1. POSITION VACANT: Chief Financial Officer, Aga Khan Agency for Habitat India, Mumbai
2. ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND:
Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) India was established in 2016 with the vision of creating habitats that allow communities to be resilient to disasters, adapt to climate change, and thrive. With a focus on urban resilience, various initiatives of AKAH work to reduce vulnerability to climate change and disasters through community-led efforts with a strong synergy between traditional knowledge, innovation, and technical Integration.
AKAH is a Section 8 nonprofit organization and a member of Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). Headquartered in Mumbai, AKAH works in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Telangana. The organization has directly impacted 2.5 million individuals.
AKAH is dedicated to enhancing habitat conditions through building safety and community resilience to natural hazards and disasters. The organization ensures that these settings are connected to water and energy services and are conducive to developing economic opportunities and access to social services.
For more information about AKAH, please visit https://the.akdn/en/how-we-work/our-agencies/aga-khan-agency-habitat
3. JOB DESCRIPTION/ RESPONSIBILITIES:
Reporting to the CEO and working closely with the senior leadership team and the Board, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will provide strategic and operational leadership for AKAH India’s finance, accounting, risk management, and compliance functions.
The CFO will be responsible for ensuring strong financial stewardship, transparency, and accountability across the organisation, while enabling programme delivery through robust financial systems, effective risk management, and sound governance. In addition to core financial leadership, the CFO will hold enterprise-wide oversight of organisational risk, encompassing financial, operational, compliance, supply-chain, and technology risks.
This is a senior leadership role requiring both strategic judgment and hands-on oversight in a complex, donor-funded, project-driven environment.
Key Job Responsibilities:
(A) Financial Leadership & Stewardship:
(1) Provide strategic financial advice to the CEO and senior management on organisational performance, sustainability, and risk;
(2) Ensure proper planning, expenditure tracking and audit of financial resources, including extra-budgetary income in accordance with AKAH-I rules and regulations;
(3) Oversee budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, and cash-flow management across all programmes and operations;
(4) Ensure accurate accounting, timely reconciliation, and integrity of financial records across multi-project and multi-fund portfolios;
(5) Manage banking relationships, liquidity planning, and treasury operations.
(B) Budgeting, Planning & Cost Management:
(1) Lead organisational and project-level budgeting processes and monitor budget utilisation against approved plans;
(2) Analyse variances and provide regular financial insights to support management decision-making;
(3) Develop and implement cost-efficiency and resource-optimisation strategies;
(4) Establish appropriate cost-recovery mechanisms aligned with organisational and donor requirements;
(5) Elaboration and implementation of cost-optimisation and efficiency strategies, including adoption of digital banking solutions.
(C) Financial Systems & Controls:
(1) Ensure effective internal controls and compliance with AKAH-I policies, statutory requirements, and donor regulations;
(2) Lead periodic review and strengthening of financial policies, procedures, and standard operating guidelines;
(3) Oversee financial systems, applications, and reporting tools, and guide continuous improvement in systems and processes;
(D) Risk Management & Governance:
(1) Lead and maintain AKAH-I’s enterprise risk management framework, covering financial, operational, compliance, and technology risks;
(2) Monitor risk exposure and mitigation measures, and regularly report key risks to senior management and the Board;
(3) Review major contractual obligations, including construction, professional services, and grant agreements, from a financial and risk perspective.
(E) Audit, Compliance & Statutory Reporting:
(1) Lead external audits, donor audits, and reviews, ensuring timely resolution of audit observations;
(2) Oversee statutory compliance related to taxation, corporate filings, and regulatory requirements;
(3) Prepare annual financial statements and ensure timely and accurate financial reporting to the Board and stakeholders.
(F) Donor & Stakeholder Engagement:
(1) Ensure high-quality financial reporting to donors, partners, and funding agencies;
(2) Support programme teams in financial planning, budgeting, and proposal development;
(3) Review grant proposals and budgets for financial viability, compliance, and alignment with organisational strategy.
(G) Team Leadership & Capacity Building:
(1) Lead, mentor, and develop the finance team, fostering high standards of professionalism and accountability;
(2) Build succession plans and support continuous learning and professional development within the finance function;
(3) Promote knowledge sharing and financial literacy across programme and operations teams.
(H) Procurement Oversight:
(1) Oversee and guide all procurement activities to ensure compliance with organizational policies, donor requirements, and regulatory standards;
(2) Develop, implement, and regularly update procurement policies, standard operating procedures, and internal controls to strengthen transparency and efficiency;
(3) Establish and maintain strong relationships with vendors and service providers, ensuring quality, and cost-effectiveness.
(I) General Management:
(1) Contribute as a member of the senior leadership team to organisational strategy and decision-making;
(2) Work collaboratively with operations, programmes, and support functions to strengthen organisational effectiveness;
(3) Undertake additional responsibilities as assigned by the CEO in line with the role’s leadership mandate.
4. QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES:
Qualification
(1) Professional accounting qualification (CA, ACCA, CPA, ICMA) or a Master’s degree in Finance / MBA (Finance).
Experience
(1) Minimum 12–15 years of experience in finance roles, with a minimum of five years in leadership roles, preferably within NGOs, INGOs, development organisations, or donor-funded environments;
(2) Demonstrated experience in budgeting, financial reporting, audits, compliance, and multi-project financial management;
(3) Exposure to donor-funded programmes, multi-currency accounting, and complex regulatory environments.
Skills and Competencies
(1) Strong strategic and analytical capability with the ability to translate financial data into management insights;
(2) Sound understanding of financial controls, risk management, and governance;
(3) Experience in leading and developing high-performing teams;
(4) Fluency in English and local language(s);
(5) Excellent written and oral communication skills;
(6) Proficiency with financial systems, accounting software, and advanced Excel-based analysis;
(7) Excellent stakeholder-management skills;
(8) Ability to drive change, strengthen systems, and work effectively across functions;
(9) Ability to implement new systems and affect staff behavioural/ attitudinal change;
(10) Excellent interpersonal skills.
5. COMPENSATION OFFERED:
The salary and benefits package budgeted for the position is attractive and shall be commensurate with qualifications, experience and salary history.
6. LOCATION: Mumbai
7. REFERENCE: CFO-AKAH
8. CONTACT INFORMATION:
Team SAMS
Strategic Alliance Management Services P Ltd.
1/1B, Choudhary Hetram House, Bharat Nagar
New Friends Colony, New Delhi 110 025
Phone Nos.: 011-4081 9900; 4165 3612
9. APPLICATION PROCESS:
Eligible candidates are requested to submit their resumes along with a cover letter, by clicking on the link https://www.samsstc.com/Jobs/job-description/chief-financial-officer-aga-khan-agency-for-habitat-india-mumbai/364 at the earliest.
