ABOUT US
Our goal at Pawame is to support limitless opportunity through a foundation of safe, reliable, and affordable solar energy. With so many African communities lacking access to power, participating in the modern digital world can be challenging and laborious. The Pawame team provides the energy-driven tools these communities and individuals need to become successful students, entrepreneurs, and global citizens. We like to think of ourselves as an electric foundation, and our team is what makes that possible.
ABOUT THE ROLE
The Corporate Finance Director is the individual primarily responsible for the financial health of the company. He/she is a thought leader and partner to the CEO, and co-creator of corporate strategies, plans and objectives. He/she is responsible for all aspects of financial strategy, planning, management, analysis, and reporting. In Pawame’s unique context, he/she will work alongside Pawame’s CFO to support fundraising efforts and ensure Pawame has access to an adequate supply of low-cost working capital.
KEY CROSS-FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIP & INTERFACES
Corporate Development
Develop and implement periodic business plans and budgets.
Report against approved business plans and budgets.
Procurement, Supply Chain & Logistics
Ensure adequate management and accounting of distribution and logistics costs.
Ensure cash- and capital efficient inventory ordering strategy.
Human Capital
Rigorously manage and control payroll and other organizational overhead costs.
Sales & Marketing
Ensure adequate management and accounting of selling costs.
Responsibilities
KEY ACTIVITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROLE
Controlling
Maintain high quality management accounts and financial statements in accordance with accepted international accounting practices.
Regularly present and report clear, timely and accurate information on the financial performance of the company to support decision-making by senior management and the Board of Directors.
Lead preparation for and successful completion of annual financial audits
Treasury
Manage the company’s balance sheet to ensure an optimal capital structure that minimizes Pawame’s cost of capital while taking proper account of financial leverage and risk.
Rigorously manage the company’s cash flow to ensure adequate liquidity at all times, including rigorous management of accounts payable and receivables and driving optimal procurement (ordering) strategies
Implement and maintain rigorous financial controls to ensure spending takes place only in accordance with approved plans and budgets, and proper care of and accountability for the company’s financial assets, including product inventory.
Finance Strategy, Planning & Analysis
Develop innovative financial strategies to minimize Pawame’s working capital requirements, and/or ensure Pawame has access to an adequate supply of working capital at all times. This may or may not include off-balance sheet approaches such as use of separate legal entities for asset financing, selling/securitization of receivables, and partnerships with finance institutions (including local banks and microfinance institutions (MFIs)).
Advise the CEO on, and drive implementation of, business and financial strategies to aggressively drive profitability and optimal financial performance.
Develop, maintain and control a detailed corporate financial model that accurately forecasts corporate financial performance in line with the company’s business and financial strategy.
Develop periodic business plans and budgets. Maintain alignment between the financial model and the business plan and budgets.
Analyze business and financial performance to identify and advise the CEO on opportunities to improve financial performance, including the profitability of products, regions, and the company’s cost structure.
Effectively identify, communicate and manage potential future risks.
Legal & Compliance
Manage relationships with Pawame’s external legal services providers, coordinating closely with the CFO on legal support for financial transactions that fall under his remit.
Manage Pawame’s legal status and structure, including ensuring optimal tax-efficiency and administering Pawame’s corporate registration and constituting documents.
Ensure company’s compliance with all tax and other statutory financial requirements.
People Management
Adequately staff the Finance organization with sufficient suitably qualified and experienced personnel to deliver the Finance department’s plan of work.
Effectively manage direct reports to optimize department performance in support of corporate objectives by setting individual targets, developing and motivating staff, coaching and mentoring, and providing formal and informal feedback and appraisal.
Budget Management
Identify and justify the budget resources required to successfully implement the Finance business plan.
Prudently manage the allocated Finance budget to avoid budget underage and overage.
Requirements
Required Education & Certifications
Master’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, or Accounting, or equivalent business experience.
Preferred Education
Master’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, or Accounting.
Required Certifications
Certifications include PA, CMA, and/or CFA.
Required Experience
8+ years of progressive responsibility and track record of success in finance in a major company, financial institution and/or accounting firm.
Extensive experience partnering with cross functional executive teams.
Preferred Experience
12+ years of progressive responsibility and track record of success in finance in a major company, financial institution and/or accounting firm.
Experience in credit analytics and or managing the loan portfolio of a microfinance institution.
Prior experience in the off-grid solar sector.
Significant prior working experience in East Africa.
Technical Requirements
Financial acumen.Expert in the understanding and application of theoretical and practical approaches to finance and financial management
Analytical ability.Ability to analyze financial data/reports and produce actionable insights that drive of business performance, generally and in specific problem areas.
Ability to think strategically, i.e.:
To think about a complex system in a holistic, integrated fashion.
To link strategy to implementation and develop strategically-focused plans.
Business strategy and planning skills.
Ability to bring structure to unstructured problems or situations
Strong general management skills.
Comfort with information technology.
English fluency.
Behavioral Requirements
Leadership.Strong leadership skills and ability motivate diverse cross-functional teams without having direct authority over them
Organization. Strong organizational skills with structured, systematic approach to financial and business management. Eye for detail. Dependable with strong sense of accountability.
Entrepreneurship.Energetic self-starter who demonstrates strong resourcefulness and personal initiative. Requires little hand-holding to deliver complex tasks. High level of energy and motivation
Communication.Strong oral and written communication skills. Comfortable presenting to senior management and large groups.
Flexibility.Adaptable and comfortable in fast-changing start-up environment. Comfortable in uncertain and/or ambiguous situations.Fast learner. Willing to contribute in areas beyond formal job description.
Cross-cultural skills.Ability to operate effectively in a cross-cultural environment.
Uncompromising integrity.
Job Requirements
Required education
: Post-graduate education
Required relevant work experience
: 7 years
Required languages:
Swahili (Spoken: basic | Written: basic)English (Spoken: fluent | Written: fluent),
Mandatory attachments
Please have a scan or photo of these documents ready when you start the application:
Self-prepared CV file
- the employer wants to see a CV that you have prepared yourself
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