Role overview
What you'll be stepping into
Head of Finance & Operations Job at Educate!
Educate! is seeking an experienced and mission-driven Head of Finance & Operations to lead the organisation's finance, operations, procurement, compliance, and risk functions in Uganda.
The successful candidate will oversee the country's financial operations, strengthen internal controls, support budgeting and financial reporting, and provide strategic leadership across operations and procurement. The role also involves managing compliance, audits, risk, field logistics, and the development of finance and operations teams.
This is a fixed-term contract, with the possibility of extension based on performance.
About Educate!
Africa has one of the world's youngest and fastest-growing populations. Educate! focuses on helping young people across the continent develop the skills and opportunities they need to learn, earn, and thrive in today's economy.
Educate! delivers youth employment and skills programmes through school-based employment-focused education and livelihood boot camps for out-of-school youth, with particular attention to marginalised rural girls and young women.
The organisation reports having meaningfully impacted more than 500,000 young people across Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania. Educate! has grown into a major youth employment and skills provider in East Africa, supported by a team of more than 300 staff and approximately 300 volunteer youth mentors.
Educate! has received support from foundations and organisations including Imaginable Futures, Livelihood Impact Fund, Jack Dorsey's #startsmall, CIFF, and Echidna Giving. The organisation has also received recognition including the 2018 Klaus J. Jacobs Prize and the 2015 WISE Award.
Its long-term vision is to develop solutions capable of creating measurable impact for millions of young people across Africa each year.
About the Role
The Head of Finance & Operations will provide strategic and operational leadership across finance, procurement, operations, compliance, risk, and field logistics.
The position requires an experienced finance professional who can manage the full financial cycle while also partnering with programme and management teams to improve decision-making, systems, processes, and operational efficiency.
The successful candidate will report into the organisation's relevant regional and country leadership structures and will work closely with managers and budget holders across the organisation.
Key Responsibilities
1. Financial Management and Reporting – 40%
The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing the country's financial operations, including:
Managing financial operations from transaction processing through payroll inputs, cash and bank management, month-end close, and general ledger integrity.
Delivering accurate management accounts to the Managing Director and Global Finance according to the agreed reporting calendar.
Providing meaningful variance analysis and explaining financial performance and required actions.
Managing cash flow and foreign exchange exposure across multiple currencies.
Forecasting financial requirements and identifying potential risks early.
Approving payments and transactions within delegated authority and escalating matters beyond that authority with clear recommendations.
Leading the annual and periodic budgeting processes for the country.
Developing the budgeting calendar and supporting budget managers throughout the process.
Consolidating budget inputs and challenging assumptions before submission to senior leadership.
Working with budget holders throughout the year to support informed spending decisions.
Preparing accurate and timely donor financial reports.
Ensuring donor reports are reconciled with the general ledger.
Supporting proposal development through realistic and well-structured budget costing.
2. Operations, Procurement and Field Logistics – 30%
The Head of Finance & Operations will also provide oversight of operational and procurement activities, including:
Overseeing the Operations and Procurement Manager in office administration, inventory, asset management, and supplier relationships.
Ensuring procurement processes are competitive, properly documented, and compliant with organisational and donor requirements.
Maintaining efficient procurement processes so programmes can access the resources they need without unnecessary delays.
Overseeing field logistics, including transportation, warehousing, and distribution.
Ensuring programme resources reach field locations on time and in full.
Identifying opportunities to improve processes, automation, and systems to reduce costs and delays.
Developing business cases for process improvements and leading implementation through responsible managers.
Maintaining safe, efficient, and well-managed working environments across offices and field locations.
3. Compliance, Risk and Audit – 20%
Responsibilities in this area will include:
Maintaining and strengthening the internal control framework.
Regularly testing controls to identify gaps, weaknesses, and workarounds.
Leading external audits as well as donor and statutory audits.
Preparing audit schedules and coordinating audit fieldwork.
Ensuring audit findings are addressed and closed within agreed timelines.
Ensuring compliance with tax, social security, NGO registration, employment, and other statutory requirements.
Maintaining an up-to-date register of legal and regulatory obligations.
Maintaining the country's finance and operations risk register.
Assigning risk owners and developing appropriate mitigation measures.
Escalating material risks promptly to the relevant leadership.
Managing contracts and supplier agreements.
Working with external legal counsel, auditors, and tax advisers where necessary.
4. Team Leadership and Development – 10%
The role will also involve leading and developing teams across finance, operations, and procurement.
Key responsibilities include:
Leading managers and their teams across finance, operations, and procurement.
Setting clear objectives and maintaining consistent performance standards.
Conducting regular one-to-one meetings and providing constructive feedback.
Supporting staff through professional development plans and coaching.
Building team capacity and reducing dependence on individual employees.
Strengthening staff capabilities in financial analysis, systems, and business partnering.
Modelling and promoting Educate!'s Five Cultural Tenets.
Qualifications and Experience
The ideal candidate should have:
At least 5 years of progressive experience in finance and procurement.
At least 3 years of people-management experience.
Experience managing other managers is a strong advantage.
A professional accounting qualification such as CPA, ACCA, or an equivalent qualification, or an equivalent combination of qualifications and experience.
Demonstrated experience managing the full finance cycle, including month-end closing, management reporting, budgeting, and external audits.
Experience working with donor-funded and multi-currency operations.
Experience preparing donor financial reports and managing grant compliance.
Exposure to operations, procurement, or supply chain management, or demonstrated ability to take on these responsibilities.
Strong understanding of accounting and ERP systems.
A systems-oriented approach and the ability to redesign and improve inefficient processes.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively in complex and rapidly changing environments.
Strong leadership, analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Additional Information
A background in education or youth development is not required. Educate! is particularly interested in candidates who are passionate about its mission and can bring diverse perspectives and relevant professional experience.
The organisation encourages qualified candidates to apply even if they do not meet every listed requirement but believe they can make a strong contribution to the role.
Terms and Benefits
Educate! offers a mission-driven working environment with opportunities for professional growth and collaboration.
The terms include:
A vibrant and mission-driven work environment.
A supportive and collaborative team.
Flexible and hybrid working arrangements, depending on location.
Competitive salary based on experience.
Competitive benefits based on location.
Learning and professional development opportunities.
Fixed-term contract with the possibility of extension based on performance.
Who Should Apply?
This opportunity is suitable for experienced finance, accounting, procurement, and operations professionals with strong leadership and strategic management capabilities.
Candidates with experience in donor-funded organisations, multi-currency financial environments, grant compliance, audit management, budgeting, and financial reporting are particularly relevant to the position.
Educate! encourages applications from people with diverse professional backgrounds who are passionate about its mission and can contribute to strengthening its finance and operational systems.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should follow the official application instructions provided by Educate! for the Head of Finance & Operations position.
Application Deadline: 21 October 2026
Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
How to apply