CFO Ad-Interim (h/f)

What you'll do:

As Interim Chief Financial Officer, you will be entrusted with steering the organisation's entire financial landscape during a critical period of transformation. Your day-to-day responsibilities will encompass everything from shaping high-level strategy to ensuring operational excellence across reporting, compliance, budgeting, forecasting, treasury management, procurement, and risk oversight. You will collaborate closely with executive leadership to deliver data-driven insights that inform key decisions while championing digital innovation within finance systems. Your ability to foster strong relationships with donors and partners will be essential as you guide cost recovery strategies and uphold rigorous fiduciary standards. Success in this role requires not only technical proficiency but also a deep commitment to advancing the organisation's mission through inclusive teamwork and transparent communication.

• Lead the development and implementation of comprehensive financial strategies that align with organisational goals and underpin long-term sustainability.
• Provide insightful financial guidance to the CEO and Board, supporting informed decision-making at the highest level of governance.
• Support the financial viability of new programmes, strategic partnerships, and investment opportunities by delivering robust analysis and recommendations.
• Oversee all aspects of financial reporting, audits, and regulatory compliance in accordance with international standards such as IFRS and Swiss GAAP.
• Strengthen internal controls to ensure transparency, accountability, and adherence to statutory obligations across all operations.
• Direct annual budgeting processes as well as long-term financial planning cycles, ensuring resources are allocated efficiently to maximise impact.
• Conduct detailed financial modelling, variance analysis, and scenario planning to provide timely insights for executive and programme leaders.
• Manage treasury functions including investment portfolio oversight, cash flow strategy development, and engagement with funding partners.
• Drive procurement strategy by overseeing vendor negotiations, contract management, and integration of digital finance platforms with monitoring systems.
• Lead enterprise risk management initiatives while guiding compliance with anti-corruption frameworks and supporting effective donor engagement.

What you bring:

To excel as Interim Chief Financial Officer in this impactful setting, you will bring a wealth of experience from senior finance roles-within international NGOs or global foundations-where you have successfully led transformation initiatives. Your background should demonstrate not only technical mastery over areas such as strategic planning, risk analysis, compliance frameworks (IFRS/GAAP), ERP implementation, donor reporting, and cost recovery but also an empathetic approach to team leadership. Your ability to communicate complex ideas clearly will enable you to build trust among diverse stakeholders while your political acumen ensures sensitive navigation through multifaceted funding environments. A passion for mission-driven work combined with unwavering integrity makes you ideally suited for this unique opportunity.

• A strategic mindset with proven ability to translate complex challenges into clear solutions that support organisational objectives.
• Extensive experience leading large-scale transformation projects in finance functions including digitisation initiatives and process innovation.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills enabling you to influence both internal stakeholders at board level and external partners such as donors or regulators.
• Demonstrated judgement in balancing opportunity with risk across evolving funding landscapes typical of international NGOs or foundations.
• A track record of building cohesive teams that reflect diversity while fostering accountability and shared purpose within finance departments.
• Deep commitment to mission-driven work underpinned by values of impact accountability, inclusivity, and ethical stewardship.
• Master's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related field; CPA or equivalent professional certification preferred.
• Minimum 15 years' experience in senior financial management roles including at least five years as CFO or equivalent capacity within complex organisations.
• Strong command of IFRS, GAAP, international compliance standards plus hands-on experience implementing ERP/financial systems (e.g., MS Dynamics 365).
• Fluency in spoken/written English is essential; proficiency in French is highly desirable given the international context.