VP Finance/Chief Financial Officer at BURN - Collaboration for Talent

You, as our ideal VP Finance/CFO candidate, are someone who cares deeply about BURN’s mission. You have deep financial and management expertise and are excited about being hands-on, without getting lost in the weeds. You are a problem-solver, a direct and candid communicator, and a thoughtful change agent. You are a natural manager, able to guide our financial strategy and management while working in a complex, constantly changing and resource-constrained environment. You are able to provide clear, consistent financial leadership to inspire excellence with your team, building a sense of shared values and goals.

As part of our lean 5-person senior management team - and as one of the closest advisors to the CEO and global leadership team - you will play a key role in shaping the future of our organization as it grows from our current manufacturing hub in Kenya to multiple hubs across Sub-Saharan Africa.

You will oversee the company's financial systems, fundraising and investor relations with the following specific responsibilities:

Strategy & Planning

• Assist in formulating the company's growth strategy and supporting related tactical initiatives
• Monitor and direct the implementation of financial elements of business plans
• Develop financial and tax strategies
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and financial modeling efforts
• Manage the annual budgeting processes and quarterly forecasts
• Develop performance measures that support the company's strategic direction
• Work with tax consultants to develop strategies for expansion and intercompany relationships

Operations

• Leadership of the Kenya Finance Department and, as they are launched, leadership of BURN finance teams across Sub-Saharan Africa
• Participate in key decisions as a member of the executive management team
• Provide strategic direction and oversight on the accounting and financial day to day operations ensuring that processes are robust and being executed correctly by the team.
• Carry out periodic reviews of the financial operations and linkages with other departments and recommend and implement changes and improvement.
• Establish and maintain scalable financial systems, processes and policies

Financial Reporting

• Review all month end reporting from finance managers and oversee the issuance of financial information
• Create reporting formats that are appropriate and specific for each set of key stakeholders (i.e. BoD, lenders, equity investors, other third parties)
• Present financial information and new strategic plans and progress on ongoing projects to the board of directors

Compliance & Risk Management

• Create, and regularly update, a risk profile for the company
• Understand and work with finance managers to mitigate key elements of the company's risk profile
• Construct and monitor reliable financial controls
• Ensure that the company complies with all legal and regulatory requirements and all required audits and tax returns are completed and filed timely
• Report risk issues that are identified to the board of directors
• Investigate any findings and recommendations that come from audit reports, or other reviews carried out by third parties

Treasury Management

• Monitor cash balances and cash forecasts
• Analyze working capital needs of the company and work with third parties to secure facilities
• Work with department managers on preparing monthly cash flows and feeding these back into detailed cash flow projections to provide real-time information

Fundraising

• Ensure that the company has appropriate capital structure and sufficient funds to achieve its goals
• Maintain relationships with local and international lenders
• lead international debt and equity fundraising efforts, managing process for the preparation of IM to disbursement
• initiate in-country fundraising efforts for debt from local banks
• Represent the company with investment advisers and investors

HR, IT and Legal

• If appropriate, the candidate may take over management of the HR, IT and/or Compliance Departments

Required

Qualifications and Competencies

• 3-year Finance experience outside East Africa
• Bachelor degree specializing in Finance or Accounting
• Strong leadership and management skills
• Proven financial and treasury management skills
• High level of oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrable experience in leading organizations to profitability
• Working knowledge of accounting systems
• Fluency in English

Preferred

• MBA
• CPA
• 3+ years Africa or frontier-market experience
• 3+ years of progressively responsible experience in a Finance Department
• Start-up experience
• Corporate structure experience

Compensation: To be Discussed