The Role

Seed Global Health (Seed) envisions a world in which every country is strengthened by a robust health workforce that can meet the health needs of its population. We partner to train nurses, midwives, and physicians, building health teams that can provide high-quality care and save lives. We do this by strengthening clinical care delivery, improving health workforce education, and supporting policies that enable health professionals to succeed.

Seed is dedicated to creating lasting change in the health systems of our partner countries: Malawi, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Zambia. To ensure that these changes are durable, we form deep local partnerships that inform our work at both the individual and systems levels. Together, we are creating a multi-generational impact to not only treat today’s problems but solve for tomorrows.

For more information please visit: https://seedglobalhealth.org/

About the role

Seed Global Health is at a pivotal moment. As we expand our multi-country footprint and advance our 2030 strategy, the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) will play a defining role in shaping how Seed sustains, scales, and future-proofs its impact. This is not a traditional finance role - it is a mandate to design the financial architecture, digital backbone, and risk framework that will enable Seed to navigate complexity, allocate resources strategically, and accelerate growth across Africa and globally.

As a member of Seed’s seven-person Executive Team, the CFO will operate where financial strategy meets mission impact. Reporting to the COO and working closely with the CEO, Board,and senior leaders, this role is about translating financial insight into organizational strategy, aligning resources with mission priorities, and ensuring every dollar delivers maximum value. The CFO will embed finance into programmatic decision making, engage donors and boards as a trusted voice of stewardship, and empower teams across countries to deliver results.

With a $15M annual budget, operations in five countries, and an ambitious agenda for scale, this is an extraordinary opportunity for a visionary leader to shape the financial strategy of a mission-driven organization and leave a lasting global legacy.

Over the next 12–18 months, the CFO will lead three critical initiatives:

Designing Seed’s first multi-year, scenario-based growth plan
Driving a digital transformation of finance and business systems
Operationalizing enterprise risk management

Beyond technical expertise, Seed seeks a leader who views finance as a lever for transformation - someone who inspires confidence, enables others, and builds a resilient, future-ready organization capable of achieving multigenerational impact in global health.

Key dimensions of the role

Strategic Leadership

Serve as a thought partner to the CEO and COO on multi-year enterprise financial strategy, growth, and risk.
Lead multi-year financial modeling and scenario-based modeling that align with Seed’s strategic goals, fundraising pipelines, and contingency planning.
Translate scenarios into actionable resource allocation, investment, and program financing decisions for the Executive Team and Board.
Working closely with the Director of People and Culture, guide organizational design and workforce planning to support scale and sustainability within resource limits.
Build a high-performing, diverse finance organization with special emphasis on building in country capacity at the frontline of Seed’s mission work.

Finance & Risk

Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance across global operations.
Lead and strengthen centralized global treasury capability (cash forecasting, FX management, banking relationships, short-term investments, country cash optimization).
Design and implement strategies that protect liquidity through cycles of rapid scale or funding delays.
Ensure robust internal controls, global accounting policies, consolidated reporting, statutory compliance across jurisdictions (US GAAP and IAS), and timely audited accounts.
Oversee grants accounting, donor reporting, and compliance with institutional donor requirements.
Implement a robust risk management and internal control framework, integrating risk outputs into strategic planning and scenario modeling.

Information Systems

Drive digital transformation with a multi-year roadmap to modernize finance, grants, and ERP systems (process automation, consolidated global chart of accounts, real-time reporting, smart BI dashboards).
Partner with the Director of Information Systems to ensure system integrations (HR/payroll, grants, procurement, program, and business development) support scale and auditability.
Oversee robust efforts to ensure cybersecurity, data governance, and system interoperability.
Lead cross-functional initiatives to improve efficiency, transparency, and impact.

Skills and experience

Essential

12+ years of progressive finance leadership experience including senior roles (CFO/Deputy CFO/Head of Finance) in mid to large NGOs, international development organizations, or complex multi-country mission driven organizations.
Proven change and growth leader who can convene stakeholders, drive governance and execute operational transformations.
Advanced financial modeling, strategic planning, and enterprise systems integration.
Strong expertise in donor/grants accounting and institutional donor compliance (bilateral/multilateral donors and foundations).
Deep experience in treasury, cash & FX management, and working capital optimization at enterprise level and across multiple countries.
Experience with ERP, CRM, HRIS, and data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI).
Proven ability to lead cross-cultural teams, combining analytical rigor to influence executive decision-making with operational delivery tactics.
Proven track record of leading multi-year scenario/financial planning and translating scenarios into decisions for executive leadership and Boards.
Excellent communicator, comfortable with Board-level reporting and external stakeholder management.
Deep understanding of US GAAP and international accounting standards.
Proven experience designing and overseeing Enterprise Risk Management CPA or equivalent.
MBA or Master’s in Finance, or related field preferred.
Experience working with nonprofit boards and finance/audit committees.

Nice to Have

Experience in global health, health financing, or human resources for health that support assurance, performance, and reporting functions.
Familiarity with bilateral/multilateral donors and philanthropic foundations.
Track record of operational innovation to drive operational excellence.
Experience integrating finance, HR, and MEL systems for strategic performance tracking.
Experience with leading localization processes and commitment to equity, decolonization, and country-led governance.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Millar Cameron, we are dedicated to supporting our Clients in building and supporting diverse and inclusive workplaces and culture, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Since 2007 Millar Cameron has specialised in sourcing leadership and keyperson talent across a number of industries, including agribusiness, international development, industrial, consumer, financial and professional services, private equity, and technology, media and telecommunications. Our mission and purpose is to positively contribute to the development of Africa, and other emerging markets, through the provision of people.