Finance Planning Analyst at Zeraki

We’re looking for a highly analytical and strategic Finance Planning Analyst to drive Zeraki’s financial planning, budgeting, and analytical functions. You’ll help leadership teams across multiple countries make informed, data-driven decisions, forecast accurately, and manage costs effectively. This is an impactful role, ideal for a finance professional excited about the intersection of finance, strategy, and technology in a fast-growing SaaS environment.

What You'll Do

• Strategic Financial Analysis & Forecasting
• Lead the preparation of annual budgets and regular financial forecasts across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
• Conduct variance analysis and deliver insightful recommendations to guide business decisions.
• Develop sophisticated financial models (pricing, revenue, cost, growth scenarios) to support strategic decision-making.
• SaaS Metrics & Business Intelligence
• Analyze critical SaaS metrics (MRR, ARR, CAC, churn, LTV) to identify trends, opportunities, and risks.
• Deliver clear, timely, and insightful monthly reporting to management, investors, and board members.
• Use data visualization tools (Power BI, Tableau) to create impactful dashboards and reports.
• Product & Profitability Analysis
• Assess profitability and performance of each Zeraki product against financial targets.
• Collaborate closely with product teams, recommending adjustments for improved profitability or strategic positioning.
• Cross-departmental Collaboration
• Work with department heads (Sales, Product, Operations, CX, Marketing) to set departmental KPIs, manage budgets, and align financial forecasting with operational realities.
• Provide continuous support and training to team leads in budgetary and financial best practices.
• Process Improvement & Automation
• Identify and implement cost-saving initiatives (target: ≥10% total expense reduction annually).
• Drive automation initiatives across financial and operational processes, leading adoption of new finance technologies at Zeraki.

Requirements

Key Performance Metrics

• Forecasting Precision: Maintain ≤5% variance between financial forecasts and actual performance.
• Budget Management: Consistently achieve ≤3% variance from budgeted costs.
• Strategic Contribution: Deliver actionable financial insights influencing at least 3 significant strategic decisions per quarter.
• Cost Savings & Optimization: Implement measures saving at least 10% in total annual expenses.
• SaaS Metrics Reporting: Monthly SaaS metrics reporting with deep analysis and strategic recommendations.
• Process Automation: Successfully introduce at least 1 new finance/analytics automation tool or process each month.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree (Finance, Economics, Accounting, Data Analytics, or related field).
• 3–5 years of experience in FP&A, financial consulting, corporate finance, or business intelligence roles.
• Expertise in financial modeling, advanced Excel, budgeting, and forecasting.
• Proficiency in business analytics and data visualization tools (Power BI, Tableau).
• Familiarity with SaaS metrics and marketplace/platform financial models.
• Professional qualification (CPA, ACCA, CFA) advantageous, but not required.