Financial Controller – Estate Head Office – Malawi, Southern Africa
Reference Number: BL-JP-V-001
About the Company:
Our client is a long-established, financially secure rubber plantation and processing business in Malawi, Southern Africa. Its operations combine crop cultivation and processing with timber production — factories and a mill serving local and export markets — and the business is developing further products from its timber resources. It employs a substantial workforce and is a stable business in which financial discipline underpins estate and factory management, investment and long-term sustainability.
About the Job:
The Financial Controller is based on the client’s rural estate and will lead the accounting department, taking ownership of reliable financial reporting, legal, tax and fiscal compliance, internal controls and the relationship with the external auditors. The role reports to the General Manager and is the single point of accountability for the integrity of the company’s financial records.
The role requires strong technical accounting across an integrated agricultural and manufacturing business — plantation, crop processing, timber milling and allied activities — including production costing, stock valuation, fixed assets and capital expenditure monitoring. Experience of foreign exchange and tax compliance in an African operating environment is essential, as is the ability to build a working understanding of estate and factory operations so that accurate information flows into the accounts.
The Financial Controller will lead, motivate and develop a team of [15] accounting staff, allocating responsibilities, setting deadlines and reviewing the quality of work, while giving management clear and timely financial information for decision-making. The position calls for a firm but fair management style, maturity, integrity and sound judgement, and the confidence to enforce standards while working constructively with the General Manager, operations management and estate teams.
This is an estate-based residential appointment on a [36]-month fixed-term contract, with relocation with family supported.
Key Result Areas (KRAs)
- Financial Reporting: Manage the month-end and year-end close, reconciliations and supporting records. Deliver accurate and timely monthly management accounts and annual financial statements, with clear explanations of performance and significant variances.
- Internal Controls: Maintain effective controls over receipts, payments, purchasing, payroll, inventory and fixed assets. Establish clear approval procedures and segregation of duties, verify supporting documentation and address control weaknesses promptly.
- Compliance & Taxation: Ensure financial, foreign exchange and tax obligations are properly recorded and met on time. Coordinate tax returns, statutory submissions and dealings with the authorities.
- External Audit: Lead audit preparation, maintain supporting schedules, liaise with the external auditors and implement agreed corrective actions within agreed timelines.
- Budgets & Cash Flow: Coordinate annual budgets and forecasts, monitor cash flow and working capital, and provide practical financial analysis to support management decisions.
- Costing & Capex: Support production costing, stock valuation and capital expenditure monitoring across the plantation, factories and timber mill.
- People Leadership: Lead and motivate an accounting team of [15]. Train and develop staff, document accounting procedures, and maintain accountability for standards and deadlines.
- Systems & Operational Insight: Maintain reliable accounting records and make effective use of financial systems. Engage regularly with estate and factory teams to improve the accuracy and timeliness of operational data feeding the accounts.
Reporting & Organisation:
- Reports to: General Manager
- Direct reports (indicative): Accounting department of [15] staff
- Key interfaces: Operations management, estate and factory management, external auditors, tax and statutory authorities, banks
- First-year priorities: Accurate and timely monthly management accounts; full compliance with financial, tax and statutory requirements; a motivated accounting team consistently meeting standards and deadlines
Qualifications & Experience:
- A formal, recognised accounting qualification such as CA, ACCA, CIMA, CMA or equivalent; CA is not required.
- At least [10] years as a Financial Controller, including running an accounting department.
- At least [6] years’ working experience in Africa and currently based in Africa.
- High competence in statutory compliance, internal controls, taxation, audit preparation and auditor liaison.
- Agribusiness or plantation experience is an advantage; experience in a closely related environment such as manufacturing, processing, forestry or estates is highly relevant.
- Fluent spoken and written English, the working language of the business.
Key Skills & Competencies:
- Technical: financial reporting, month-end and year-end close, taxation, foreign exchange compliance, audit preparation.
- Financial control: internal controls, segregation of duties, approval frameworks, inventory and fixed-asset control.
- Commercial: budgeting and forecasting, cashflow and working-capital management, production costing, capex monitoring.
- Leadership: supervision, delegation, staff development and performance management; firm but fair.
- Personal: professional, composed, mature, high integrity and sound judgement; comfortable with estate-based living.
Candidate Profile:
- A hands-on Financial Controller who combines technical depth with the managerial ability to organise and develop a team.
- Professional and composed, with a good balance of people skills and leadership rather than a harsh management style.
- Confident to identify problems, enforce standards and see matters through to resolution while preserving financial independence.
- Comfortable with non-city, plantation-style living and committed to a sustained, estate-based appointment; relocation with family support.
Indicative Organisation Structure:
General Manager → Financial Controller → Accounting Department ([15] staff).
The Financial Controller works alongside operations management and the estate, factory and timber mill managers, who report into the General Manager.
If you wish to apply, please send your CV to Justin Peach at jpeach@caglobalint.com.
Please visit www.caglobalint.com for more exciting opportunities.
