Financial Controller - Agri-Export

About the role

A company in the FMCG, food and beverage sector in Douala, Cameroon, is hiring two Financial Controllers. The Controller is accountable for six areas, from company formation through to client-ready reporting, covering tax compliance, group reporting, treasury, audit and internal control.

Key responsibilities

• Company formation and set-up: lead registrations and approvals (RCCM, NIU, DGE, CNPS, customs), open bank accounts with dual-authorisation payments, choose and implement the accounting system and an OHADA-compliant chart of accounts, write finance policies and SOPs, and recruit and train the finance team.
• Tax and statutory compliance: prepare and file corporate tax, VAT, withholding, payroll taxes, CNPS and the annual DSF on time, recover export VAT credits, handle tax and customs audits, maintain transfer pricing documentation and meet BEAC and foreign exchange rules.
• Accounting, analysis and group reporting: run the monthly close, deliver group reporting by the 7th working day, report under OHADA locally and IFRS for the group, produce budgets and forecasts, and analyse margin and cost per ton.
• Treasury and supplier financing: forecast cash weekly, control supplier advances, reconcile stock, weight loss and quality claims to the ledger, and coordinate FX exposure with group treasury.
• Audit and internal control: manage external and lender audits, design controls such as segregation of duties and vendor-master control, and escalate bypass requests to the Regional CFO.
• Sustainability and client reporting: track sustainability programme costs, reconcile certified volumes and traceability data, and prepare financial reports for customers, certification bodies and funders.

Required profile

• Degree in accounting or finance plus a professional qualification (ACCA, CIMA, CPA, DEC/DESCF or equivalent).
• At least 8 years in finance, including 3+ as Financial Controller or head of finance in Cameroon or the CEMAC region, in commodities, agri-export, trading or processing.
• Proven command of Cameroon tax and a track record of settling DGI and customs audits.
• Direct experience forming a company in Cameroon and setting up its bank accounts, accounting system and policies.
• Fluent English and French, with high-quality written English and French.
• Demonstrated integrity, with examples of refusing or escalating improper requests.

Required skills

• Strong working knowledge of OHADA/SYSCOHADA and IFRS, group reporting packs and monthly close deadlines.
• Advanced Excel and an ERP such as SAP, Sage or Microsoft Dynamics.
• Supplier pre-finance, buying-station cash and stock controls, and export documentation.