Chief Finance Officer (CFO) - Heavy Chemical Manufacturing - Tanzania (CFO)

SUMMARY:
A Tanzanian industrial chemical company maintaining strategic positioning in the East, Southern and Central African markets are developing a 45 TPD chlor-alkali plant manufacturing facility supplying the mining, water treatment etc industries. The successful candidate will serve as a strategic business partner and head up the financial and operations aspects of this large-scale Chlor-Alkali manufacturing facility based in Tanzania.

POSITION INFO:
Minimum requirements for the role: A Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, Commerce or a related field is required. The successful candidate should be a Chartered Accountant (CA) from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) or SA or a related equivalent premier global accounting certification (CPA\/ACCA). The company is happy to consider a retired CFO for the role. An MBA in Finance from a top-tier institution is highly desirable. Previous experience having worked as a CFO or, VP of Finance, or Head of Finance specifically within a heavy chemical manufacturing environment is pref. Proven financial management experience with Bipolar Membrane Cell Process Technology plants. Direct experience tracking capital expenditure and project financing milestones alongside global engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors (e.g., Nuberg EPC, Thyssenkrupp Uhde) is a distinct advantage. Advanced proficiency in SAP B1 or equivalent ERP systems. Expert user of Microsoft Excel, including advanced financial modelling and data analysis. Strong experience with Business Intelligence tools such as Power BI, Tableau or SAP Analytics Cloud. Experience with budgeting, forecasting and financial planning applications (Hyperion, Anaplan or equivalent). Working knowledge of Treasury Management Systems, ERP-integrated manufacturing costing modules and IFRS financial reporting systems. Experience leading ERP implementation, finance digitalisation and business process automation initiatives. Proficient in Microsoft 365 applications including Excel, PowerPoint, Teams and SharePoint. The successful candidate should be a Strategic and commercially astute finance executive with 15+ years of progressive leadership experience, including CFO or equivalent executive-level responsibility. Proven track record having worked within an industrial manufacturing, preferably chlor-alkali, heavy chemicals, petrochemicals, or other continuous process industries. Demonstrated expertise in corporate finance, capital raising, investment management, treasury, financial planning, and enterprise risk management. Strong experience engaging with Boards of Directors, investors, banks, development finance institutions, and other key stakeholders. Deep understanding of manufacturing cost accounting, IFRS, financial governance, and ERP-enabled finance operations. Proven ability to lead high-performing finance teams, drive business transformation, and support organisational growth in a multicultural environment. The successful candidate will be responsible for: Serving as a strategic business partner and heading up the financial and operations aspects of this large-scale Chlor-Alkali manufacturing facility based in Tanzania. Monitoring, modelling and optimising the financial impact of electricity tariffs and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) on energy-intensive membrane cell electrolysis operations. Developing dynamic variable costing and sensitivity models to balance profitability fluctuations across the electrochemical unit (ECU) outputs, including caustic soda, chlorine and hydrogen. Overseeing capital allocation, asset depreciation and financial engineering for ongoing plant maintenance, upgrades and cell-recoating cycles. Driving effective cash flow management strategies, accounting for long lead-time supply chains for critical chemical raw materials, such as high-purity salt and chemical additives, as well as specialised engineering spares. Directing financial tracking and cost-efficiency optimisation for a 45 TPD chlorine plant using Bipolar Membrane Cell technology, including precise benchmarking of fixed and variable overheads tailored to mid-scale continuous chemical manufacturing. Formulating pricing and distribution margin models for a 45 TPD output, focusing on maximising revenue from local water treatment, textile and regional manufacturing customers in East Africa. Managing the financial balance of the Electrochemical Unit (ECU) at this capacity, ensuring the optimisation of chlorine storage, safety compliance costs and localised caustic distribution to maintain steady cash flow. Cultivating and maintaining strong relationships with domestic and international financial institutions to secure competitive trade finance, working capital facilities and project funding. Implementing proactive hedging strategies to protect the business against currency volatility between local East African currencies (TZS), USD and INR. Maintaining full accountability for internal financial controls, risk management frameworks and corporate governance standards. Overseeing compliance with the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), covering corporate income tax, withholding tax (WHT), value-added tax (VAT) refunds, and customs and excise duties for dangerous goods. Directing the timely preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual consolidated financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Maintaining an advanced cost-accounting system tailored to continuous-process chemical manufacturing, ensuring detailed transparency into unit production costs. Salary package, including benefits, is highly negotiable depending on experience gained.