Finance Manager

About Talent House:We are a leading recruitment and HR consulting firm that operates as a link between people and companies in achieving a shared purpose. We offer creative, effective and flexible solutions that not only help individuals discover their career paths but also provide organisations with talent they can recruit, develop and retain.About the Role:Our client, a leading restaurant chain and FMCG brand, is looking for a Finance Manager who does not simply record what has happened. They actively shape what happens next — through insightful reporting, proactive forecasting, tight cost management and the financial intelligence that allows the CEO to lead with confidence.This is a role for someone who is as comfortable presenting financial performance to the CEO as they are reviewing a supplier invoice or reconciling a branch till. Detail and strategy must coexist in equal measureKey Responsibilities:Budgeting & ForecastingLead the annual budgeting process for the organisation — coordinating with the CEO and department heads to produce a comprehensive, realistic and commercially driven budget for each financial yearDevelop detailed branch-level budgets — ensuring each of the four outlets and the HQ production has clear revenue and cost targets aligned to the overall business planProduce rolling financial forecasts — updating projections monthly to reflect actual performance, emerging trends and changes in the business environmentMonitor actual performance against budget on a monthly basis — identifying and explaining variances promptly and recommending corrective action where neededProvide scenario planning and financial modelling to support key business decisions — new branch openings, capital investments, pricing changes and expansion plansEnsure the CEO always has a clear, forward-looking picture of the organisation's financial position — not just a record of what has already happened  2.  Measurement & Reporting of Financial PerformanceProduce accurate, timely and insightful financial reports for the CEO monthly — including Profit & Loss statements, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow statements and branch-level performance summariesMonitor and report on the organisationi's key financial benchmarks monthly — food cost percentage, labour cost percentage, rental cost percentage and net profit margin — at both branch and consolidated levelDevelop and maintain a CEO financial dashboard — giving real-time visibility of the organisation’s financial health in a clear and accessible format. This Dashboard should be shared every Saturday at 14hrs, showing the business performance for the week, and feeding into the Monday Senior Management meeting reportsConduct monthly branch-level financial reviews — identifying the strongest and weakest performing locations and providing the analysis needed to drive improvementTrack and report on revenue trends, cost movements and margin performance — translating financial data into clear business intelligencePrepare financial reports and presentations for the Board, investors or lenders as required — ensuring the organisation's financial story is told accurately and compellinglyMaintain the integrity and accuracy of all financial records at all times — there is no acceptable margin for error in financial reporting   3.  Statutory & Regulatory ComplianceEnsure the organisation is fully and consistently compliant with all Zambian statutory and regulatory financial obligations — including ZRA tax filings, NAPSA contributions, PAYE, VAT returns and any other applicable leviesManage all statutory filing deadlines without exception — no late filings, no penalties, no interest chargesLiaise with external auditors, tax advisors and ZRA as required — managing these relationships professionally and ensuring all information provided is accurate and completeOversee the annual external audit process — preparing the business for audit, coordinating with auditors and ensuring any audit findings are addressed promptlyMaintain full awareness of changes to Zambian tax law, financial regulation and statutory requirements — and ensure compliance is updated accordinglyEnsure all financial records are maintained in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) or applicable Zambian accounting standardsSupport the journey toward a potential LuSE listing by maintaining the financial governance, documentation and reporting standards required of a listed entity  4.  Financial OperationsOversee all day-to-day financial operations of the organisation — including accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, cash management and bank reconciliationsManage and develop the Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable functions — ensuring both operate efficiently, accurately and within agreed timelinesOversee the payroll process — ensuring every team member is paid accurately and on time, every pay cycle without exceptionManage cash flow — maintaining a clear and current picture of the business's cash position at all times and ensuring sufficient liquidity to meet operational and investment needsImplement and enforce robust financial controls across all branches and functions — preventing leakage, fraud and financial mismanagementManage banking relationships — including day-to-day banking operations, credit facilities and any financing arrangementsOversee the petty cash management across all branches — ensuring all cash is properly accounted for, controlled and reconciledReview and approve supplier payments — ensuring all payments are authorised, accurate and made in accordance with agreed terms  5.  Financial Technology SystemsTake ownership of all financial technology systems used by the organisation, including GAAP and Sage — ensuring every system is implemented, configured and utilised to its full operational potentialEnsure the accounting software, POS systems, payroll platform and any other financial technology tools are fully integrated and producing accurate, reliable dataIdentify gaps or inefficiencies in the organisation's current financial technology landscape and lead the implementation of improvements or new systems as requiredTrain and support finance team members and branch managers in the correct use of all financial systems — ensuring data integrity across the businessOversee POS system reconciliation — ensuring sales data from all four branches and the production kitchen is accurately captured, reconciled and reportedChampion the use of technology to automate routine financial processes — reducing manual effort, improving accuracy and freeing the finance team for higher value workStay current with developments in financial technology relevant to the hospitality and retail sector — and bring relevant innovations to the CEO's attention6.  Foundational Financial Reports & ControlsEnsure the following foundational financial reports are produced accurately and on time every month without exception: Profit & Loss Statement, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Statement, Budget vs Actual Report, Branch-Level P&L, Aged Debtors Report and Aged Creditors ReportMaintain a monthly financial reporting calendar — ensuring every report is delivered to the CEO on the agreed date every monthEnsure all foundational reports are prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards and are free from material errorDevelop and maintain a comprehensive chart of accounts that accurately reflects the company’s business structure and enables meaningful financial analysisEnsure the Balance Sheet is fully reconciled monthly — with all balance sheet accounts supported by accurate working papersMaintain an accurate fixed asset register — tracking all of our assets, depreciation and disposalsEnsure all intercompany transactions between branches and the production kitchen are correctly accounted for and eliminated in consolidated reporting7.  Cost Management & Financial DisciplineMonitor all cost lines across the business monthly — identifying any costs that are above budget or above industry benchmark and initiating immediate investigation and corrective actionWork closely with the Executive Chef and Operations Manager to manage food cost percentage within the 28% — 35% target rangeMonitor labour cost percentage across all branches monthly — alerting the COO and CEO when costs approach or exceed the 18% ceilingReview and challenge all significant expenditure — ensuring Meraki always receives value for money and that spending is authorised and appropriateManage the annual insurance renewals — ensuring appropriate and cost-effective cover at all timesIdentify cost-saving opportunities across the business without compromising quality or service — and implement approved savings initiatives  8.  Team Leadership & Cross-Functional CollaborationLead, develop and manage the Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable team members — setting clear expectations, providing regular feedback and building a high-performing finance functionWork closely with the COO, Operations Manager and Executive Chef on cost management, budget adherence and financial performance improvementSupport branch managers with financial literacy — helping them understand their P&L, their cost drivers and the financial impact of their operational decisionsCollaborate with the FMCG Manager on product costing, pricing and margin analysis for the retail and production product rangeProvide financial analysis and modelling to support the CEO's strategic decision-making — including new branch viability, product line profitability and capital allocationQualifications & ExperienceEssential:Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or a related field — from a recognised institutionProfessional accounting qualification or active progress toward one — ACCA, CIMA, ZICA or equivalentMinimum 5 years of progressive finance experience — with at least 2 years in a finance management or senior finance roleStrong working knowledge of Zambian tax law, ZRA requirements, NAPSA obligations and statutory financial complianceDemonstrated experience producing management accounts — P&L, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow statementsAdvanced proficiency in accounting software — Sage, QuickBooks, Xero or equivalentAdvanced Excel skills — financial modelling, pivot tables, vlookups and data analysisExperience in multi-site or multi-branch financial managementDesirable:Experience in the food, hospitality or retail sectorKnowledge of IFRS and their practical applicationExperience preparing businesses for external audit or regulatory reviewExposure to ERP systems or integrated financial management platformsExperience supporting a business toward a stock exchange listing or significant capital raiseCompensation:The incumbent will receive a competitive salary commensurate with experience.To Apply:Please send your CV to careers@talenthousepeople.com before the 10th of July 2026.