About Our Client:

Our client is a well-established food and beverage manufacturing company with a strong market presence and an extensive distribution network across modern trade, HoReCa, and other key market channels.

The organization is executing an ambitious growth strategy focused on strengthening its financial leadership, governance, systems, and operational excellence to support continued regional expansion. This is a strategic executive opportunity for an experienced finance leader.

Role Overview

The Chief Finance Officer will serve as the CEO's key strategic partner in shaping and executing the company's growth agenda. Beyond financial stewardship, the role will provide executive leadership across finance, governance, business transformation, ERP implementation, risk management, and data-driven decision-making. Working within a founder-led business, the CFO will build trusted relationships with family ownership while strengthening governance, financial controls, and professional management practices to support sustainable regional expansion.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Executive Leadership

• Serve as a core member of the executive leadership team and report directly to the CEO and Board.
• Provide strategic financial input to support business planning, investment decisions, and organisational priorities.
• Drive business performance through insightful analysis, forecasting, and strategic guidance.
• Support the CEO and Board in navigating governance matters specific to a founder-led, family-owned business, balancing family and professional management interests.

Financial Management & Controls

• Lead financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting processes.
• Maintain strong internal controls, risk management, and compliance frameworks.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting to the CEO, Board, and external stakeholders.
• Lead the annual statutory audit process, including preparation, auditor engagement, resolution of audit findings, and presentation of outcomes to the Audit Committee and Board.
• Establish and oversee an internal audit function or programme appropriate to the size of the business.

Tax & Statutory Compliance

• Own the company's overall tax strategy and compliance, including corporate tax, VAT, and withholding tax obligations with KRA.
• Ensure compliance with statutory levies (NSSF, SHIF, Affordable Housing Levy) and evolving Kenyan employment and tax legislation.
• Oversee transfer pricing policy and documentation as the business expands into other African markets.

Treasury & Banking

• Oversee treasury management, cash flow planning, and capital structure.
• Manage banking relationships, credit facilities, and loan covenant compliance.
• Structure working capital and trade finance solutions (e.g. import financing, letters of credit) appropriate for raw material and packaging imports.
• Develop and implement foreign exchange risk management strategies to mitigate exposure arising from imports and future regional operations.

Governance & Company Secretarial

• Ensure compliance with Companies Act filing and statutory governance requirements, coordinating with company secretarial support as needed.
• Support the development of a governance framework appropriate to a business transitioning from founder-managed to professionally managed operations.

Capital & Fundraising

• Support the CEO and Board in evaluating and securing growth capital, including debt and/or equity financing as required for pan-African expansion.
• Prepare the business for investor or lender due diligence, ensuring financial records and controls meet external scrutiny.

Risk & Insurance

• Own the company's enterprise risk management framework.
• Manage the insurance portfolio, ensuring appropriate cover across property, business interruption, trade credit, and liability risk.

ERP & Systems Implementation

• Lead the implementation, optimisation, and ongoing enhancement of SAP Business One, ensuring effective process design, change management, user adoption, and continuous improvement.
• Drive automation and systems integration for operational and financial efficiency.
• Ensure real-time data and reports are accessible and actionable for leadership.

Operational Finance & Manufacturing Support

• Collaborate closely with manufacturing, operations, and supply chain teams to drive cost efficiency and improve performance metrics.
• Apply a strong manufacturing finance lens to product costing, inventory management, and margin analysis.
• Provide decision support across departments with clear, data-backed insights.

People & Team Leadership

• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing finance and accounting team.
• Promote a culture of accountability, learning, and excellence within the function.

Success Metrics (Indicative — to be finalised with CEO)

• First 6 Months: SAP Business One implementation roadmap agreed and underway; core financial controls and reporting cadence to Board established.
• First 12 Months: Clean/unqualified statutory audit; tax compliance fully current; treasury and banking structure optimised for working capital needs; finance team structure and capability assessed and strengthened.

Qualifications & Experience

• CPA(K), ACA, ACCA, CA, or an equivalent internationally recognised accounting qualification.
• Experience: 10–15 years in progressive finance roles, with at least 3 years in a senior leadership or executive role.
• Industry: Manufacturing experience is essential. Exposure to FMCG or food manufacturing is a strong advantage.
• ERP Experience: Hands-on experience with SAP Business One, including leading a full implementation.
• Advanced financial modelling and Excel skills, with strong proficiency in Microsoft Office and ERP systems, particularly SAP Business One.

Personal Attributes

• Highly analytical and detail-oriented.
• Strategic thinker with strong business acumen.
• Tech-savvy and systems-oriented.
• Excellent communicator — both written and verbal.
• Proactive, solutions-driven, and self-motivated.
• A trusted leader who can influence across departments and levels, and who can work comfortably within a founder-led governance structure.
• High integrity and sound professional judgement.
• Commercially minded with the ability to balance strategic and operational priorities.
• Resilient and adaptable in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.

• Serve as a core member of the executive leadership team and report directly to the CEO and Board.
• Provide strategic financial input to support business planning, investment decisions, and organisational priorities.
• Drive business performance through insightful analysis, forecasting, and strategic guidance.
• Support the CEO and Board in navigating governance matters specific to a founder-led, family-owned business, balancing family and professional management interests.
• Lead financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting processes.
• Maintain strong internal controls, risk management, and compliance frameworks.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting to the CEO, Board, and external stakeholders.
• Lead the annual statutory audit process, including preparation, auditor engagement, resolution of audit findings, and presentation of outcomes to the Audit Committee and Board.
• Establish and oversee an internal audit function or programme appropriate to the size of the business.
• Own the company's overall tax strategy and compliance, including corporate tax, VAT, and withholding tax obligations with KRA.
• Ensure compliance with statutory levies (NSSF, SHIF, Affordable Housing Levy) and evolving Kenyan employment and tax legislation.
• Oversee transfer pricing policy and documentation as the business expands into other African markets.
• Oversee treasury management, cash flow planning, and capital structure.
• Manage banking relationships, credit facilities, and loan covenant compliance.
• Structure working capital and trade finance solutions (e.g. import financing, letters of credit) appropriate for raw material and packaging imports.
• Develop and implement foreign exchange risk management strategies to mitigate exposure arising from imports and future regional operations.
• Ensure compliance with Companies Act filing and statutory governance requirements, coordinating with company secretarial support as needed.
• Support the development of a governance framework appropriate to a business transitioning from founder-managed to professionally managed operations.
• Support the CEO and Board in evaluating and securing growth capital, including debt and/or equity financing as required for pan-African expansion.
• Prepare the business for investor or lender due diligence, ensuring financial records and controls meet external scrutiny.
• Own the company's enterprise risk management framework.
• Manage the insurance portfolio, ensuring appropriate cover across property, business interruption, trade credit, and liability risk.
• Lead the implementation, optimisation, and ongoing enhancement of SAP Business One, ensuring effective process design, change management, user adoption, and continuous improvement.
• Drive automation and systems integration for operational and financial efficiency.
• Ensure real-time data and reports are accessible and actionable for leadership.
• Collaborate closely with manufacturing, operations, and supply chain teams to drive cost efficiency and improve performance metrics.
• Apply a strong manufacturing finance lens to product costing, inventory management, and margin analysis.
• Provide decision support across departments with clear, data-backed insights.
• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing finance and accounting team.
• Promote a culture of accountability, learning, and excellence within the function.

• Advanced financial modelling
• Excel skills
• Microsoft Office proficiency
• SAP Business One proficiency
• Strong business acumen
• Systems-oriented
• Excellent communication (written and verbal)
• Solutions-driven
• Self-motivated
• Influencing skills
• Stakeholder management

• CPA(K), ACA, ACCA, CA, or an equivalent internationally recognised accounting qualification.
• 10–15 years in progressive finance roles, with at least 3 years in a senior leadership or executive role.
• Manufacturing experience is essential. Exposure to FMCG or food manufacturing is a strong advantage.
• Hands-on experience with SAP Business One, including leading a full implementation.