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.
Chief Finance Officer
ZMB: Lusaka
Full-time
Fixed-term
About The Project:
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.
- 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.
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).
- 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.
Your Application:
If you are driven and ready to take on this challenge, please submit your Curriculum Vitae and Cover Letter detailing your relevant experience and motivation for applying to this link.
Include three (3) traceable references with a short description of your working relationship and their contact details. Appointment is subject to the submission of ZAQA-certified qualifications.
Applications Deadline: Monday 16 November 2026We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
About us
Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) is an international conservation organization based in Frankfurt, Germany. We make a vital contribution to safeguarding global biodiversity. To this end, we support and implement conservation projects in Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, as well as Eastern and Central Europe, with a particular focus on the protection of large wilderness areas. Our projects and programs are designed to be long-term and sustainable. Our goal is to protect and preserve large, biodiversity-rich landscapes.