Senior Manager Financial Control

Save the Children International is seeking a seasoned Senior Manager, Financial Control to steward the organisation's global financial control framework. Based in Nairobi, this leadership role sits at the heart of Save the Children's finance function, ensuring that financial controls operate effectively across country offices, global teams, and member organisations. You will be the primary guardian of compliance, accuracy, and continuous improvement in financial reporting — directly influencing how one of the world's most respected INGOs manages its resources.

This is a high-impact position requiring both strategic thinking and hands-on financial leadership. You will lead the Financial Control and Donor Audit teams, engage senior stakeholders across multiple geographies, and drive automation and standardisation initiatives that improve financial decision-making at scale. If you are a finance professional who thrives at the intersection of controls, compliance, and people leadership within a complex international organisation, this role offers exceptional scope and purpose.

• Oversee and continuously evaluate Save the Children International's financial control framework, ensuring timely identification of control weaknesses and compliance issues through rigorous reviews of country financial returns and KPIs.
• Engage proactively with country, global, and member teams to co-develop action plans that address financial risks and strengthen internal controls.
• Manage the Quality Review and Reporting (QRR) financial control and compliance process; prepare KPI dashboards and risk commentary for Finance SMT and IP SMT discussions.
• Champion automation and standardisation of financial information across global and country finance teams to enhance decision-support quality and operational efficiency.
• Provide expert guidance and capacity-building support to country and global finance teams, embedding best-practice financial controls and ensuring updated policies, procedures, and training materials are available within the Quality Framework.
• Lead annual donor and member award audits — managing relationships with donors, members, and external auditors — and drive resolution of audit findings through robust action plans with clear reporting back to stakeholders.
• Lead and develop the Financial Control and Donor/Award Audit teams, fostering a high-performance, collaborative culture.
• Provide financial control input into TDIT (technology and digital transformation) projects, ensuring control considerations are embedded in project design and benefits realisation.

• Demonstrated ability to lead a financial control or internal audit function within a large, complex organisation — ideally an INGO or multinational entity.
• Proven track record of managing multi-country or global financial compliance programmes, including the development and monitoring of KPIs and risk frameworks.
• Ability to design, implement, and continuously improve financial control frameworks, policies, and procedures at an organisational scale.
• Experience leading and mentoring finance teams, with the ability to build professional capability across diverse, geographically dispersed teams.
• Skilled in managing external audit relationships — particularly donor audits — from planning through to findings resolution and stakeholder reporting.
• Competence in driving finance systems automation and process standardisation, leveraging technology to improve reporting quality and efficiency.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to synthesise complex financial data into clear, actionable insights for senior leadership.
• Professional accounting qualification (CPA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent) is essential; a Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field is required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and navigate cross-cultural working environments.

Save the Children offers a competitive compensation package benchmarked against INGO sector rates. For a Senior Manager-level role at a leading international NGO based in Nairobi, the estimated monthly gross salary range is KES 300,000 – 500,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. The organisation also provides a comprehensive benefits package typical of top-tier INGOs operating in Kenya.

• Medical insurance cover for employee and dependants
• Annual leave and public holiday entitlement
• Professional development and training opportunities
• Pension/provident fund contributions

This role is ideal for a senior finance professional with 8–12+ years of progressive experience in financial control, internal audit, or financial compliance — preferably within an international NGO, development finance institution, or a Big Four audit environment with significant INGO client exposure. You are comfortable operating at both strategic and operational levels, leading teams while engaging C-suite stakeholders. You have a genuine passion for Save the Children's mission and understand the accountability obligations that come with managing donor-funded programmes.

You should NOT apply if you have fewer than 5 years of financial control leadership experience, have no exposure to donor audit processes, or are not yet qualified with a recognised professional accounting body. This is not an entry-level or generalist finance management role.

• Visit the Save the Children careers portal and search for the Senior Manager Financial Control vacancy.
• Prepare an updated CV (maximum 4 pages) and a concise cover letter addressing your specific experience in financial control leadership and donor audit management.
• Submit your application online before the closing date of 1 July 2026.
• Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews. Due to the volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will receive a response.
• Save the Children does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process. Report any such requests immediately.