Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR) – Chief Executive Officer

Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR) is a Rwandan not-for-profit company established in 2010 to promote financial inclusion and sector development in Rwanda. AFR is currently funded by Sweden, The Mastercard Foundation, Gates Foundation, Jersey Overseas Aid, and Global Impact/Co-Develop. It is part of the broader Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) Network in Africa that seeks to create a transformative impact on ending poverty by supporting efforts to improve financial inclusion and financial sector development by helping policymakers, regulators, financial service providers and markets drive more inclusive and sustainable economic growth. AFR supports the removal of systemic barriers that hinder access to and use of financial services by low-income people, particularly the rural poor, women, youth and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and supports the development and provision of financial services including savings, credit, insurance, investment, payments, and remittances. AFR is a gender-intentional organization, having mainstreamed gender across all programming. It is guided by the Market System Development (MSD) approach recognizing that efforts to increase financial inclusion and financial sector development must be market-led, profitable and sustainable.

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AFR seeks to seeks to recruit a CEO to lead strategy, drive impact, and position the organisation as a catalyst for inclusive financial sector growth in Rwanda.

About the Role

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR) provides overall strategic leadership and direction, ensuring the organisation delivers high-impact, value-for-money programmes that advance financial inclusion and inclusive economic growth. The CEO leads the design and execution of evidence-based strategies and oversees a coherent portfolio of programmes that address systemic market challenges and drive sustainable change.

As the organisation’s most senior leader, the CEO ensures strong integration of research, programme quality, and development impact, while fostering a culture of learning and innovation. The role also drives resource mobilisation by shaping fundable initiatives and maintaining strong partnerships with donors and stakeholders. Through effective governance, leadership, and external engagement, the CEO positions AFR as a trusted, high-performing institution delivering lasting development impact.

Reporting line: Board of Directors
Supervises: Chief Programmes Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Operations Officer, Head of People & Culture, Head of Strategic Communications & Market Engagement and Executive Assistant
Location: Kigali, Rwanda
Duration of the contract: Indefinite

Key Responsibilities

The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) will be responsible for the following key tasks:

• Thought Leadership, Strategy & Innovation: Provide visionary leadership, set AFR’s strategic direction, and champion innovation to deliver evidence-based, high-impact interventions in Rwanda’s financial sector and real economy.
• Ensuring Impactful Interventions: Oversee programme delivery, monitor performance, and ensure AFR’s interventions achieve intended outcomes while promoting learning and continuous improvement.
• Strategic Relationship Management: Build and maintain trusted relationships with government, financial institutions, funders, and development partners to influence policy, drive collaboration, and strengthen AFR’s visibility.
• Enterprise Governance & Risk Management: Ensure effective governance, compliance, and risk management, providing timely and high-quality information to the Board and managing organisational integrity.
• Financial Viability & Resource Mobilisation: Lead resource mobilisation, oversee financial planning, and ensure sustainable, value-for-money use of resources.
• Leadership & Team Empowerment: Build a high-performing, motivated team, promote an inclusive culture, and develop staff through mentoring, succession planning, and professional growth.
• Other Duties: Perform additional responsibilities as requested by the Board to support AFR’s mission and strategic objectives.

Requirements

Essential:

• A Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university. Relevant postgraduate qualifications (e.g., MBA, MFin, or development- focused degree) is desirable.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Minimum 7 years of executive or senior management experience, with a strong track record of strategic leadership in the financial sector, development finance, or a related field.
• Deep expertise in financial inclusion and market systems development, with at least 7 years at the forefront of innovation, policy influence, or investment in inclusive finance.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives that deliver systemic change in emerging or developing economies.
• Proven ability to formulate, implement, and adapt strategy based on evidence, learning, and M&E frameworks.
• Successful track record of representing an organisation at the highest levels, influencing funders, government actors, private sector leaders, and development partners.
• Experience mobilising and managing investment from a diversified base of donors, investors, or development finance institutions.
• Strong leadership and people management skills, including building high-performing teams and leading organisational change.

Desirable:

• Experience in embedding adaptive management, innovation, and learning cultures into organisational strategy.
• Exposure to international networks and partnerships in financial sector development or inclusive economic growth.

Key Behavioral Competencies

• Initiative & Decisiveness: Self-starter who takes ownership and acts decisively to achieve organisational goals.
• Innovation & Value Addition: Drives creativity and continuous improvement, generating solutions that add value.
• Thought Leadership: Analyses complex information objectively and provides expert guidance to shape strategy and decisions.
• Drive for Results: Highly motivated to deliver quality outcomes with accountability and impact.
• Relationship Building: Builds and sustains trusted, collaborative relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
• Communication & Influencing: Communicates clearly and persuasively, adapting to diverse audiences to influence outcomes.
• Learning & Resourcefulness: Adapts to change, overcomes challenges, and fosters growth for self and the organisation.