Chief Financial Officer

Previously known as Praekelt.org, Reach Digital Health builds on 15 years of experience scaling digital health programmes to allow faster and more cost-effective implementations in various health domains. Reach has connected the health system with people and communities in over 200 countries through available mobile technology.

It takes passion and perseverance to make the world a better place. We are not afraid to innovate, fail and learn in the process. We strive to continue improving the way that we work and the impact we have. We value collaboration, inclusivity, simplicity, empathy, grit, curiosity and aspiration.

We’re building a world in which personal, uninterrupted healthcare is available to everyone, not just a chance few.

We’re looking for an experienced Chief Financial Officer (CFO) who is interested in taking on a fractional role as a vital part of our leadership team, working closely with the CEO to direct the financial and risk strategies for Reach, ensuring that appropriate financial and risk systems and processes are in place to support our growth in new markets. This includes financial planning, risk management and compliance, as well as building relationships with key funding partners and the Reach Board. 

The ideal candidate should have at least ten years of experience in managing the financial and risk teams and processes within a multinational organisation, with preference given to those with five or more years of experience within a non-profit organisation. The role demands comfort in working remotely and independently. Reach provides a 4-day working week for employees and this role offers further flexibility as a fractional/part-time position.

Key Focus areas

Strategic Leadership

This focus area involves driving the company's strategic direction, fostering collaboration with senior leadership, and building strong external relationships. The individual in this role will play a key part in setting financial objectives, developing business plans, and staying ahead of industry trends.  They will champion data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement throughout the organisation.

Financial Strategy and Oversight

This focus area centres on ensuring the financial health and resilience of the organisation. This encompasses overseeing financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting, as well as managing cash flow and investments. The individual will navigate the complexities of global operations, ensuring compliance with international financial regulations and optimising resource allocation for maximum impact. They will also ensure donor funds are accurately reported, both in support of the fundraising process and to ensure clear reporting to the CEO and board. 

Risk Management and Compliance

This focus area prioritises safeguarding the organisation's financial integrity.  It involves proactive identification and mitigation of risks, implementation of strong internal controls, and ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations. This role maintains high ethical standards and promotes transparency in all financial practices, fostering a culture of responsibility and accountability.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Lead and develop the finance and legal teams to ensure excellence within the team

• Work with the CEO and directors to set strategic financial objectives that align with the company’s vision and mission and to develop the business plans to enable us to reach those goals

• Monitor industry activity and stay updated on latest industry trends, leveraging technology to improve financial management efficiency and effectiveness in Reach

• Build strong relationships with stakeholders, partners and funders, and provide thought leadership which builds the organisation’s profile externally

• Collaborate with the CEO and other senior leaders in the organisation to develop, drive and refine the company strategy, including presentation of this strategy to the Board of Directors

• Challenge the status quo with ideas to drive internal efficiencies and sustainable fundraising based upon solid data analysis and promote continuous learning and improvement

Financial Strategy and Oversight

• Strategic Alignment: Ensure financial planning is directly tied to the organization's mission and long-term goals.

• Budgeting & Forecasting: Develop comprehensive operational budgets, and conduct long-term financial regular forecasting and variance analysis.

• Optimise the allocation of financial resources to maximize impact and efficiency.

• Overall responsibility for planning, implementing, managing and controlling all financial-related activities across multiple multinational entities

• Financial Sustainability: 

  • Create strategies for long-term financial health and resilience.
  • Manage cash flow and forecasting. Develop a reliable cash flow projection process and reporting mechanism that includes a minimum cash threshold to meet operating needs. Optimize the handling of banking relationships and initiate appropriate strategies to enhance cash positions.

• Investment Management: 

  • Oversee investment portfolios and treasury function and make decisions aligned with Reach's risk tolerance and ethical considerations.
  • Regularly assess and monitor risks related to funding, investments, operations, and external factors.

• Ensure compliance with all relevant financial regulations and reporting requirements, both locally and internationally.

• Financial Reporting & Transparency:  

  • Provide accurate, timely, and transparent financial reporting to leadership, the board, and funders
  • Oversee the production of accurate financial statements, ensuring that all financial data adheres to the relevant tax laws and regulations in the different countries we operate in

• Global Operations: 

  • Managing the complexities of financial operations across multiple countries, including currency exchange, tax regulations, and compliance issues.
  • Stay informed about changes in financial regulations and best practices to proactively adapt the organization's policies.

• Provide training and guidance to staff on financial risk management and compliance to foster a culture of awareness and responsibility throughout the organization.

• Support the Director of Partnerships & Growth in prioritising strategic global expansion with a focus on key target markets

• Develop and utilise forward-looking, predictive models and activity-based financial analyses to provide insight into the organisation’s operations, business plans and forecasts

• Develop accurate costing models together with the Directors of Implementation and  Partnerships & Growth, and ensure that these are successfully implemented within our operational management system.

Risk Management and Compliance

• Risk Identification & Assessment: Proactively identify and assess financial, legal, taxation and operational and strategic risks.

• Risk Mitigation Strategies: Develop and implement strategies to mitigate identified risks to ensure these have the least possible impact on our growth.

• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure compliance with all relevant financial regulations and reporting requirements, both locally and in international markets.

  • Internal Controls: 
    • Maintain strong internal controls to prevent fraud
    • Ensure that Reach adheres to best practice in financial data collection, storage and destruction (that accords with the provisions of POPIA and where necessary other data protection legislation).

• Ethical Standards: Uphold high ethical standards in all financial practices and decision-making.

• Annual Audit: Deliver externally audited AFS of all legal entities timeously

• Finance technology: Ensure systems for financial function are fit-for-purpose

Qualifications

• CA certified or an equivalent Postgraduate qualification

Skills and Experience Required

• 8-10 years of global financial management experience

• Proven track record of financial expertise and of being a strong business partner

• Exhibit outstanding critical thinking skills, including the ability to analyse data, identify trends, pinpoint problems and root causes, ask probing questions and develop innovative solutions

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with other leaders to develop and execute plans.

• Experience working with global partners and managing multi-currency transactions

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• Comfort and experience working with distributed, multi-functional teams

• Ability to strategise around and solve financial problems

• Ability to encourage company-wide collaboration to enable improved financial decision-making  and alignment to strategic company objectives

• Analytical and detail-oriented

What will set you apart from other candidates

• Experience in multi-national not-for-profit or social impact organisations with operations in South Africa, other African countries and the USA
• Experience with managing the financial requirements of sizeable multilateral funding partners would be valuable
• Demonstrated experience in establishing financial solutions and structures in new markets would be valuable
• Financial modelling experience
• Multinational tax expertise