Finance Director - Rising Academy Network

As Rising Academies moves from start-up to growth stage, the mission of the Finance Director is to build the world-class, multi-country finance and accounting function we need to underpin our scale-up. Reporting to the CEO, the Finance Director will join Rising’s Senior Management Team and work closely with these leaders to build a culture of excellence in every aspect of our financial management. The successful candidate will be both a great doer and a great engineer and system-builder.

Specific responsibilities will include:

• Reporting to the board and investors on financial matters;
• Corporate finance, including owning the corporate financial model and supporting the CEO with fundraising and investor relations;
• Optimizing the finance function to produce better, more relevant and more timely information for management;

• Setting up finance systems and teams when we enter new geographies;
• Financial reporting and the production of monthly, quarterly and annual accounts;
• Cash management and cash forecasting;
• Overall responsibility and control of financial planning and the budgeting process;
• Strategic advice on new business and growth opportunities;
• Review and approval of payroll and payments;
• Ensuring excellent relationships and relevant compliance with bankers, finance providers, auditors, and relevant statutory bodies.

This is a full-time, permanent position.

About you

• Significant leadership experience building and running a successful finance function, as Chief Financial Officer, Finance Director, Head of Finance or Financial Controller;
• Commercially and operationally-savvy, with experience of working in a fast-paced, rapidly-growing company;
• Strong academic background including an undergraduate degree from a top university and a postgraduate qualification in business, finance or accounting;

• Highly numerate with proven ability to create, manage, interpret, and present financial analysis and reporting;
• Effective communicator with strong interpersonal skills;
• Track record of system-building and successfully designing and implementing new financial processes across an organisation or large business unit;
• Experience in the education sector is not essential, but a passion for it is.

Location and reporting

The Finance Director reports to the Chief Executive Officer and will be primarily based in Accra, Ghana, with some flexibility to work remotely. Occasional travel (<10%) will be expected to Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Compensation and benefits

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package. We regularly benchmark our compensation against comparable businesses, social ventures and non-profits