Chief Financial Officer

Help shape the next chapter of an international organisation working where the challenges are greatest

Cordaid is entering an important new phase. We are moving towards a leaner, more decentralised, locally led and partner-centred organisation in which decision-making and accountability are placed closer to partners, communities and operational realities. Our ambition is to combine strong local ownership with the financial resilience, professional standards, integrity and accountability expected of an international organisation working in some of the world’s most complex contexts.

To help lead Cordaid through this next phase, we are looking for an experienced and forward-looking Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

As CFO, you will be at the heart of this change. This is a role for a leader who sees finance not merely as a control function, but as a catalyst for mission, innovation, growth and lasting societal impact.

As Chief Financial Officer, you are a statutory member of Cordaid's Board of Directors.Together with the CEO and senior leadership team, you will shape the organization's strategic direction, strengthen its long-term sustainability and help create the conditions that enable meaningful impact across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and beyond.

You have overall responsibility for the Shared Services Unit and provide strategic leadership across finance, risk, compliance, legal, procurement, integrity, safeguarding, HR governance, IT and data protection. Your challenge is to ensure that these functions operate as a coherent, professional and service-oriented backbone: safeguarding Cordaid while enabling regions and partners to operate effectively.

What you will do

You will play a pivotal role in shaping Cordaid's future, combining strategic vision with operational excellence, helping Cordaid maximise its impact in some of the world's most challenging contexts while ensuring the organisation remains financially strong, trusted and future ready. You will:

• Drive Cordaid's financial strategy, ensuring long-term sustainability, strong financial health and alignment between organisational ambitions and funding realities.
• Act as a strategic adviser to the CEO, International Management Team, Audit Committee and Supervisory Board on financial performance, investments, risk management and organisational resilience.
• Lead finance and control across the organisation, ensuring robust planning, budgeting, forecasting, reporting, treasury management and financial stewardship.
• Strengthen financial governance across Cordaid's group structure, safeguarding transparency, accountability and compliance across legal entities and affiliated organisations.
• Provide leadership to the Shared Services function, bringing together finance, legal, compliance, procurement, HR governance, safeguarding, IT and data protection into a coherent and enabling support structure.
• Champion a strong culture of risk management, integrity and compliance, ensuring donor, regulatory and fiduciary requirements are translated into practical and effective ways of working.
• Oversee donor compliance and project finance, strengthening accountability while supporting partner-centred and locally led approaches to programme delivery.
• Ensure Cordaid's financial systems, data and digital control environment enable reliable decision-making, operational efficiency and audit readiness.
• Play a key leadership role in the ongoing organisational transition, helping shape a lean, agile and future-fit organisation while safeguarding continuity and performance.
• Lead, inspire and develop high-performing finance and shared services teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, learning, accountability and service excellence.
• Embed the highest standards of integrity, ethical leadership and safeguarding across the organisation and within your areas of responsibility.

Who you are

You are a seasoned financial and organisational leader with the credibility and judgement required for a statutory Board position in a complex international organisation. You bring:

• Master’s level knowledge of finance, accounting, business administration or a related discipline, preferably with CPA, RA, RC or an equivalent professional qualification.
• At least 10 years of demonstrated experience of not-for-profit financial management, Dutch statutory reporting, donor compliance, audit coordination, internal control and integrated risk management.
• Proven ability to lead financial strategy, organisational transformation and shared services in a complex international organisation.
• Experience with donor-funded programming, project finance, grant management, partner due diligence and financial controls in fragile or conflict-affected contexts.
• Strong strategic writing and analytical skills to formulate financial strategy, frameworks, board papers, risk assessments and decision documents.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills for engagement with the Supervisory Board, Audit Committee, external auditors, donors, governments, financial institutions, partners and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to lead through ambiguity, build trust, foster cross-domain collaboration and translate compliance requirements into practical enabling solutions. Proven ability to assess, redesign and embed effective internal control environments.
• High integrity, sound judgement and a strong commitment to safeguarding, anti-fraud, accountability and ethical leadership, with the ability to identify and address control weaknesses and integrity risks.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English are required; professional proficiency in French is a strong asset.

What we offer:

• As well as meaningful role, a key position in an international and dynamic organisation in which you can contribute to provide aid where it is needed the most.
• A hybrid work environment with an office in the city centre of The Hague.
• A salary commensurate with the role.
• Excellent fringe benefits.
• Flexible working hours and the option to work partly from home.
• An environment that encourages personal and professional development.

For detailed information about the advertised role, please contact Sandrien Izaaks at humanresourcesgo@cordaid.org 

How to apply

Applications including a motivation letter and a CV in English for the attention of Sandrien Izaaks, Interim HR manager can be uploaded through our website by clicking on below red button 'Apply now'.

In your cover letter, we would like you to explain what motivates you to work for Cordaid, your professional pride and achievements, the value of your practical experience, and how you intend to put this to good use. We look forward to discovering how you can make a difference!

Your application must be received by the 4^th of October 2026 at the latest.

We aim to complete the recruitment process in October 2026. The pre-selection interviews will take place in week 42, and the final interviews in week 43.

Cordaid is fully committed to a safe working environment and the highest integrity standards. To read more on our commitment to Integrity, click here: https://www.cordaid.org/en/who-we-are/integrity-and-code-of-conduct/ An integrity screening will be part of this application procedure.

Applicants must be nationals of a European Union member State or have a valid work permit for the European Union.

For more information about Cordaid, please visit our website: www.cordaid.org

Acquisition regarding this vacancy is not appreciated.