Group Finance Manager

About the jobJob Title: Group Finance Manager Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Reports to: Group CEO Business: FMCG / Food Manufacturing & Distribution Role Overview We are seeking a commercially sharp, execution-focused Group Finance Manager to lead the financial strategy and governance of a fast-growing FMCG company with vertically integrated operations across East Africa, the UK, and Europe. This is a hands-on role for a finance leader who understands both the complexity of emerging markets and the demands of global consumer product businesses. The Group Finance Manager will be a critical partner to the Managing Director, providing strategic insight while owning group-level financial planning, investor relations, risk management, and capital allocation. They will ensure financial discipline across all subsidiaries, build robust systems, and drive performance across the group. Key Responsibilities 1. Group Financial Leadership • Own the consolidated P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow across all entities. • Develop and execute a 12–36-month financial strategy, aligned with business growth and investment priorities. • Lead the budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning process across geographies. 2. Performance & Cost Management • Implement margin improvement and working capital optimisation initiatives. • Drive group-level KPIs and financial accountability across business units. • Oversee pricing strategy, transfer pricing, and intercompany transactions. 3. Capital Allocation & Fundraising • Support the CEO in investor relations, fundraising, and capital structuring. • Lead on use-of-funds planning, return-on-capital analysis, and scenario modelling. • Manage relationships with banks, equity investors, grant providers, and financial partners. 4. Governance & Risk • Strengthen internal controls, compliance, and risk management. • Lead audit processes and ensure financial integrity across jurisdictions. • Set and oversee group-wide financial policies and controls. 5. Team Building & System Scaling • Build and mentor finance teams across business units. • Standardise and upgrade financial systems and reporting tools (preferably via Microsoft 365 stack). • Implement a group-wide reporting cadence (monthly, quarterly, annual). Profile Must-Have Experience • Multiyear senior finance leadership within FMCG, ideally across both developed and emerging markets. • Prior experience as Group Finance Manager or Finance Director in a multi-entity, multi-country setup. • Track record of investor engagement (debt and/or equity). • Strong grip on cost control, forecasting, and FX risk. • Proven success driving performance in high-growth, capital-constrained environments. Skills & Attributes • Strategic thinker with a bias for execution. • Hands-on, low-ego operator who can get into the numbers. • Resilient, commercially minded, and comfortable with ambiguity. • Strong communication and leadership skills across cross-cultural teams. • Familiarity with African, UK, and EU regulatory and tax environments. Nice-to-Haves • Experience in impact-driven or agri-based FMCG businesses. • Background in growing founder-led businesses. • ERP implementation and systems scaling experience. Duty Station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Remuneration and Compensation: market conform salary as per company scale with incentives depending on qualifications Deadline: 10 days from the date of this announcement. Early applications are encouraged, as shortlisting may begin before the deadline. How to Apply: Qualified and interested candidates are invited to send their CV and cover letter to samuel@thelovegrass.com addressed to the Human Resource Department. Please clearly state “Group Finance Manager” in the subject line.