts, and financial plans.
• Monitor financial performance against budget, forecast, and key performance indicators (KPIs), analyzing variances and trends and providing insights and recommendations to improve financial results.
• Ensure timely and accurate preparation of financial statements, reports, and disclosures in accordance with accounting principles, regulatory requirements, and internal policies.
• Coordinate and liaise with external auditors, tax authorities, and regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with financial reporting and tax obligations.
• Develop and maintain effective internal controls, policies, and procedures to safeguard assets, mitigate risks, and ensure integrity and accuracy in financial reporting and operations.
• Assess and manage financial risks, including currency exchange risk, interest rate risk, credit risk, and market risk, and implement strategies to mitigate and manage these risks effectively.
• Lead financial analysis and modeling initiatives to support strategic decision-making, investment evaluation, and business planning processes.
• Evaluate and optimize capital structure, financing options, and investment opportunities to maximize shareholder value and support growth initiatives.
• Provide financial insights and guidance to senior management and the board of directors, presenting financial performance, forecasts, and recommendations at meetings and presentations.
• Lead mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activities, including due diligence, valuation, negotiation, and integration efforts, to support strategic growth and expansion initiatives.
• Stay updated on industry trends, market developments, and regulatory changes affecting the bank’s financial operations and performance.
• Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement within the finance department, promoting teamwork, professional development, and excellence in performance.

• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to analyze complex financial data, identify trends and insights, and develop actionable recommendations.
• Strong Leadership qualities and the ability to inspire and motivate teams to achieve excellence.
• High level of integrity
• Excellent Strategic skills
• Excellent regulatory knowledge skills
• Business acumen

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance.
• Must have professional certification, such as CA Zambia, ACCA, CIMA or CFA
• Must have a minimum of 7+ years experience in financial management, with at least 3–4 years in a senior leadership role in a Commercial Bank or well-established microfinance institution
• Strong knowledge of banking and financial regulations, practices, and risk management principles
• Proven experience in finance leadership roles, with a track record of success in financial management, strategic planning, and business performance improvement.
• Deep knowledge of banking financial principles, accounting standards, taxation, and BOZ regulatory requirements
• Experience in managing cross-functional teams and collaborating with stakeholders at all levels of the bank, including senior executives and board members.
• Exceptional financial planning, analytical, and strategic thinking skills.
• Proficiency in financial analysis tools, modelling techniques, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, such as SAP, Oracle, or Microsoft Dynamics.
• Must be a member of ZICA