Chief Financial Officer Job at Tropikal Brands Africa Limited

Tropikal Brands Africa Limited is seeking a Chief Financial Officer to take a leading role in the company's financial direction, controls and long-term growth. The position goes beyond traditional accounting responsibilities, bringing together financial strategy, commercial decision-making, treasury, risk management, compliance, reporting and finance team leadership.

The successful candidate will also provide structured financial oversight to Tropikal Spaces Limited, the sister company, making the position relevant to an experienced finance professional who can manage financial requirements across more than one business entity.

At its core, the opportunity is about ensuring that financial information is reliable, risks are properly managed and management has the information needed to make sound commercial decisions. The CFO will work closely with the Managing Director and departmental leaders while also supporting Board-level discussions around financial performance, risks, investments and opportunities for growth.

Finance With a Direct Connection to Business Strategy

The role begins at the strategic level. The Chief Financial Officer will work with the Managing Director and departmental heads to develop financial plans, budgets and forecasts that support the company's direction.

This includes advising management and the Board on financial performance and emerging risks, while also assessing opportunities that could affect the company's future. Investments, expansion plans and capital expenditure will need to be evaluated with attention to profitability and expected returns.

The CFO will therefore need to understand more than financial figures in isolation. Financial information must be connected to business decisions, and the person in this role will be expected to provide clear financial judgement when the company is considering how and where to invest its resources.

The Numbers Must Tell an Accurate Story

Reliable reporting is another major part of the position. The CFO will lead financial reporting, management accounts, reconciliations, annual financial statements and external audit processes.

Maintaining accurate accounting records and ensuring compliance are also central to the role. The finance function needs to provide management with dependable information, while the company's financial processes must remain aligned with applicable requirements.

This responsibility extends to tax and statutory compliance. The successful candidate will oversee timely tax compliance, statutory filings, eTIMS requirements, audits and payroll remittances. Related-party transactions will also need to be properly managed.

The position therefore requires someone who is comfortable carrying significant responsibility for the integrity of the company's financial information and compliance processes.

Manufacturing Finance Requires Commercial Thinking

Because the role requires strong manufacturing or FMCG experience, the CFO will also have a direct connection with the operational side of the business.

Product costing, profitability, production efficiency and inventory controls will all fall within the financial leadership function. The CFO will advise Sales, Marketing, Production and Procurement on matters such as pricing, margins, waste reduction and cost optimisation.

This means financial management will not operate separately from manufacturing performance. Understanding how costs move through the production process will be important when assessing profitability and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency.

The position calls for someone capable of looking at financial results and asking what those numbers mean for the actual business. Cost management, pricing decisions, inventory and production performance all need to be considered as part of the wider commercial picture.

Protecting Cash While Supporting Growth

Cash flow and working capital are another significant area of responsibility. The CFO will manage liquidity-related matters including cash flow, credit control, working capital and supplier terms.

The role also involves managing exposure to foreign exchange and interest rate movements, with the objective of optimising liquidity while minimising financial risk.

This creates a balance between protecting the company's financial position and ensuring that the business has the resources required to operate and grow. Effective treasury management will therefore be an important part of the CFO's contribution.

Two Companies, One Structured Finance Approach

The position also extends beyond Tropikal Brands Africa Limited. The CFO will provide finance oversight and support to Tropikal Spaces Limited.

For the sister company, responsibilities include ensuring accurate accounts, cash-flow management, reporting, tax compliance, intercompany reconciliations and appropriate financial controls. The CFO will also provide timely finance support to the entity.

Managing financial responsibilities across two legal entities requires consistency and good organisation. Intercompany transactions and reconciliations need to be properly managed, while each entity must still have reliable financial information and effective controls.

This aspect of the role adds another layer of responsibility to an already broad finance leadership position.

Controls, Risk and Business Protection

Financial leadership also means protecting company assets and reducing exposure to financial and operational risks. The CFO will maintain internal financial controls and oversee areas such as fraud prevention, audit compliance and corrective actions.

Insurance and business continuity are also included within the responsibility for risk management. The successful candidate will therefore need to assess risks carefully and ensure that appropriate controls are maintained.

The role requires integrity and confidentiality, alongside sound risk assessment. These qualities are particularly important for a position with access to sensitive financial information and responsibility for the company's financial systems and controls.

Building a More Effective Finance Function

Technology and process improvement form another part of the opportunity. The CFO will lead finance automation and systems improvements with the aim of ensuring accurate data, effective controls, proper reconciliations and timely management reporting.

Strong Sage X3 ERP capability is specifically required, together with spreadsheet and financial modelling skills. The successful candidate should also have experience improving finance processes and management reporting.

The emphasis on systems suggests that the finance function is expected to continue becoming more efficient and structured. The CFO will therefore need to understand both financial processes and the systems supporting them.

Leadership Inside the Finance Team

The position is also a people-leadership role. The CFO will lead and develop the finance team while ensuring that the department delivers accurately and on time.

Team leadership will sit alongside strategic transactions, financial risk assessment and sustainability reporting. The CFO may also take on other responsibilities assigned by the Managing Director.

The ideal professional therefore needs to combine technical finance expertise with the ability to communicate clearly, challenge constructively and work effectively with people across different departments.

The Professional Background Required

The position requires a bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Commerce or a related field. A relevant master's degree is an added advantage.

Candidates should also hold CPA(K), ACCA or an equivalent recognised professional accountancy qualification. Membership of the relevant professional body in good standing and compliance with applicable Kenyan professional requirements are required.

Experience is particularly important for this senior position. Applicants should have at least 10 years of progressive finance experience, including a minimum of five years in senior finance leadership.

Strong manufacturing or FMCG experience is required, particularly experience covering costing, inventory and commercial finance. Candidates should also have demonstrated experience in financial reporting, Kenyan tax compliance, treasury, budgeting, audits and internal controls.

Experience supporting multiple legal entities is an advantage, which aligns closely with the position's responsibility for both Tropikal Brands Africa Limited and Tropikal Spaces Limited.

The Kind of Financial Leader the Role Requires

The position calls for someone with strategic and commercial judgement rather than someone focused only on accounting processes. Financial analysis, risk assessment and sound decision-making are central to the role.

The successful candidate should also be capable of communicating financial matters clearly at Board level, challenging decisions constructively and working collaboratively with departmental leaders.

Integrity, confidentiality and accountability are equally important. The CFO will be trusted with sensitive financial information and will have responsibility for ensuring that financial processes, controls and reporting remain dependable.

Strong leadership, planning and delivery skills will be needed to bring together the different areas of the position, from treasury and commercial finance to compliance, reporting and team development.

An Opportunity to Lead Finance at a Growing Business

The Chief Financial Officer position at Tropikal Brands Africa Limited brings together the strategic and operational sides of finance. It is a role for an experienced finance leader who can move comfortably between financial statements and manufacturing performance, Board-level advice and day-to-day controls, business growth and risk management.

The opportunity also provides responsibility for supporting the financial operations of Tropikal Spaces Limited, adding a multi-entity dimension to the position.

Candidates who meet the academic, professional and experience requirements can submit their CVs to hr@tropikal.co.ke. Tropikal Brands Africa's public profile identifies the organisation as a Nairobi-based consumer goods company, while its current recruitment communication confirms the CFO search and the same application email.

Application

Interested candidates should send their application to hr@tropikal.co.ke