Job Vacancies at Open Capital Advisors

The Project Leader role

We continue to expand rapidly and are looking for exceptional staff to join our senior team in a 12-month minimum career-track role based in Nairobi. During this year, you will work closely with senior management to lead multiple client projects while managing & mentoring our junior team.

As a Project Leader you will support multiple live projects simultaneously across a range of high-growth industries and client types. Project Leaders work closely with our clients to develop business & industry strategies, structure capital raises, and address difficult operational challenges. Our work does not end with recommendations; in most projects, Open Capital teams oversee execution and implementation, working with all levels of client staff.

You will join Open Capital at an exciting time – we are seeking to achieve broad, ambitious growth goals, and leverage our strong international brand in the impact investing and frontier market space. As we look to deepen our reach in the broader African market, there will continue to be many opportunities to engage in project work regionally. The right candidate should be excited and genuinely motivated by the challenging strategic and financial questions we answer for our clients.

Desired Skills And Experience

We are looking for exceptional leaders and executers who share our motivation and drive. Project Leaders should be able to assume high levels of responsibility, perform excellent work, contribute fresh ideas, and take pleasure in the work we do. Our team is energetic and driven and we are quick to reward performance and initiative. We are open to Project Leaders with a variety of backgrounds but top candidates will typically have the following:

• Several years of experience at a top global consulting firm, investment firm, bank, law firm, or experience as an entrepreneur or leader in a high-growth business, with significant responsibility for deliverables and client service;
• Strong communication skills and analytical abilities and insightful, structured way of presenting information;
• Ability to effectively work with clients at all levels and backgrounds;
• Interest in guiding teams and mentoring our analysts & junior team members;
• Desire to work and live in Nairobi or Kampala for at least 12 months and broader interest in the region;
• Demonstrated experience and interest working in emerging markets;
• Multiple languages and previous Africa experience useful but not required.

Compensation

We offer a competitive package among similar frontier market firms. This includes base salary, an annual performance bonus, 2 flights home, health insurance, and a local work permit.

If you are interested please submit a resume and brief cover letter, including your preferred start timing and country of interest (Kenya or Uganda). We are recruiting for start dates in January-April and July- September 2018 on a rolling basis.

go to method of application »

Job description

We are looking for a Group Head of Finance to join our Nairobi headquarters to lead our Finance function across all entities and report directly to OCA’s Partners. In this role, areas of responsibility will include: leading financial planning, monitoring cash flows, preparing projected budgets and monthly management dashboards, advising on tax planning, overseeing annual audits, and managing external financial reporting for a variety of partners & clients. You will oversee two current staff in Finance, who require strong leadership. The right candidate will have extensive experience in strategic financial analysis, internal controls, donor reporting, and accounting & tax requirements across multiple African countries – most importantly, you will not hesitate to roll up your sleeves and pass journals, analyse data, identify errors, and be ready to correct them yourself.

You will join Open Capital at an exciting time – we are seeking to achieve broad, ambitious growth goals, and leverage our strong international brand. As we look to deepen our reach in the broader African market, you will lead financial forecasting & management needed for regional expansion, as well as reporting and building systems to scale. You should be excited and genuinely motivated by challenging strategic and financial questions.

Responsibilities Will Include

• Oversee OCA’s finance function in all countries
• Design and implement broader financial strategy including projected fundraising requirements and tax optimization
• Revise systems and processes to manage all aspects of our finances
• Manage current finance team to ensure compliance in day-to-day financial management, including adherence to relevant statutory rules and regulations
• Lead financial planning & budgeting on a monthly and annual basis; provide strategic insights on budgeting
• Identify fundraising requirements for the group and lead all financial due diligences
• Manage monthly & quarterly financial reporting for donor clients and current investors
• Maintain & adhere to transfer pricing policies
• Manage company investments to maximize returns, while not compromising cash flows
• Lead client invoicing processes & collections, managing relationships with client finance departments
• Oversee annual external audits, build efficient and effective internal controls to use through the year
• Review financial data to make appropriate recommendations and identify key financial risks to management
• Be willing put in the work required to ensure deadlines are met
• Contribute to team efforts in every way possible and uphold OCA’s culture
• Any other tasks that management may assign

Desired Skills And Experience

We are looking for an exceptional financial leader who shares our motivation and drive. In this role, you will assume a very high level of responsibility, perform detailed work and analysis, contribute fresh ideas, and take pleasure in the work we do. Our team is energetic and driven and we are quick to reward performance and initiative. We expect likely qualifications include:

• 8+ years of financial planning & management experience, specifically in financial analysis, financial reporting, & prior management experience;
• Demonstrated experience in financial decision-making & overseeing accounting processes;
• Accounting qualifications, such as CPA or ACCA; CFA qualification an advantage;
• Extensive experience and proficiency in Excel, Quickbooks and other accounting softwares, and demonstration of strong analytical skills;
• Strong communication skills and ability to share insights and information in a structured and rational way;
• Interest and prior experience in guiding teams and mentoring staff;
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic and high-pressure environment;
• A demonstrated track record to work independently, own decisions, set priorities, and problem solve; and
• Previous Africa experience in Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia useful but not required.

Compensation

Salary is commensurate with prior experience and recommendations. Pay will increase rapidly with excellent performance.

If you are interested please submit a resume and brief cover letter as part of your application, including your preferred start timing.