Senior Technical Advisor Financial Management At Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund

About Us

The AECF is a leading development finance organization that supports businesses to innovate, create jobs and leverage investments to build resilience and sustainable incomes for rural and marginalized communities in Africa.

The AECF’ s goal is to bridge the investment gap between early-stage enterprise and business maturity for entrepreneurs serving the poorest communities. We provide patient capital to new and innovative business models in the agribusiness and renewable energy sectors across Sub-Saharan Africa through various financing instruments. To supplement finance, we also offer advisory services, investment support, and knowledge and insights.

The AECF has successfully implemented programmes across 26 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, supporting over 343 enterprises, raising US$ 392 million in funding for programmes, that have created 25,000 jobs and impacted 28 million lives.

The AECF is headquartered in Kenya, with offices in Côte d’Ivoire and Tanzania.

The Programmes

The AECF’s work in the agriculture sector is the oldest and largest of its investments with a total of US$ 183 million committed across Africa. The Fund has supported 196 businesses to establish a new activity or expand existing businesses across the value chains in East, West and Southern Africa.

The Renewable Energy and Adaptation to Climate Technologies (REACT) programs support the private sector in bringing clean energy technologies to Africa’s rural communities, with 132 investees supported thus far.

The AECF, through its Advisory Studio, provides business advisory to 100+ early-stage private sector companies in the agribusiness and renewable energy sectors in Africa, with the aim to improve their business performance and impact generation. The AECF is seeking to recruit a Financial Management Senior Technical Advisor (STA) to support AECF’s investees in the Agribusiness and Renewable Energy sectors, to improve on their financial management standards through provision of blended advisory services (coaching, consulting, training, linkage facilitation).

The AECF is looking for a Financial Management Senior Technical Advisor (STA) who will be responsible for:

Supporting AECF’s investees in the Agribusiness and Renewable Energy sectors, to improve on their financial management standards through provision of blended advisory services (coaching, consulting, training and linkage facilitation).

Being a reference for all finance and accounting needs of the companies and will also be involved in the daily tasks with the rest of the teams (in the Advisory Studio and staff).

Playing a key role in developing /pivoting SMEs financial management policies and strategies in alignment with the SMEs’ business and financial models.

Improving the financial performance of the AECF

investees.

Lo**c**a**t**i**o**n**:** Nairobi, Kenya with travel from time to time.

Re**p**o**r**t**i**n**g** to**: Technical Advisory Lead.

This position will be under an independent Consultancy contract (1 year period with possibility of renewal).

Key Responsibilities:

Development of standardized financial management guidelines and policies that can be used as a reference by the SMEs Staff to maintain healthy financial management practices and systems that will also increase the attractiveness of these companies to other, more commercial investors.

Providing guidance and advice in the implementation and usage of financial management systems.

Guiding the businesses in processes for financial forecasting and budgets, and overseeing the preparation of their financial reporting, including advising on long-term business and financial planning. Advising and evaluating the SME’s fundraising plans and capital structure, including developing and designing investment strategies by considering the business’ cash and liquidity risks.

Conducting health-checks on the business with regards to their existing financial management procedures including but not limited to; accounting office procedures such as bank reconciliations, liquidity management, book-keeping, budgeting, robustness of their accounting systems and other accounting and compliance aspects.

Supporting the businesses in interventions that improve their financial management gaps, beyond the areas mentioned above. This should lead to the companies absorbing the funds approved for them by AECF. Supporting the businesses in understanding taxation

aspects in their respective countries and assisting them with the tax accounting and reporting thereon.

Conducting wholesale training interventions for the businesses in the AECF portfolio with regard to financial management.

Supporting the businesses with financial modelling aspects, ensuring robust financial models.

Drafting documentation, plans, KPIs etc. to support finance and accounting teams of the SMEs.

Conducting analysis and produce metric reports and dashboards in collaboration with the businesses to support in business decisions, strategies and to inform capital raising and investment aspects of the SME.

Suitable candidates should:

Hold at a master’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Commerce, Accounting, or any other finance and business-related field.

Possess full accounting qualification (CPA-K or ACCA).

CFA certification will be an added advantage.

Have a minimum of ten (10) years experience in

financial management and accounting, three (3) of which should be in a busy accounting office, and direct support to small and growing businesses.

Have experience with general business management/development and proven experience as a senior finance professional. .

Possess excellent analytical, problem solving and interpersonal skills.

Have experience in building the capacity of small and early-stage businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa (business planning, financial modelling, financial management, strategy) and demonstration of how this experience has translated to success for the companies supported. Demonstrate entrepreneurial mind set and business acumen.

Demonstrate skills in decision making and problem solving.

Have excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Have excellent presentation and Interpersonal skills. Be attentive to detail, accuracy and have good organizational skills.

Have a strong understanding of Africa and experience in providing business and technical support to SMEs to scale up their operations is preferred.

Be fluent in English or French with a working knowledge of the other.

Demonstrate knowledge of working strategies for SMEs in emerging markets.

Have knowledge of IFRS or any other applicable accounting standard.

Have Knowledge of the tax regimes of Sub-Saharan countries

Demonstrate strong project management skills.

Be an innovative and proactive problem-solver led by metrics-driven thinking.

Be an excellent multi-tasker.

Possess self-sufficiency and ownership.

Have a “Hands-on” attitude with an “everything is possible” mindset.

The AECF is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will be considered based on merit without regard to race, sex, colour, national origin, religion, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

If you believe, you can clearly demonstrate your abilities to meet the relevant criteria for the role register and apply on: