Chief Financial Officer

Designation - Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Location - Benin (West Africa)

Industry - Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Reporting  - Group CFO

Experience

• 1015 years of progressive experience in finance and accounting.
• Minimum 5 years in a senior finance leadership role.
• Experience in pharmaceutical industry preferred.
• Experience working in Africa or emerging markets will be an advantage.

Qualifications

• Chartered Accountant (CA) or Cost & Management Accountant (CMA/ICWA) Mandatory.
• Bachelors degree in commerce, Finance, Accounting, or related field.

Skills

• Strategic financial planning
• Cost accounting and manufacturing finance
• Budgeting and forecasting
• Treasury and cash flow management
• Taxation and regulatory compliance
• ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, etc.)
• Leadership and stakeholder management
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication and presentation skills

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement financial strategies aligned with the company's business objectives.
• Lead financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and long-term business planning for Benin plant.
• Ensure timely preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements.
• Oversee accounting operations, treasury management, cash flow planning, and working capital optimization.
• Monitor financial performance and recommend corrective actions where necessary.
• Ensure compliance with local and international accounting standards.
• Establish robust cost accounting systems and manufacturing cost controls.
• Analyse product costing, margins, operational efficiency, and profitability.
• Drive cost optimization initiatives across production, procurement, logistics, and administration.
• Monitor inventory valuation and manufacturing variances.
• Ensure compliance with tax regulations, statutory requirements, and pharmaceutical industry regulations.
• Manage internal controls, audits, and corporate governance processes.
• Liaise with external auditors, banks, regulatory authorities, and stakeholders.
• Partner with manufacturing, procurement, supply chain, HR, and commercial teams to improve operational performance.
• Support ERP implementation and digital transformation initiatives.
• Lead and mentor the finance and accounts team.
• Develop a high-performance finance culture focused on accountability and continuous improvement.
• Establish KPIs and monitor departmental performance