Senior Principal Consultant: Financial Planning and Analysis

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Senior Principal Consultant of FP&A will play a critical role in shaping our financial outlook, reporting, and business decision-making processes. They will be responsible for providing pivotal decision support and overseeing group financial reporting. This role requires leading a geographically dispersed team and understanding diverse cultural and country dynamics, both from a people management as well as an accounting and reporting perspective.

LOCATION:

We are accepting applications from candidates based in Africa or within the GMT time zone, with a maximum deviation of two hours behind or ahead, to ensure alignment with Cellulant's operational framework and team collaboration needs.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:

Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A):

• Lead the FP&A team to drive budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis processes.
• Collaborate with senior management to understand and manage key business drivers and influence strategic planning.
• Provide actionable insights and recommendations to optimize costs, enhance revenues, and drive profitability.

Decision Support:

• Act as the primary financial contact for department heads and senior management, offering insights and data-driven business decisions.
• Analyze market trends to identify business opportunities and risks.
• Lead ad-hoc financial analyses and new business development evaluations.

Group Financial Reporting:

• Oversee the consolidation of monthly financial reporting for all business entities.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and compliant consolidated audit and group balance sheet reviews.
• Drive standardization and improvement of financial reporting processes and systems across all regions.

Leadership and Team Management:

• Lead, mentor, and develop a diverse and geographically dispersed finance team.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning, accountability, and excellence.
• Champion best practices in financial management, ensuring compliance with all statutory regulations and adherence to company policies.

Stakeholder Management:

• Develop strong relationships with internal teams, external partners, and stakeholders.
• Communicate financial insights and updates to the board and senior management regularly.

QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Must have experience:

• Proficiency in financial modelling and forecasting.
• Expertise in consolidating financial statements from multiple entities.
• A minimum of 8 years of experience in finance roles, with at least 4 years in a leadership position.
• Advanced knowledge of financial software

Qualification:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field; a Master's degree or MBA is preferred.
• Professional accounting qualification (e.g., CPA, ACCA, CIMA) is desirable.

Skills:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to convey complex financial data in a clear and concise manner.
• Cultural sensitivity and adaptability, with the capacity to engage effectively with a diverse team.

Personal attributes:

• Demonstrated leadership and vision in managing teams and major projects.
• Ethical behaviour and integrity.
• Ability to think strategically and execute methodically.
• Strong inclination towards innovation and continuous improvement.