Fractional CFO at Allied Talent Partners

Role & Responsibilities  
Deliverables:  

• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the organisation’s current financial position, including liquidity, cash runway, cost structure, working capital requirements, financial risks, operational sustainability, and key financial constraints to growth. 
• Develop and own a financial strategy and stabilisation roadmap that establishes a clear pathway to EBITDA-positive performance by Q1 2027 and net cash positivity within two years, including defined milestones, performance indicators, ownership structures, and implementation priorities. 
• Update and enhance the existing financial model while establishing robust forecasting, budgeting, reporting, and performance management frameworks that improve financial visibility, accountability, and decision-making across the organisation. 
• Lead capital planning and fundraising readiness activities, including funding strategy development, capital allocation planning, financing scenario analysis, investor readiness requirements, and preparation of a fundraising roadmap aligned to growth objectives. 
• Establish board-level financial reporting, governance, and performance monitoring frameworks that strengthen oversight, improve accountability, and support informed strategic decision-making. 
• Assess existing finance systems, reporting tools, and operating processes, and implement or recommend fit-for-purpose solutions that improve financial visibility, efficiency, scalability, and decision-making capability. 
• Build a sustainable finance function through mentoring, coaching, capability assessment, delegation frameworks, knowledge transfer, and development of practical operating disciplines that can be maintained beyond the engagement. 

Requirements  

Experience required: 

• Proven experience serving as a Chief Financial Officer, Fractional CFO, Finance Director, or equivalent senior financial leadership role. 
• Demonstrated success leading financial stabilisation, turnaround, restructuring, profitability improvement, or cash preservation initiatives. 
• Experience developing and executing long-term financial strategies that support organisational growth and sustainability. 
• Experience leading capital planning, fundraising preparation, investor engagement, or financing activities. 
• Experience establishing financial planning, governance, and performance management disciplines within growing organisations that lacked mature strategic finance capabilities. 
• Experience advising boards, investors, shareholders, or funding stakeholders on strategic financial planning, capital allocation, and organisational performance. 
• Experience operating within emerging-market environments is advantageous. 
• Experience within transport, logistics, mobility, maritime, infrastructure, or other asset-intensive sectors is advantageous. 

Technical requirements: 

• Strong expertise in cash flow management, liquidity planning, working capital optimisation, and financial sustainability planning. 
• Ability to design and implement robust financial planning, forecasting, budgeting, reporting, and performance management frameworks. 
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to evaluate profitability drivers, operational economics, investment decisions, and growth opportunities. 
• Demonstrated capability to develop and maintain financial models that support strategic planning, scenario analysis, capital planning, and fundraising activities. 
• Strong understanding of governance, internal controls, risk management, and board-level financial reporting. 
• Ability to assess finance systems, processes, and operating models and implement scalable improvements appropriate for a growing organisation. 
• Ability to design practical finance operating models, governance structures, and management reporting frameworks suitable for a small but scaling organisation. 
• Ability to translate strategic financial objectives into practical implementation roadmaps with measurable milestones, ownership structures, and performance metrics. 

Soft skills: 

• Ability to build credibility quickly and operate as a trusted adviser to boards and senior leadership teams. 
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills across management, governance, funding, and investor stakeholder groups. 
• Pragmatic and hands-on leadership style with a strong focus on execution and measurable outcomes. 
• Strong mentoring and coaching capability with a demonstrated ability to build confidence, capability, and ownership within developing finance teams. 
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to simplify complex financial concepts for diverse audiences. 
• Sound judgement, resilience, adaptability, and professional integrity. 
• Collaborative approach with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams. 

Additional information about desired profiles: 

• The preferred candidate will be comfortable stepping into an organisation with limited strategic finance capability and quickly establishing the frameworks, disciplines, and decision-support processes required to support growth.  
• The successful individual will combine strategic financial leadership with a practical implementation mindset and a strong commitment to capability transfer.  
• Experience working with development finance institutions, infrastructure investors, or similar funding stakeholders will be beneficial. 

Working arrangement 

Location: 

• Kisumu, Kenya (initial on-site phase), transitioning to a hybrid/fractional support model thereafter, subject to business requirements. 

Travel requirements: 

• Periodic travel within Kenya and other operating locations as required for stakeholder engagement, operational reviews, and implementation support.