Finance Controller / Chief Finance Officer

Role Overview

This is a senior leadership position for a hands-on finance executive who will work directly with the CEO to guide a founder-led manufacturing business through a period of regional growth and institutional maturity. The role goes beyond traditional accounting—it covers strategic planning, systems transformation, risk oversight, banking relationships, and the development of a governance structure that supports both family ownership and professional management. In daily practice, you will balance board-level reporting and audit oversight with operational decisions on costing, treasury, and ERP implementation, while building a finance function that can scale across multiple African markets.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a strategic advisor to the CEO and Board, shaping investment priorities, business plans, and long-term financial direction as the company expands beyond its current markets.
• Lead the full cycle of financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting, providing leadership with clear, actionable insights and performance analysis.
• Own statutory reporting and the annual audit process, including auditor selection, resolution of findings, and presenting results to the Audit Committee and Board.
• Establish and maintain robust internal controls, an internal audit programme, and a company-wide risk management framework suited to a mid-sized manufacturing operation.
• Manage tax strategy and compliance across corporate tax, VAT, withholding tax, transfer pricing, and statutory deductions (including NSSF, SHIF, and the Affordable Housing Levy) in line with evolving Kenyan legislation.
• Oversee treasury operations, cash flow forecasting, capital structure, banking partnerships, loan covenants, and trade finance instruments such as letters of credit for raw material and packaging imports.
• Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of SAP Business One, driving process design, change management, user adoption, and system integration to give leadership real-time, reliable data.
• Support fundraising and capital initiatives by preparing financial records, projections, and due diligence documentation for prospective lenders or equity investors, and coordinate governance and company secretarial compliance under the Companies Act.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Professional accounting designation: CPA(K), ACA, ACCA, CA, or an equivalent recognised international qualification.
• Ten to fifteen years of progressive finance experience, with at least three years at an executive or senior leadership level.
• Mandatory background in manufacturing; FMCG or food manufacturing experience is a distinct advantage.
• Hands-on experience with SAP Business One, including leading at least one full implementation from planning through go-live and stabilisation.
• Advanced financial modelling skills and strong Excel proficiency, alongside comfort working with ERP systems and data-driven reporting tools.
• Proven ability to influence across departments and levels, including working effectively within a founder-led and family-owned governance environment.
• High integrity, sound commercial judgement, and the resilience to operate in a fast-paced, high-growth setting.