Head of Finance

Responsibilities:

Financial Leadership & Strategy:

• Own the company's financial health and provide strategic guidance to leadership
• Develop and execute financial strategies that support business growth and profitability
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning processes
• Prepare the company for investor due diligence and potential fundraising
• Present financial insights and recommendations to the executive team

Financial Operations & Accounting:

• Directly manage the accounting team and oversee day-to-day financial operations
• Ensure accurate, timely recording of all financial transactions
• Produce monthly financial statements (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow)
• Implement and maintain robust financial controls and approval workflows
• Oversee accounts payable, receivable, inventory accounting, and payroll

Compliance & Tax Management:

• Ensure full compliance with all Nigerian tax regulations (VAT, WHT, CIT, PAYE)
• Manage all tax filings, remittances, and regulatory reporting
• Liaise with FIRS, LIRS, and other regulatory bodies
• Coordinate with external auditors and tax consultants
• Maintain proper documentation and audit trails

Systems & Process Design:

• Design and implement scalable financial processes across sales, operations, and procurement
• Build financial dashboards and KPI tracking systems
• Establish cost centres and profit tracking by product line/channel
• Create financial policies, procedures, and internal controls
• Implement or optimise accounting software/ERP systems

Cash Flow & Treasury:

• Monitor daily cash position and optimise working capital
• Develop cash flow forecasts and manage funding requirements
• Oversee banking relationships and treasury operations
• Manage debt facilities if applicable

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• Professional accounting qualification required: ACA, ACCA, CPA, or ICAN (fully qualified or final level)
• 5-7 years progressive finance experience with at least 2-3 years in a finance leadership role
• Proven track record of cleaning up books and preparing companies for investment/audit
• Deep knowledge of Nigerian tax laws, IFRS, and regulatory compliance
• Experience building financial systems and processes from scratch or restructuring existing ones
• Strong financial modelling, analysis, and reporting skills
• Advanced Excel proficiency (pivot tables, financial modelling)
• Experience managing accounting teams
• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to accuracy
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities

Preferred:

• Experience in retail, FMCG, beauty, e-commerce, or consumer goods
• Track record supporting companies through fundraising or investor due diligence
• Experience with accounting software (QuickBooks, Sage, Zoho Books, or similar)
• MBA or Master's in Finance/Accounting
• Experience in high-growth startup or scale-up environments
• Familiarity with inventory accounting and multi-channel sales operations

Key Competencies:

• Ownership mentality - You treat the company's finances like they're your own
• Builder mindset - You enjoy creating systems where none exist
• Detail-oriented executor - Nothing slips through the cracks
• Strategic thinker - You see beyond the numbers to business implications
• Clear communicator- You translate complex finance into simple business language
• Adaptable - You thrive in fast-paced, evolving environments
• High integrity - Absolute discretion with sensitive financial information

First 90 Days - Your Critical Priorities:

• Audit and correct our books to investor-ready standards - Review all financial records, identify gaps, implement corrections, and establish clean, audit-ready financials
• Achieve 100% tax compliance- Conduct full tax audit, ensure all filings are current, implement systems to maintain ongoing compliance with FIRS and Lagos State regulations
• Build scalable financial structures - Design and implement financial processes, controls, and reporting systems across all departments that can support 3-5x growth