Financial controller

Location: Douala, Cameroon

Employment Type: Full-Time

Experience

Required:

Min 8 years

The Controller is accountable for six areas, from legal formation through to client-ready reporting.

• Lead the registrations and approvals needed to trade and export: RCCM, NIU, DGE, CNPS, customs and sector approvals.
• Open bank accounts and set signatory rules, with dual authorisation on payments.
• Select and implement the accounting system and an OHADA-compliant chart of accounts aligned to group reporting.
• Write finance policies, SOPs, and the delegation of authority matrix; recruit and train the finance team.

• Prepare and file all returns on time: corporate tax, VAT, withholding taxes, payroll taxes, CNPS and the annual DSF.
• Recover export VAT credits and keep them current.
• Handle tax and customs audits end-to-end: analyse assessments, respond within deadlines, negotiate settlements, and manage advisers.
• Maintain transfer pricing documentation for sales to group entities.
• Meet BEAC and foreign exchange rules, including export-proceeds repatriation and bank domiciliation of exports.

• Run the monthly close and deliver group reporting by the 7th working day, including intercompany reconciliations.
• Report under OHADA locally and IFRS for the group; produce budgets and forecasts.
• Analyse margin and cost per ton by purchase lot, buying channel and shipment, and explain variances to the Country Director and Regional CFO.

• Forecast cash and request funding weekly; keep cash in the entity only as long as needed.
• Control supplier advances: approval limits, security, tracking against deliveries, and weekly exposure and provisioning reports.
• Reconcile stock, weight loss and quality claims to the ledger; coordinate FX exposure with group treasury.

• Manage the external audit and any lender or certification audits.
• Design controls from day one: segregation of duties, vendor-master control, cash and buying- station controls.
• Escalate any request to bypass a control directly to the Regional CFO.

• Own system-based tracking of sustainability programme and certification costs, premiums and funding.
• Reconcile certified volumes and traceability data to purchases and shipments.
• Prepare accurate, on-time financial reports for customers, certification bodies and funders.

• Evidence of hands-on Cameroon tax work and of setting up a company is mandatory, not desirable.

• Degree in accounting or finance, plus a professional qualification (ACCA, CIMA, CPA, DEC/DESCF or equivalent).
• At least 8 years in finance, including 3 or more 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: corporate tax, VAT including export credit refunds, withholding, DSF filing, customs, and transfer pricing.
• A track record of managing DGI and customs audits and reaching settlements, with specific cases the candidate can explain.
• Direct experience forming and registering a company in Cameroon (RCCM, NIU, DGE, CNPS) and Setting up its bank accounts, accounting system and policies.
• Strong working knowledge of OHADA/SYSCOHADA and IFRS, and of group reporting packs and monthly close deadlines.
• Very strong analytical skills and advanced Excel; experience with an ERP such as SAP, Sage, or Microsoft Dynamics.
• Experience with supplier pre-finance, buying-station cash and stock controls, and export documentation.
• Fluent English and French, with high-quality written English and French.
• Demonstrated integrity: has refused or escalated improper requests and can give examples.