CFO

Position: Chief Financial Officer

Location: Nairobi / Remote

Engagement: Full time

About Pula:

At Pula, we are radically restructuring agricultural insurance, using technology to insure the previously unbanked, uninsured, untapped market of 1.5 billion smallholders worldwide.

We work in over 17 countries across Africa and Asia, and by 2021, we have facilitated crop insurance cover to over 5.3 million farmers across Kenya, India, Rwanda, Uganda, Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, Zambia, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Tanzania, and Malawi. Since raising our Series A our operations have expanded globally including now Asia and Latin America.

Pula is a fast-paced space, constantly adapting to new opportunities and challenges and we are made up of a high-performance, multi-cultural team. We expect our team to value performance, results and professionalism.

At Pula, we:

• Obsessed with results: We are responsible for our future and therefore we get things done!
• Connect the Dots: We continuously identify different customer needs & business problems and build solutions that deliver value.
• Have a Can do Attitude! We dare to do things differently to make things work.
• We have each others’ back: We look out for each other & we share high quality, timely feedback that makes us better.

What you will be doing:

The CFO at Pula is far from the typical manager of the finance function. You must fulfill the role of a modern CFO and perform as a key partner on strategy, growth and  finance as well as driving product and operational synergies within an innovative insurtech environment. The CFO will be expected to uphold technical excellence at Pula and derive value from financial and risk insights to drive and inform strategy.

The role of the Pula CFO will include:

Strategy, Planning and Management

• Mentor and develop the finance function by setting a strategic department vision as well as building a cost efficient finance organizational model that will scale across boundaries.
• Serve as a strategic business partner to our Chief Executive Officer, Board of Directors, and executive leadership team.
• Assess and evaluate financial performance of our organization with regard to long-term operational goals, budgets, and forecasts..
• Identify, acquire, and implement systems and software to provide critical financial and operational information and reporting. Evaluate departments and make suggestions for automating processes and increasing working efficiency.
• Communicate, engage, and interact with the Board of Directors, CEO, and senior executive leadership team to ensure full transparency over the financial performance of the company.
• Create and establish yearly and quarterly financial objectives that align with the company’s plan for growth and expansion.
• Serve as a key member of our executive leadership team.
• Participate in pivotal decisions as they relate to strategic initiatives, and operational models.
• Interact with and align departments with the Company plans, initiatives, and recommendations.
• Financial Analysis, Budgeting and Forecasting
• Prepare and present monthly financial budgeting reports including monthly profit and loss by division, forecast vs. budget by division, and weekly cash flow by division.
• Review and analyze monthly financial results and provide recommendations.
• Identify, develop, and execute analysis of business initiatives, product launches, and/or new service offerings.
• Develop, maintain and enforce monthly operating budget and annual company operating budget.
• Manage financial planning and analysis department. Supervise creation of reports, software implementation, and tools for budgeting and forecasting.

Accounting, General Ledger, Administration and Operations

• Ensure the proper functioning of all systems, improve automation, databases, and financial software.
• Review and ensure application of appropriate internal controls and financial procedures.
• Ensure timeliness and accuracy of financial and management reporting data.
• Oversee the preparation and communication of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements.
• Oversee the preparation and timely filing of all local, state, and federal tax returns.
• Partner with People Operations to ensure appropriate legal compliance.
• Oversee the month-end close process, constantly reviewing procedures while eliminating inefficiencies.
• Review all month-end closing activities including general ledger accounts, balance sheet accounts, and overhead cost allocation.
• Enhance and implement financial and accounting systems, processes, tools, and control systems.
• Serve as a key point of contact for external auditors; Manage preparation and support of all external audits.
• Ensure timely and error free bi-weekly payroll processing, systems, automations, and payroll GL accounting.

Financial Management

• Manage cash flow planning process and ensure funds availability.

• Explore new investment opportunities and provide recommendations on potential returns and risks.

• Maintain outstanding banking relationships and strategic alliances with vendors and business partners.

• Build and utilize forward-looking models and activity-based analyses to provide financial insight into the organization’s plans and operating budgets.

• Represent the company to banks, financial partners, institutions, public auditors, and officials.

• Remain current on audit best practices as well as state, federal, and local laws regarding company operations.

Cash Management

• Oversee weekly cash management and Accounts Payables Department, approve large payables, sign checks, authorize large wires etc.
• Supervise Accounts Receivable management and provide guidance relating to the collection process.

What you need to have to be successful:

• At least 10 years of experience leading a finance department.
• Experience in Big 4 firm - PWC, EY, KPMG or Deloitte
• Experience with building finance systems, controls and processes from scratch.
• Experience with budgeting controls.
• Qualified Chartered Accountant (CA or CPA) or any similar Accounting qualification.
• Experience building and maintaining an ERP system for complex business operations.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, or another relevant field.
• Experience working in social enterprises is an added advantage.
• Startup experience is an added advantage.

What Pula will bring to the table:

• Growth potential: With an untapped market of 1.5 billion smallholders worldwide, on track to doubling the number of farmers insured in 2020, and with the ongoing geographic expansion, the CFO has a tremendous upside growth potential.
• Market Leader: Not only is the opportunity massive, but Pula is by far the market leader in it’s category with 5.3m farmers insured as at the end of 2021.
• Solid: Pula has been funded by leading venture capital investors (Omidyar Network, ACCION, MercyCorps) and global philanthropic institutions (MasterCard Foundation, CGAP/World Bank as well as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation). Pula closed a  $6m series A funding in December 2020 in the right in middle of the pandemic a clear testimony of the opportunity that Pula is going after
• Respected: Winner of the Singapore FinTech Festival 2019, Winner of The InsureTech of the Award, Africa. Featured on TED talks, The New York Times, The Economist.
• Impact and creation: This is a high-impact role, reporting to the CEO and Co-Founder, that offers a unique opportunity to bring the company to the next level, whilst developing new strategies, approaches and ideas.
• Leadership: The founders & CEO foster a culture of transparency, respect, high performance, pragmatism, execution and personal development.
• Purpose: It is rare to find a professional opportunity that offers accelerated professional development and a life purpose. Pula is going through a second phase of accelerated growth that will naturally provide professional development, whilst contributing to the financial stability of small farmers in the emerging markets.
• Remuneration: Competitive base salary accordingly with seniority and experience, plus benefits and an employee share option plan that offers an attractive equity upside.

To learn more about Pula:

• TED Talk: Crop Insurance, an Idea Worth Seeding
• New York Times: He Grew up on a Farm. Now, He Helps Protect Them
• The Economist: The Poor, Who Most Need Insurance, Are Least Likely to Have It