Associate Director of Finance - College of Engineering - CMU Africa

Carnegie Mellon University Africa (CMU-Africa) is Carnegie Mellon University's global location in Africa, based in Kigali, Rwanda. Through graduate education, research, innovation, and strategic partnerships, CMU-Africa contributes to the development of technology talent and digital transformation across the African continent.

CMU-Africa operates within a complex international environment involving University operating funds, sponsored research and programs, government and funding partner resources, and other institutional funding sources.

Finance at CMU-Africa operates through a distributed model that brings together the CMU-Africa Finance team in Kigali and Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering, and International Finance teams in Pittsburgh. These teams work in close partnership and share end-to-end responsibility for financial processes. Accounting and financial reporting, accounts payable processing, treasury services, and other centralized financial activities are performed by International Finance, while the CMU-Africa Finance team provides local financial leadership, planning and analysis, business partnership, sponsored program financial management, procurement oversight, and operational coordination. The College of Engineering team provides college-level financial oversight and partnership, connecting CMU-Africa's financial planning and management with the broader financial priorities, governance, and processes of the College. They provide guidance and oversight on significant financial matters and serve as an important link between CMU-Africa and the University's broader financial organization.

The Opportunity

CMU-Africa is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and strategically minded Associate Director of Finance to lead its Finance function in Kigali. Reporting to the Chief Operations Officer, the Associate Director will serve as CMU-Africa’s senior finance business partner, providing financial leadership, analysis, and advice to support institutional and program decision-making.

The Associate Director will lead the CMU-Africa Finance team and work closely with the College of Engineering and International Finance teams in Pittsburgh as part of a distributed finance model. The role is responsible for ensuring that CMU-Africa has the financial planning, management information, controls, and operational support needed to manage its resources effectively.

CMU-Africa operates with a lean, hands-on leadership model, and the Associate Director will combine functional leadership with direct execution. The successful candidate will be equally comfortable advising senior leaders, leading and developing a team, and personally undertaking the financial analysis, reporting, problem-solving, and operational work required to support the institution.

Key Responsibilities

- Lead and directly contribute to CMU-Africa's financial planning and performance management, including annual and multi-year budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis and management reporting. Develop analyses, models and reports as required to support decision-making and ensure resources remain aligned with institutional priorities.
- Serve as the senior finance business partner to the Chief Operating Officer, CMU-Africa Director, leadership team, Principal Investigators and budget owners, providing financial advice, scenario analysis and recommendations, while directly supporting the financial work required to translate institutional and program priorities into actionable plans.
- Lead and actively manage the financial aspects of CMU-Africa's sponsored research and program portfolio, including developing proposal budgets, preparing forecasts and analyses, monitoring expenditure and funding availability, supporting financial reporting, and working directly with Principal Investigators and program leaders to address financial issues and sponsor requirements.
- Lead and participate directly in procurement and financial operations, including significant procurements, sourcing and vendor activities, travel and expense administration, and other financial workflows. Provide appropriate oversight while stepping into operational activities where complexity, workload or business needs require.
- Maintain CMU-Africa's financial governance, risk and control environment, applying appropriate controls in day-to-day financial activities, resolving or escalating issues, and directly supporting audits, regulatory reviews and other assurance activities as required.
- Lead CMU-Africa's participation in the University's distributed finance model, working closely with the College of Engineering and International Finance to coordinate end-to-end financial processes, resolve operational issues and ensure effective delivery of financial services across Kigali and Pittsburgh.
- Drive the continued development of CMU-Africa's finance function, identifying and implementing improvements to processes, systems, management information, data quality and ways of working, while building financial capability across the institution.
- Lead and develop the CMU-Africa Finance team, establishing clear roles, priorities and performance expectations and developing staff capability, while remaining actively engaged in the team’s day-to-day work and providing hands-on support during periods of complexity, peak workload or changing institutional priorities.

Qualifications
Education

- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field required.
- Master’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related discipline preferred.
- A recognized professional accounting qualification such as CPA, ACCA, CA, CIMA, or equivalent is strongly preferred.
- An equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience may be considered.

Experience

- Significant progressively responsible experience in financial management, financial planning and analysis, management reporting, business partnering, or related finance functions, including experience at a management or senior professional level.
- Demonstrated experience leading budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, and management reporting within a complex organization.
- Experience managing or providing financial oversight for externally funded programs, grants, sponsored research, or other restricted funding.
- Experience providing procurement leadership, strategic sourcing, vendor management, or related financial operations oversight.
- Demonstrated experience advising senior leaders and translating complex financial information into clear insights, implications, and recommendations.
- Experience leading and developing finance professionals and managing team priorities and performance.
- Experience working in a matrixed or shared-services environment where responsibility for financial processes is distributed across multiple teams.

Knowledge, Skills and Competencies

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

- Strong financial leadership, planning, analysis, and business-partnering capabilities.
- Excellent understanding of budgeting, forecasting, management reporting, sponsored program finance, procurement, financial controls, and financial operations.
- Strong ability to interpret financial and operational data, identify trends and risks, and translate analysis into practical recommendations.
- Ability to communicate complex financial information clearly to financial and non- financial audiences.
- Sound commercial and financial judgment and the confidence to provide constructive challenge and advice to senior stakeholders.
- Excellent interpersonal and relationship-management skills, with the ability to build trust and work effectively across teams, functions, cultures, and geographic locations.
- Demonstrated ability to lead through collaboration and influence in a matrixed environment where responsibilities are shared across teams.
- Strong people leadership, coaching, and team-development capabilities.
- Sound judgment, integrity, discretion, and commitment to responsible financial stewardship.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic environment.
- Experience with enterprise financial systems and financial analysis and reporting tools.
- A proactive, service-oriented approach and commitment to continuous improvement.

Why Join CMU-Africa?

This is an opportunity to take on a senior financial leadership role within Carnegie Mellon University's global location in Africa and contribute directly to the financial sustainability and effective stewardship of an institution advancing education, research, innovation, and technology development across the continent.

The Associate Director of Finance will work closely with CMU-Africa's leadership and colleagues across Carnegie Mellon University, providing strategic financial advice and helping ensure that the institution has the financial information, processes, controls, and capabilities required to support its growing and increasingly complex portfolio.

The role offers the opportunity to lead and develop the CMU-Africa Finance team, shape the continued evolution of the institution's financial operating model, strengthen the partnership between Kigali and Pittsburgh, and improve the use of financial information in institutional planning and decision-making.

Joining the CMU team opens the door to an array of exceptional benefits.

Benefits eligible employees enjoy a wide array of benefits including comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision insurance as well as a generous retirement savings program with employer contributions. Unlock your potential with tuition benefits , take well-deserved breaks with ample paid time off and observed holidays , and rest easy with life and accidental death and disability insurance.

Additional perks include a free Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus pass, access to our Family Concierge Team to help navigate childcare needs, fitness center access , and much more!

For a comprehensive overview of the benefits available, explore our Benefits page .

At Carnegie Mellon, we value the whole package when extending offers of employment. Beyond credentials, we evaluate the role and responsibilities, your valuable work experience, and the knowledge gained through education and training. We appreciate your unique skills and the perspective you bring. Your journey with us is about more than just a job; it’s about finding the perfect fit for your professional growth and personal aspirations.

Are you interested in an exciting opportunity with an exceptional organization?! Apply today!

Location
Kigali, Rwanda
Job Function
Business Administration and Services
Position Type
Staff – Regular
Full Time/Part time
Full time
Pay Basis

More Information:

- Please visit “ Why Carnegie Mellon ” to learn more about becoming part of an institution inspiring innovations that change the world.
- Click here to view a listing of employee benefits
- Carnegie Mellon University is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran .
- Statement of Assurance