Fractional Chief Financial & Operations Architect

Allied Talent Partners; Johannesburg; Remote; ZAR 500 000 - 600 000; Part time

Job summary

A not-for-profit talent marketplace is seeking a Fractional Chief Financial & Operations Architect to establish financial governance and compliance structures. The role requires a minimum of 12 years in finance or operations and offers the opportunity to shape a high-impact institution. This is a temporary position primarily working remotely, with an immediate start date.

Qualifications

• Minimum 12 years of experience in finance, operations, or institutional development.
• Experience establishing finance, treasury, and governance systems.
• Prior experience overseeing Swiss or international regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Establish financial governance structures and reporting templates.
• Design the internal fundraising tokenisation framework.
• Coordinate Swiss registration with external counsel.

Skills

Financial governance

Treasury management

Compliance frameworks

Data analysis

Organisational design

Education

Advanced degree in finance or business

MBA or CFA preferred

Job description

Fractional Chief Financial & Operations Architect Join to apply for the Fractional Chief Financial & Operations Architect role at Allied Talent Partners (ATP), a Three Cairns Group initiative. ATP is a mission‑driven, not‑for‑profit talent marketplace focused on solving the human capital bottlenecks slowing down sustainable development efforts in emerging economies, with an initial focus on Africa.

ATP connects vetted, experienced, context‑relevant professionals to high‑impact opportunities in energy access and sustainable development – strengthening local capacity and fuelling economic vitality.

We specialise in fixed‑term, deliverable‑driven engagements – from interim leadership and generalist projects to niche technical expertise – handling project scoping, talent vetting and matching, contracting, payroll, and compliance so that our clients can focus on impact.

High‑Level Overview

The client is seeking a CFO / COO to design and strengthen the institutional architecture required for Swiss registration, tokenised fundraising, and blended finance operations.

Operating at the intersection of finance, operations, and compliance, the role will establish the frameworks, systems, and governance structures needed to underpin growth and regulatory readiness.

The CFO / COO will define the client’s financial and governance roadmap, ensuring alignment between institutional policies, treasury management, and tokenisation design.

Reporting directly to the CEO, the CFO / COO will act as the senior functional advisor on financial management, governance, and operational integration.

The role will focus on designing frameworks and defining roadmaps—not day‑to‑day execution—across finance, compliance, and data systems.

Working closely with the Operations Lead, Chief of Staff, and external counsel, the CFO / COO will embed scalable systems and decision‑making routines that promote operational discipline, transparency, and accountability.

As the organisation matures, the CFO / COO will guide the evolution of its structure and capabilities, recommending future resourcing or recruitment in finance, compliance, and operations as required.

The role offers an opportunity to shape a high‑impact institution at a pivotal stage, establishing the foundations for both financial sustainability and tokenisation readiness.

Role & Responsibilities

Works closely with the Operations Lead, Chief of Staff, and external legal counsel.

No direct reports currently, but may later oversee finance and compliance staff as the organisation scales.

Corporate Finance and Treasury Management

Establish financial governance structures, reporting templates, and monthly close processes to deliver reconciled financials within ten business days of month‑end.

Implement internal controls for approvals and reconciliations to ensure audit readiness.

Develop cash‑flow and runway visibility tools for leadership and investor reporting.

Define the roadmap for migrating from spreadsheets to an integrated finance and treasury management platform for hybrid fiat and digital assets.

Tokenisation and Treasury Integration

Design the client’s internal fundraising tokenisation framework, including token structure, vesting, governance, and integration with financial systems.

Coordinate with Swiss legal counsel and other advisors to validate the tokenomics model and ensure compliance with emerging FINMA and MiCA standards.

Deliver a tokenisation blueprint and phased implementation roadmap by Q

• Outlining key milestones, dependencies, and governance implications.

Legal, Governance, and Compliance Frameworks

Coordinate Swiss registration with external counsel, ensuring timely incorporation as an association and roadmap to a foundation structure.

Expand draft internal policies into a comprehensive governance and compliance framework aligned with Swiss and international standards, covering finance, delegation of authority, procurement, audit, risk, data protection, and ethics.

Establish a phased compliance roadmap linking policy priorities to growth and tokenisation milestones.

Data‑Aware Operations and Systems Design

Assess current operational and reporting systems to identify workflow and data inefficiencies.

Define the roadmap for a scalable, cloud‑based data and reporting architecture integrating financial, operational, and token metrics.

Establish data‑governance principles for accuracy, traceability, and accountability.

Develop dashboards and reporting routines enabling real‑time, data‑driven decision‑making.

Work with the Operations Lead and Chief of Staff to embed data systems and reporting practices into institutional performance routines.

Organisational Design and Implementation Support

Collaborate with the Operations Lead and Chief of Staff to clarify roles, decision rights, and reporting lines across finance, operations, and tokenisation to support effective cross‑functional governance.

Define an organisational framework balancing strategic oversight with lean delivery, with recommendations for future structure by mid‑

Develop a resourcing plan identifying priority hires or outsourced functions in finance and compliance.

Support leadership in embedding coordination mechanisms (e.g., meeting cadence and reporting routines) to ensure operational alignment within three months of onboarding.

Phasing and Priority Focus

Immediate (0–3 months) : Establish monthly close and reporting routines, implement reconciliations, ensure financial visibility and control, and coordinate Swiss registration progress.

Medium Term (3–9 months) : Deliver the tokenisation blueprint, governance and compliance frameworks, and finance‑system roadmap.

Longer Term (9–12 months) : Drive institutional readiness for finance and compliance system implementation, finalise governance policies, and establish operational reporting dashboards.

Success Metrics

Monthly close completed within 10 business days.

% reconciled fiat and crypto balances.

12‑month runway visibility updated monthly.

High‑priority compliance and filings completed on time, with phased plan for remaining compliance and governance frameworks to be implemented subsequently.

Tokenisation roadmap ready for implementation by Q

Requirements

Experience: Minimum 12 years of experience in finance, operations, or institutional development within DFIs, impact investors, or financial technology environments.

Demonstrated experience establishing finance, treasury, and governance systems in early‑stage or scaling organisations.

Prior experience overseeing Swiss or international regulatory compliance and working with legal counsel on registration or foundation structures is highly desirable.

Exposure to digital assets, tokenisation, or fintech‑enabled financial operations preferred.

Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams across finance, operations, and legal functions.

Technical Requirements

Advanced degree in finance, business administration, economics, or related discipline (MBA or CFA preferred).

Strong understanding of financial controls, reporting standards, and audit processes.

Familiarity with Swiss governance frameworks, international compliance standards, and digital finance technologies.

Proven ability to design and implement integrated financial and operational systems.

Exceptional analytical, reporting, and data interpretation skills.

Other Skills

Mission‑driven and deeply motivated by Africa's energy and climate transformation.

Entrepreneurial and self‑directed, with a strong bias for building from the ground up.

Strategically minded and execution‑focused, able to translate complex objectives into practical financial and operational systems with clear accountability.

Collaborative across finance, legal, and technical functions, aligning diverse teams toward shared goals.

Adaptable and effective in decentralised, fast‑moving digital environments.

Globally minded with strong stakeholder engagement skills, able to build trust across investors, partners, and institutional counterparts.

Working Arrangement

Location : Global / Remote
Travel : Occasional travel for strategic planning or partnership meetings.

Terms of Agreement

Start Date : Immediate
Contracting Period : 3‑month pilot starting at ~ hours / week initially, flexible (renewable based on performance and organisational needs).

Seniority Level : Executive
Employment Type : Temporary
Job Function : Management and Manufacturing Industries – Professional Services

Additional Notes: None