Finance & Operations Officer
Reports to: CEO, Indirect to Board Financial Advisor & Auditor| ⏱ Full-Time, Mid-Level
Role Purpose
The Finance & Operations Officer will manage the end-to-end financial health of Cedar Africa and provide critical administrative support to the consulting team. Your goal is to ensure 100% compliance, seamless cash flow from our key accounts, and an organised operational environment.
Key Responsibilities
1. Financial Management (60%)
- Accounts Receivable: Manage the billing cycle for key clients; ensure invoices are accurate and sent immediately upon project milestones.
- Credit Control: Maintain professional relationships with client procurement/finance departments to ensure revenue is collected within credit terms.
- Bookkeeping & Reporting: Maintain real-time records in QuickBooks. Prepare monthly P&L, Balance Sheet, and a 12-week rolling cash flow forecast.
- Compliance & Tax: Ensure timely filing of all statutory returns (VAT, PAYE, WHT, Housing Levy).
2. Operations & Project Support (30%)
- Consultant Support: Track project-related expenses and ensure these are re-billed to clients where applicable.
- Vendor Management: Manage relationships with sub-contractors, office suppliers, insurance brokers, and travel agents.
- Contract Admin: Maintain a repository of client contracts, NDAs, and project completion certificates.
3. Strategic Assistance (10%)
- Unit Economics: Calculate and monitor profitability of consulting engagements.
- Audit Readiness: Liaise with the external audit firm for end-of-year filings.
- Board Reporting: Prepare concise quarterly financial packs for Board review, including commentary on performance, cash position, and key risks.
Candidate Profile
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or Business Administration.
- Professional Qualification: CPA-K or ACCA (Intermediate or Finalist level).
- Experience: 3-5 years in a professional services firm (Consulting, Law, or Creative Agency).
- Tech Savvy: High proficiency in cloud accounting software and Excel.
- Soft Skills: Diplomatic persistence for following up on payments with large corporate clients
- Attention to Detail Meticulous approach to financial records, ensuring accuracy across invoices, statutory filings, and reports.
- Ownership Mentality Takes full accountability for deadlines and deliverables without needing close supervision.
- Adaptability Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, lean consulting environment where priorities can shift and initiative is rewarded.
- Stakeholder Management Skilled at building trust with internal teams and external partners including clients, auditor and vendors
Success Metrics (KPIs)
| KPI |
Target |
| DSO |
Keep average collection period under 45 days |
| Reporting Accuracy |
Zero late filings for statutory obligations |
| Data Readiness |
Books closed and monthly reports ready by the 5th of the following month |
Why This Role is Unique at Cedar Africa
Unlike a traditional 'back-office' accountant, you will be a core member of a small, high-impact team. You will have a direct view of how a regional consulting business scales and will work closely with the leadership team.