Finance Manager job at StartHub Africa

About Relevant

Relevant is a purpose venture catalyst operating out of Europe and East Africa. We develop, pilot, and scale enterprise and investment solutions to address humanitarian and planetary crises. Relevant’s mission is to accelerate the shift to a purpose-driven economy by piloting it today with a focus on the blind spots: the people, places, and topics that markets neglect.

Job Summary

The Finance Manager will lead the full financial operations across Relevant’s multi-country ecosystem. This role oversees project accounting, budget management, loan disbursement & tracking, financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and strategic financial planning. The Finance Manager ensures strong internal controls, accurate reporting, and financial sustainability across all ventures. The ideal candidate is a proactive leader with experience in managing complex financial operations, multi-project environments, and loan portfolios.

Key responsibilities

Financial Reporting & Accounting

• Prepare accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements.
• Maintain complete and up-to-date accounting records (GL, journals, reconciliations).
• Consolidate multi-country financial reports and ensure consistency of accounting practices.
• Ensure timely submission of all statutory returns (URA, NSSF, UMRA, FIA).
• Monitor regulatory updates and guide on compliance implications.

Project & Grant Accounting

• Manage end-to-end project and grant accounting, including cost allocations and burn rates.
• Ensure expenditures align with approved budgets and donor requirements.
• Prepare partner/donor financial reports in accordance with contractual terms.
• Support project leads with budget adherence and financial forecasting.

Loan Portfolio, Cash Flow & Financial Planning

• Oversee loan disbursement workflows and ensure full compliance with approval processes.
• Maintain loan tracking, repayments, and performance monitoring.
• Prepare financial projections, cash flow analyses, and organizational runway assessments.
• Lead annual budgeting and coordinate updates across departments.
• Provide scenario planning and financial modelling to support hiring, investments, and strategic decisions.
• Maintain robust cash management controls and ensure proper fund allocation across projects and departments.

Internal Controls, Audit & Risk Management

• Strengthen procurement, approval, payment, and reporting controls.
• Conduct periodic internal reviews to identify risks or inefficiencies.
• Implement corrective actions and ensure adherence to financial policies.
• Maintain complete audit trails and support external audits with minimal findings.
• Lead improvements to accounting systems and standardize financial workflows.
• Develop, update, and implement financial policies and procedures (procurement, reimbursements, approvals, cash management).

Systems & Tools

• Deploy and improve accounting and financial management systems.
• Develop dashboards that provide leadership with actionable insights.
• Ensure data accuracy, system integrity, and effective staff adoption.
• Maintain and update the organizational asset register.

Financial Projections, Cash Flow, and Runway Management

• Prepare and regularly update financial forecasts and cash flow projections for the Ugandan team.
• Lead and coordinate the annual budgeting process across departments.
• Prepare consolidated organizational and project budgets.
• Support budget owners through training, forecasting guidance, and expenditure control.
• Ensure the organization maintains a clear understanding of its financial runway (how long current funds will last at the current burn rate).
• Provide management with clear and actionable insights based on budget vs. actual analysis.
• Oversee bank reconciliations and maintain strong cash management controls.
• Ensure proper fund allocation across projects and Departments.
• Support strategic decision-making (hiring, investments, etc.) with scenario planning and financial modeling.
• Align financial operations with organizational KPIs and long-term plans.

Team Leadership & Capacity Building

• Train staff in financial processes, compliance, budgeting, and internal controls.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and performance management of finance team members.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Education/Work Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field.
• Professional certification (ACCA, CPA, CFA) is highly desirable.
• 3–5 years of experience in finance management or a similar role.
• Experience working with donor-funded projects and/or multi-country operations is an advantage.
• Exposure to loan portfolio management is an added asset.
• Familiarity with regulatory bodies (e.g., URA) is desirable.
• Experience in startups or dynamic, fast-evolving organizations is highly valued.

Technical Skills

• Strong accounting expertise, including GAAP and relevant regulatory frameworks.
• Excellent analytical and financial modelling skills.
• Solid understanding of project finance, grant management, and loan portfolio tracking.
• Ability to identify opportunities, take initiative, and drive ideas forward with ownership.
• Adaptability and comfort working in fast-paced, evolving environments.
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• High integrity, attention to detail, and ability to manage complex workflows accurately.

Competencies

• Independence & Initiative: Able to assess situations, take ownership, and drive tasks forward without needing close guidance or structure.
• Business Acumen: Understands how the organization operates and makes decisions; anticipates financial and operational trends and responds proactively.
• Results Orientation: Delivers high-quality work consistently; disciplined, methodical, and focused on achieving outcomes.
• Team Collaboration: Works effectively with others to achieve shared goals and communicates clearly within diverse teams.
• Continuous Learning: Demonstrates a growth mindset, curiosity, and commitment to ongoing skill and knowledge development.
• Intellectual Curiosity: Probes deeper into issues, explores new areas, and connects insights across different topics and challenges.
• Resilience: Maintains performance under pressure, adapts to change, and perseveres through complexity.
• Emotional Intelligence: Self-aware, empathetic, and able to regulate emotions while engaging others constructively.
• Relationship Building: Builds trust and rapport quickly; listens well and communicates clearly to engage stakeholders effectively.

Values

We are a values-driven organization, and we love to work with people who share these values:

• Entrepreneurial Mindset: We approach challenges with creativity, initiative, and a solutions-oriented attitude.
• Diversity: We value different backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences.
• Integrity: We act with honesty, transparency, and responsibility in all decisions.
• Joy: We bring positive energy to our work and cultivate a culture of connection, kindness, and enthusiasm.
• Excellence: We pursue high standards and continuously strive to grow, improve, and elevate the quality of our work.

• Prepare accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements.
• Maintain complete and up-to-date accounting records (GL, journals, reconciliations).
• Consolidate multi-country financial reports and ensure consistency of accounting practices.
• Ensure timely submission of all statutory returns (URA, NSSF, UMRA, FIA).
• Monitor regulatory updates and guide on compliance implications.
• Manage end-to-end project and grant accounting, including cost allocations and burn rates.
• Ensure expenditures align with approved budgets and donor requirements.
• Prepare partner/donor financial reports in accordance with contractual terms.
• Support project leads with budget adherence and financial forecasting.
• Oversee loan disbursement workflows and ensure full compliance with approval processes.
• Maintain loan tracking, repayments, and performance monitoring.
• Prepare financial projections, cash flow analyses, and organizational runway assessments.
• Lead annual budgeting and coordinate updates across departments.
• Provide scenario planning and financial modelling to support hiring, investments, and strategic decisions.
• Maintain robust cash management controls and ensure proper fund allocation across projects and departments.
• Strengthen procurement, approval, payment, and reporting controls.
• Conduct periodic internal reviews to identify risks or inefficiencies.
• Implement corrective actions and ensure adherence to financial policies.
• Maintain complete audit trails and support external audits with minimal findings.
• Lead improvements to accounting systems and standardize financial workflows.
• Develop, update, and implement financial policies and procedures (procurement, reimbursements, approvals, cash management).
• Deploy and improve accounting and financial management systems.
• Develop dashboards that provide leadership with actionable insights.
• Ensure data accuracy, system integrity, and effective staff adoption.
• Maintain and update the organizational asset register.
• Prepare and regularly update financial forecasts and cash flow projections for the Ugandan team.
• Lead and coordinate the annual budgeting process across departments.
• Prepare consolidated organizational and project budgets.
• Support budget owners through training, forecasting guidance, and expenditure control.
• Ensure the organization maintains a clear understanding of its financial runway.
• Provide management with clear and actionable insights based on budget vs. actual analysis.
• Oversee bank reconciliations and maintain strong cash management controls.
• Ensure proper fund allocation across projects and Departments.
• Support strategic decision-making (hiring, investments, etc.) with scenario planning and financial modeling.
• Align financial operations with organizational KPIs and long-term plans.
• Train staff in financial processes, compliance, budgeting, and internal controls.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and performance management of finance team members.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

• Strong accounting expertise, including GAAP and relevant regulatory frameworks.
• Excellent analytical and financial modelling skills.
• Solid understanding of project finance, grant management, and loan portfolio tracking.
• Ability to identify opportunities, take initiative, and drive ideas forward with ownership.
• Adaptability and comfort working in fast-paced, evolving environments.
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• High integrity, attention to detail, and ability to manage complex workflows accurately.
• Independence & Initiative: Able to assess situations, take ownership, and drive tasks forward without needing close guidance or structure.
• Business Acumen: Understands how the organization operates and makes decisions; anticipates financial and operational trends and responds proactively.
• Results Orientation: Delivers high-quality work consistently; disciplined, methodical, and focused on achieving outcomes.
• Team Collaboration: Works effectively with others to achieve shared goals and communicates clearly within diverse teams.
• Continuous Learning: Demonstrates a growth mindset, curiosity, and commitment to ongoing skill and knowledge development.
• Intellectual Curiosity: Probes deeper into issues, explores new areas, and connects insights across different topics and challenges.
• Resilience: Maintains performance under pressure, adapts to change, and perseveres through complexity.
• Emotional Intelligence: Self-aware, empathetic, and able to regulate emotions while engaging others constructively.
• Relationship Building: Builds trust and rapport quickly; listens well and communicates clearly to engage stakeholders effectively.

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field.
• Professional certification (ACCA, CPA, CFA) is highly desirable.
• 3–5 years of experience in finance management or a similar role.
• Experience working with donor-funded projects and/or multi-country operations is an advantage.
• Exposure to loan portfolio management is an added asset.
• Familiarity with regulatory bodies (e.g., URA) is desirable.
• Experience in startups or dynamic, fast-evolving organizations is highly valued.