Role Description

Overview: The Finance Director is responsible for driving the organization’s financial operations and improving financial performance. Their sound financial planning coupled with their ability to direct financial assets will assist the organization in implementing effective financial strategies, managing debt, improving revenue, maintaining a healthy financial position, and enhancing investor confidence.

Responsibilities and Duties include:

1. Directing financial planning and strategy
2. Working capital and debt management, including building relationships with financial institutions
3. Communicating and interacting with the Board of Directors, Audit Committee, and CEO on an ongoing basis
4. Ensuring the best international standards of governance and internal control are implemented and maintained
   Overseeing audit and tax functions
5. Preparing accurate and timely financial statements in accordance with international accounting standards
6. Preparing forecasts and comprehensive budgets, including reviewing departmental budgets
7. Analyzing and reporting on financial performance through regular management accounts
8. Owning management information systems and risk management, including cybersecurity
9. Establishing the institutional reporting framework and ensuring that stakeholder reports are delivered as per the contractual or commercial understanding
10. Training accounting staff
11. Training a team of Kenyan finance professionals. The plan for training a Kenyan accountant includes:

• Cascading knowledge regarding international standards of governance and internal control
• Cascading knowledge regarding the preparation of accurate financial statements in accordance with international accounting standards
• Training the Kenyan accountants to handle all accounting matters in respect of the five or more local entities before rolling out similar systems and processes across other markets in Africa as the business expands from its head office in Nairobi
• Working with the Kenyan accountants to assess the needs of the business and the current information systems and considering sourcing alternative systems or consolidation tools, a project that could then be led by the Kenyan accountant.

Skills and Experience:

1. Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance
2. Proficiency in accounting software
3. Financial management experience
4. Strong aptitude for math
5. Good communication skills
   Computer literacy
6. Strong analytical skills
7. Broad knowledge of accounting principles
8. A broad and deep network of contacts in East Africa (especially Kenya) financial institutions
   Proficiency with MS Office, particularly Excel
9. Some regional travel may be required
10. Nairobi-based role