Group Financial Controller

Group Financial Controller

Location: Remote, South Africa, Europe or United Kingdom 

Reports to: Chief Financial Officer

Level: Senior Manager/Associate Director

About Caribou 

Caribou is a global, remote-first consultancy working at the intersection of technology, inclusion, and impact. With a team of 50+ people across 20+ countries, we partner with foundations, companies, and governments to reimagine and deliver impact in a digital age.

We design strategies, manage funds, uncover insights, and measure impact to help organisations mobilise technology for inclusive and sustainable growth. Core to our culture is supporting staff autonomy over where, how, and when they work, with our annual in-person retreat bringing the full-time team together (recent locations include Kenya and Cape Town).

Role Overview

Caribou is seeking a Group Financial Controller to lead financial control, reporting, and finance operations across programs and central functions. Working closely with CFO and Program Leads, the Group Financial Controller is responsible for ensuring the integrity of financial reporting and strengthening financial discipline. 

This role is accountable for the production of accurate and timely financial information, while driving improvements in how Caribou plans, tracks, and governs program performance. It combines strong technical expertise with designing and embedding scalable financial processes. The role includes, but is not limited to, leadership across AP, AR and Global Payroll Functions, ensuring efficient execution of day-to-day Finance Operations.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on, digital-first operator with a strong controls mindset. They are comfortable operating at both a granular level and when required, contribute at a strategic level, to bring rigour to financial management. Highly organised and proactive, they are able to manage competing priorities while maintaining high standards of accuracy and accountability.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Control & Reporting

• Deliver high-quality, timely internal and external financial reporting, including client reporting, where required.
• Own the end-to-end financial oversight of program performance, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and integrity of all financial data.
• Ensure alignment between program performance, financial forecasts, and statutory reporting requirements
• Lead the preparation of materials for Quarterly Program Reviews, with a focus on accuracy, consistency, and clear financial narratives
• Support audit readiness, including coordination of program-level audits and documentation
  
  

Finance Operations & Team Leadership

• Lead and develop the Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and Payroll functions, ensuring high-quality, timely, and well-controlled execution
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations across the finance operations team
• Drive continuous improvement in transactional processes, with a focus on efficiency, accuracy, and scalability
• Build capability within the team through coaching, development, and structured performance management
• Ensure strong controls and governance across all transactional finance activities
  
  

Tax, Treasury & Compliance

• Oversee group tax compliance, including coordination of corporate tax and indirect tax (VAT) obligations (across jurisdictions)
• Manage relationships with external tax advisors to ensure accurate filings and proactive risk management
• Own cash flow forecasting and working capital management, ensuring sufficient working capital and financial discipline across the group
• Oversee banking relationships, payment processes, and financial controls related to cash management
• Ensure compliance with financial regulations and internal policies across all operating entities
  
  

Planning, Insight & Financial Discipline

• Own program-level inputs into budgeting and forecasting cycles, ensuring consistency and financial rigour.
• Maintain detailed and reliable forecasts across revenue, costs, and resource utilisation.
• Identify variances, risks, and opportunities, and ensure appropriate escalation and resolution.
• Support the CFO in consolidating program performance into group-level financial insights and reporting to the Executive team.
• Provide structured financial analysis to support strategic planning, including investment appraisals and cost management initiatives.
• Ensure forecasting and planning processes are underpinned by robust assumptions, reconciled data, and alignment to actual financial performance
  

Finance Transformation, Systems & Process Leadership

• Lead the transformation and continuous improvement of Caribou’s finance function, systems, controls, and operating processes to support a high-growth, globally distributed business
• Own the finance systems architecture and roadmap, including accounting, project management, reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and workflow tools
• Act as system owner for core finance and programme management platforms (including Project Works), ensuring strong governance, data integrity, scalability, and adoption
• Drive integration and alignment across Finance, HR, Operations, and project delivery systems to create reliable, connected, and decision-useful data
• Design and implement scalable, efficient, and well-controlled finance processes, reducing manual work and strengthening automation, reporting, and operational visibility
• Define and enforce standards for financial governance, data quality, approvals, controls, audit readiness, and system usage across the organisation
• Oversee finance-related user access, permissions, onboarding/offboarding controls, and system governance
• Develop dashboards, management reporting, and performance visibility tools that support commercial decision-making and organisational accountability
• Build a modern, digitally enabled finance function capable of supporting increasing operational complexity, international growth, and evolving business models

About You

Required Skills & Experience

• Strong financial control background (7+ years), including experience in month-end close, balance sheet management, and statutory reporting
• Experience operating in a multi-entity and/or international environment, with exposure to group consolidations 
• Qualified CA (SA, ACCA or equivalent)
• Demonstrated success and progression in broad finance roles with a strong technical understanding of financial concepts.
• Strong commercial judgement and understanding of organisational risk dynamics, with a particular focus on financial risks

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Experience championing digital-first processes and being a process owner
• Experience supporting Finance transformation or process automation initiatives
• Prior training or experience at Big4 or Mid-tier firm preferred but not essential
  

Personal Attributes

• Confident operator able to execute details and lead a capable team with confidence.
• Proactive, solutions-oriented, and able to anticipate needs.
• Collaborative and empathetic, skilled at bringing people together.
• Commitment to Caribou’s mission of building inclusive and sustainable digital economies.
  

Application Deadline

We review applications on a rolling basis and roles may close after 7 days due to high interest. To ensure full consideration, we encourage you to submit your application as early as possible.

What We Offer

• A front-row seat to the inner workings of a mission-driven, global consultancy.
• Opportunities to learn and grow across collaborative functions.
• A supportive international team that values flexibility, inclusion, and collaboration.
• Fully remote work, with occasional in-person opportunities and team retreats.

Find out more: https://caribou.global