We're retained to find an exceptional Financial Controller for Manufacturing, based in Athi River, Nairobi.
About the Role
The Financial Controller will lead finance across a manufacturing operation, bringing together financial control, commercial insight, and a clear understanding of how the business runs.
You will work closely with production, sales, and senior leadership to translate factory activity into clear financial insight. This means going beyond reporting the numbers to understanding what is driving costs, margins, inventory, cash flow and overall performance.
You will act as a trusted thought partner to the CEO, supporting decisions on pricing, investment, working capital and growth. The role calls for someone who is equally comfortable working through operational detail and stepping back to guide the broader direction of the business.
What you will be responsible for
Financial control and reporting
You will take ownership of the accuracy, integrity and timeliness of the company’s financial information.
- Lead budgeting, forecasting, management reporting and financial planning.
- Strengthen financial controls, accounting processes and audit readiness.
- Ensure compliance with tax, statutory, legal and regulatory requirements.
- Identify financial risks early and recommend practical corrective action.
Manufacturing finance and margins
You will work closely with production teams to understand the factory’s processes, cost drivers and operational challenges.
- Improve product costing, inventory valuation and manufacturing variance analysis.
- Analyse raw-material usage, labour, wastage, overheads and machine utilization.
- Build visibility into margins by product, customer and sales channel.
- Support pricing, quotations and commercial decisions with clear financial insight.
Planning and decision support
You will act as a financial thought partner to the CEO and leadership team.
- Prepare financial models, scenario analysis and sensitivity testing.
- Assess the financial implications of operational and commercial decisions.
- Support decisions relating to machinery, expansion, inventory and other investments.
- Present practical, decision-ready information to leadership, banks and other stakeholders.
Working capital and team leadership
You will lead a lean finance function while remaining close enough to the detail to identify and resolve issues directly.
- Strengthen cash-flow forecasting, receivables, payables and inventory controls.
- Build a culture of accuracy, accountability and ownership within the finance team.
- Work closely with sales, production, procurement and shared-service teams.
- Improve the flow of financial and operational information across the business.
How you show up
- Attention to detail is one of your bragging rights.
- You are hands-on, detail-oriented and commercially aware.
- You are curious about how the business operates, not only how transactions are recorded.
- You challenge assumptions constructively and ask the questions others may overlook.
- You can work through detailed issues without losing sight of the bigger business picture.
- You lead with humility, sound judgement and a strong sense of accountability.
Your strong foundation
Experience
- You have worked in a manufacturing environment with similar operational demands, including multiple machines, product lines, production stages or raw materials.
- Your background may be in plastics, packaging, food manufacturing, chemicals or building materials.
- You understand the financial impact of operational decisions.
Execution
You demonstrate strength in:
- Financial control, budgeting, forecasting and management reporting.
- Manufacturing costing, inventory valuation and margin analysis.
- Financial modelling, scenario planning and variance investigation.
- Working-capital management, compliance and audit processes.
Communication
You can explain financial information clearly to both finance and non-finance stakeholders.
You are comfortable working with production teams, commercial leaders, auditors, banks and senior executives. You influence through evidence, credibility and practical judgement rather than hierarchy.
Qualifications and tools
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Commerce or a related discipline.
- CPA, ACCA, CA or an equivalent professional qualification.
- Strong financial-modelling and spreadsheet skills.
- Experience using accounting, ERP and management-reporting systems.
- An MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification would be an advantage.
This role is not for you if…
- If your attention to detail does not reach OCD levels
- You prefer to remain within the finance office and avoid factory operations.
- You are comfortable reporting variances without investigating their causes.
- You see financial control as primarily bookkeeping and month-end reporting.
- You prefer to delegate detailed work without first understanding it yourself.
What’s in it for you?
You will have direct access to the CEO and the opportunity to shape how the business manages finance, operations and growth.
This is a chance to build and improve systems rather than simply maintain what already exists. Your work will influence pricing, margins, investment decisions, working capital and the overall direction of the business.
You will also receive mentorship from experienced business leaders and have the opportunity to grow into broader financial leadership as the organisation expands.
Get in touch to discuss the role in confidence, or apply below to register your interest.
