Giraffe: Chief Financial Officer

Job Title: Chief Financial Officer

Location: Hybrid - WFH and Giraffe Bioenergy Head Office, Westlands, Nairobi

Employment Type: Full-time

Reports to: CEO

About Giraffe Bioenergy
At Giraffe Bioenergy, we're not just growing crops; we're growing communities, opportunities, and a cleaner future. As a private company on a mission, we're building Kenya's first cassava-to-ethanol ecosystem to power the next generation of clean cooking fuel. 

Our secret ingredient? Women. We believe women should be at the heart of rural transformation, and we're proud to work with 200+ women farmers across our thriving 50-hectare pilot farm. Together, we're cultivating cassava, beans, and chillies while preparing for a bold leap: scaling up to 2,000 hectares and launching a full-scale 15 million litre-per-year biorefinery in 2026,  will convert cassava starch into clean-burning ethanol fuel.

This is not your average energy start-up company. This is frontier innovation. And now, we're looking for a visionary Chief Financial Officer to join our leadership team and help shape the financial engine behind a cleaner, more equitable future for Kenya and beyond.

Position Summary

The Chief Financial Officer will play a critical role in charting the path towards future growth and success at Giraffe Bioenergy. As a member of the executive team, you will report to the CEO, manage the company's financial function and will work with the leadership team to deliver on the company's mission. 

Giraffe Bioenergy is seeking a driven, detail-oriented, and highly accountable individual who can deliver results with integrity. Experience and a proven track record will help demonstrate your ability, but we're flexible on how you show us that you're up for the job. We want the best candidate and that may come from any relevant background.

Financial Strategy and Fundraising:

• Working with the executive team and board, develop and deliver the company's growth financing strategy
• Develop a clear and actionable strategic financial model
• Determine the correct mix of debt, equity and grant capital to fund the company's profitable growth
• Support and advise the CEO in company fundraising – equity and debt capital of up to $50 million in the next 3-5 years
• Support the company in the preparation and delivery of investor due diligence material
• Support regular Board updates

Financial Management and Oversight:

Manage and oversee all financial and business planning activities, including:

• Direct and administer all financial plans
• Oversee business policies and accounting practices
• Develop risk management frameworks
• Review and analyze financial reports
• Support and advise the CEO in decision-making
• Lead and support the organisational budgeting process
• Oversee the reporting and monitoring of organisational performance metrics
• Provide overall financial oversight and monitoring
• Ensure that relevant financial data is presented to the CEO and senior management
• Manage currency exposure and develop and implement hedging policies
• Manage the audit process and support the Audit Committee and other relevant subcommittees

Operations:

• Support in the development of information systems to support the development of the business
• Board of Directors – working with the CEO to provide staff support and guidance to the Board of Directors and reporting to investors.

Qualifications and Relevant Experiences:

• Minimum of a BA/BSc, ideally with an MBA and/or CPA/ACCA or other equivalent financial management background
• Strong financial management experience: ideally has worked in a senior management role in another high-growth startup, or a world-class financial service organisation.
• A progressive experience leading to at least 5+ years of experience in financing / financial management
• Demonstrated experience in financial planning and analysis with previous experience overseeing human resources, information technology, and legal
• Experience in raising $5 million or more of equity/debt capital
• Experience working with the C-Suite and providing strategic input and support

Skills:

Should include organisational development, financial and personnel management, budget and resource development, and strategic planning;; demonstrated success developing and monitoring systems to manage both operational and programmatic work that involve high levels of collaboration

• Excellent people skills, with an ability to partner with a dynamic leadership team
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and commitment to the Giraffe mission
• Flexible and able to multi­task; can work within an ambiguous, fast-moving environment, while also driving toward clarity and solutions; demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities and guiding investment in people and systems
• Ambitious and eager to learn, able to grow with the organisation
• Strong personal networks, or the clear ability to develop them, have an impact on the impact investing / sustainable investment sector

Giraffe Bioenergy practices equal opportunity and believes that the company's market should be reflected in the team.

Competitive salary starting from KES 300,000 based on experience with equity compensation.