Digby Wells Environmental, a globally recognized environmental and social consultancy, is seeking to appoint an experienced and visionary Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to join its Executive Leadership Team in Gauteng. This permanent executive-level position presents a unique opportunity for a highly accomplished finance professional to play a pivotal role in shaping the financial strategy, governance, and long-term sustainability of a growing international consulting group.
As a company dedicated to delivering responsible and sustainable solutions in complex environments, Digby Wells Environmental partners with clients across industries to ensure responsible resource management and environmental stewardship. With a strong presence across multiple African countries and international jurisdictions, the organization continues to expand its influence and operational footprint. The Chief Financial Officer will therefore be responsible for ensuring the financial stability, governance integrity, and strategic growth of the group across its multi-country structure.
About the Organisation
Digby Wells Environmental operates under a UK holding company structure, with subsidiaries and operational offices in several regions including South Africa, Mali, Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, and Jersey.
The organization works with clients in challenging operating environments to provide solutions that balance economic growth with environmental and social responsibility. As the company continues to scale its operations and strengthen governance structures internationally, the CFO will play a crucial role in ensuring financial strategy aligns with long-term business growth and sustainability goals.
Purpose of the Role
Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the Chief Financial Officer will provide strategic financial leadership across the entire group. The CFO will also work closely with the Board of Directors and the Finance and Risk Committee to oversee financial performance, governance, risk management, and capital strategy.
This is a board-facing leadership role, requiring a candidate who can combine strong commercial insight with governance expertise. The CFO will ensure that financial decisions support both business growth and responsible corporate practices across multiple jurisdictions.
Strategic Financial Stewardship
One of the CFO’s core responsibilities will be to guide the long-term financial direction of the organization. The successful candidate will help shape and implement the company’s financial strategy while ensuring sustainable growth and operational efficiency.
Key responsibilities include:
- Driving commercial performance across the group by improving profitability, utilisation, and revenue quality.
- Working closely with operational leaders across service lines and countries to enhance financial performance and accountability.
- Developing and guiding the group’s long-term financial strategy aligned with its five-year growth plan.
- Providing strategic advice to the CEO and Board regarding capital allocation, dividend policy, and reinvestment strategies.
- Supporting the organisation’s expansion into new markets and jurisdictions across Africa and beyond.
- Leading financial oversight during the establishment of new entities, mergers, joint ventures, and strategic investments.
- Strengthening financial resilience and ensuring sustainable profitability across the group’s international operations.
The CFO will therefore act as a strategic partner to executive leadership, ensuring that financial management supports innovation, growth, and operational excellence.
Governance and International Financial Oversight
Given the company’s multi-jurisdictional structure, strong governance and compliance oversight will be central to this role. The CFO will ensure that the group operates in line with global best practices while meeting statutory obligations across different regulatory environments.
Responsibilities in this area include:
- Ensuring sound corporate governance across the group’s global operations.
- Overseeing compliance with relevant legal frameworks, including the UK Companies Act requirements related to the holding company structure.
- Developing and implementing a Group transfer pricing strategy to ensure compliance with international tax regulations.
- Managing cross-border financial structures and international tax strategies.
- Providing oversight of tax governance across all operating jurisdictions.
- Presenting consolidated financial results and forward-looking financial forecasts to the Board.
- Ensuring that governance structures remain transparent, robust, and aligned with international standards.
This governance oversight will help ensure that the organisation maintains high standards of financial integrity and regulatory compliance across all markets.
Financial Risk Management and Sustainability
Another key component of the CFO’s responsibilities will involve managing financial risk while supporting sustainable growth. The CFO will help the organization identify potential financial risks and implement robust controls to mitigate them.
Key duties include:
- Defining and implementing financial levels of authority across the organisation.
- Establishing the group’s financial risk appetite and ensuring appropriate control frameworks across all entities.
- Identifying potential financial risks and reporting them to the Finance and Risk Committee.
- Managing capital structures and funding strategies across multiple jurisdictions.
- Ensuring strong governance frameworks that align with global best practices.
- Acting as a trusted custodian of fiduciary responsibility and ethical financial leadership.
Through these responsibilities, the CFO will help safeguard the financial health and long-term sustainability of the organisation.
Leadership and Finance Function Development
Beyond strategic oversight, the CFO will also lead and develop the global finance function within the organisation.
Key leadership responsibilities include:
- Managing the global finance function through the Group Financial Manager and country-level finance teams.
- Ensuring financial systems and processes are scalable and suitable for international operations.
- Creating a culture of accountability, integrity, and high performance within the finance team.
- Strengthening financial capabilities within emerging market environments.
- Ensuring alignment between finance teams across multiple countries.
The CFO will play a key role in building a strong and capable finance function that supports the organisation’s global ambitions.
Candidate Requirements
Qualifications
Candidates must possess a recognised professional accounting qualification such as:
- Chartered Accountant – CA(SA)
- ACA
- ACCA or an equivalent internationally recognised designation.
Additional qualifications in corporate governance or international taxation would be considered advantageous.
Professional Experience
The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in senior financial leadership roles, particularly within complex international organisations.
Key experience requirements include:
- 15+ years of progressive financial leadership experience.
- At least 10 years at Executive or Board level.
- Experience managing multi-entity and multi-country corporate structures.
- Direct exposure to governance requirements within UK holding company structures.
- Strong knowledge of international tax governance and cross-border compliance.
- Experience working across African or emerging market economies.
- Background in professional services, consulting, engineering, or resources sectors preferred.
- Demonstrated experience supporting acquisitions, joint ventures, or strategic expansion initiatives.
Personal Attributes and Leadership Style
The successful CFO will bring not only financial expertise but also the leadership qualities needed to operate at the highest level of the organization.
The ideal candidate will:
- Demonstrate strong integrity and sound ethical judgment.
- Be confident in constructively challenging senior leaders when necessary.
- Promote financial discipline and accountability across the organization.
- Balance strong commercial insight with responsible governance practices.
- Work effectively in complex and diverse regulatory environments.
- Lead with a collaborative and partnership-driven approach.
- Possess the credibility and presence to engage confidently with the Board.
A Strategic Leadership Opportunity
This role offers an exceptional opportunity for a senior finance executive to influence the strategic direction of a growing international consultancy. As CFO, you will be instrumental in shaping the financial future of Digby Wells Environmental while ensuring the organization continues to operate responsibly and sustainably across multiple regions.
For experienced financial leaders who are passionate about governance, sustainability, and international business growth, this position represents a unique and rewarding career opportunity.
