Our client is an innovative and growing agri-services company, with over 20 years’ experience. 

In Africa, food insecurity is still a major global concern as 1 billion people are suffering from starvation and  malnutrition. In sub-Saharan Africa, alone, the number of people suffering from hunger is estimated at 239  million, and this figure could increase in the near future. The key cause of food insecurity is inadequate food  production, and the major underlying cause of this is low soil fertility. 

As a soil, water and food testing business, our company is on the front line of solving the food production crisis in Africa. Using our extensive agronomic experience and business intelligence, we work with clients across  Africa, from Zimbabwe to Senegal to give farmers advice on how to develop profitable, safe farming systems,  through improving soil fertility, soil carbon sequestering and crop health.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Our client is searching for a dynamic Chief Financial Officer (CFO), to act as a strategic advisor to the CEO. Your focus will be to plan ahead and play an active leadership role in overcoming external pressures and building a profitable and sustainable Group business. You will be responsible for driving a culture of accountability within the organisation.

As CFO you will share in our team’s success and lead all aspects of our Group financial management, controls and strategy. You will also help co-create the company’s growth strategy, to cover an exciting range of geographies  and technology driven service delivery models, while also delivering on our desired impact and commercial  returns. In this position, you will be expected to apply critical thinking and strong financial acumen to the  long-term goals of the business. You will bring extensive financial expertise to the executive team to help focus  group discussions on creating financial value, and to also act as the team’s public face to financial stakeholders.

The CFO will report to the CEO.

Key Responsibilities:

They are looking for a CFO to lead across the following core areas:

1. Financial management and controls

• Design and implement efficient group financial management, process and control systems to drive a culture of granular accountability.
• Build a high performing finance team using outsourced service providers as required.
• Cashflow forecasting (monthly, quarterly, annual) and variance analysis to allow timely decision making around business development and capex spending.  
• Ensure timely availability of funds to support growth objectives.
• Group budget preparation with ongoing monitoring of performance and variance analysis.
• Develop a robust cost centre accounting process with P&L reporting for B2B & B2C business units.
• Develop analytics to support pricing of products and services and granular profitability analysis to inform decision making.  
• Oversee the annual audit process across the group structure in multiple jurisdictions.
• Monitor tax position (VAT, employee, WHT, corporate tax) and ensure the company adheres to tax requirements.
• Ensure appropriate transfer pricing policy is in place.
• Champion good corporate governance.
• Oversee the credit portfolio and collection of payments.
• Maintain cost discipline.

2. Group Operations

• Working with the COO, ensure the company gets value for money from service providers.
• Ensure the company operates within legal, tax and regulatory compliance for finance related activities across the group.
• Working with the COO, identify and implement new technologies/systems to improve financial and reporting activities. This includes streamlining and improving the effectiveness of the company’s overall IT and systems infrastructure.
• As the company expands, lead the incorporation of new legal entities and joint ventures, including agreement of terms and legal documentation developed in conjunction with external legal counsel.  

3. Group Growth Strategy & Management

• Working with the CEO and other senior management team, provide strategic input the growth strategy.
• Lead the discussion on financial planning and actively drive the prioritisation of strategic objectives in a way that balances resource requirements, resource availability, return on investment in a manner that allows the company to achieve sustainable growth.
• Align resource planning to strategic objectives.
• Identify opportunities for new business models or variants of existing models that will enhance customer service, sales, and profitability.
• Plan and raise funding for future growth plans in line with the needs of the business.
• Lead future capital fundraising.
• Maintain relations with key investors.
• Sustainably grow the valuation multiple while maintaining the spirit and values of the company.
• Oversee the credit portfolio, tracking loan repayments and credit performance and provide standardised reporting thereon.
• Develop and oversee capital allocation decision framework.
• Play a key role in the Finance & Risk Committee and advising the Board on strategic financial matters.
• Identify and assist resolve risk issues across the company. 

4. Client management, partner and business development 

• As part of management team, support general business development and client relationship management with large/ strategic clients. 
• Where appropriate, support BD teams in financial and legal structuring of large complex deals.
• Proactively engage with financial sector partners, drawing on previous financial services experience to help these clients embed soil risk assessments into their agricultural loan books.
• Represent the company with major financial sector partners and development agencies to grow existing business lines and develop new lines of business. 

5. Staff and values 

• Embody the values of the company and contribute to achieving its mission. 
• Set a positive example for staff.
• Proactively assist in staff development.
• Ensure Finance team have clear objectives and regular feedback sessions.

Essential characteristics would include:

The ideal candidate for this position will possess the following qualifications and skills:

• 10+ years’ experience in a high-ranking financial position, preferably leading a finance team in a complex service & tech business related environment.
• Strong accounting knowledge with preference for CPA/ACCA/CIMA.
• MBA/ CFA qualification would be an added advantage.
• Accustomed to working in an international environment involving multiple jurisdictions with a  distributed team.
• Experience in multi-jurisdictional tax and legal issues.
• Excellent strategy skills; able to analyse complex market dynamics to develop strategy and convert this into actionable strategic objectives.
• An understanding of commercial services in Africa and customer facing front-line business experience is a positive.
• Proficiency in using modern financial software and tools. 
• Experience in systems change and integration.
• Strategic finance capability and demonstrated ability to implement strategy.
• Strong numeracy and data skills.
• Strong values-led leadership and excellent organizational skills. Ability to motivate teams, avoid creating silos and work across different teams in the pursuit of the company’s mission.
• Ability to manage investor relations and positively engage investors (existing and potential) in the business.
• Ability to present complex ideas in a methodical and concise way and objectively propose actions.

How to Apply:

Please send your CV to Agri Frontier Limited at info@agrifrontier.com. We will be reviewing applications on an on-going basis.

For further information or a confidential discussion, please contact Anu Menon on amenon@agrifrontier.com.