Financial Planning & Analysis Manager (Planning & Modelling) at Safaricom Plc

Job Description

Job Description

Reporting to the Senior Manager Financial Planning & Analysis the role holder will play a critical role in supporting business performance through budgeting, forecasting, long-range planning (LRP), management reporting, financial modelling, performance analysis, and business partnering.
The role is responsible for translating financial and operational data into actionable insights that support executive decision-making, capital allocation, strategic planning, and performance management. The successful candidate will possess a strong commercial mindset, advanced financial modelling capabilities, and the ability to influence business decisions through data-driven insights. Key responsibilities align with P&L forecasting, cashflow forecasting, LRP development, scenario analysis, executive communication and business partnering
 

Responsibilities

Health and Safety

•  Uphold the company code of conduct, policies and procedures, ensuring integrity and accountability in every aspect of your work.
• All employees have a responsibility to adhere to safety, health, and wellbeing policies, guidelines and procedures in all actions and decisions.

Financial Planning & Forecasting

• Support the preparation and consolidation of annual budgets, quarterly forecasts, and long-range plans (LRPs).
• Develop and maintain integrated financial models covering revenue, operating costs, EBITDA, profitability, cashflow, and capital expenditure.
• Coordinate forecast submissions across business units and ensure alignment to strategic objectives.
• Perform driver-based forecasting and sensitivity analysis to evaluate financial outcomes under various scenarios.
• Monitor forecast accuracy and provide recommendations to improve planning effectiveness.

Management Reporting & Performance Analysis

• Produce monthly, quarterly, and annual management reports.
• Deliver insightful variance analysis comparing Actuals, Budget, Forecast, and Prior Year performance.
• Identify key business drivers impacting revenue growth, profitability, cashflow, and return on investment.
• Develop executive-level dashboards and KPI reporting.
• Present financial performance trends and implications to senior management. 

Business Partnering

• Partner with Commercial, Technology, Operations, Enterprise, and Support Functions to provide financial decision support.
• Challenge assumptions and ensure business initiatives are supported by robust financial analysis.
• Support pricing reviews, business cases, investment proposals, and strategic initiatives.
• Influence stakeholders through data-driven insights and recommendations.
• Act as a trusted advisor on performance management and financial implications of business decisions.

Long-Range Planning & Strategy Support

• Support development and maintenance of multi-year strategic plans and long-range financial outlooks.
• Assess business opportunities, investment cases, and growth initiatives.
• Translate strategic initiatives into financial plans and measurable performance targets.
• Evaluate revenue growth, margin expansion, cash generation, and investment affordability.

Cashflow & Investment Analysis

• Develop and maintain cashflow forecasts and liquidity projections.
• Monitor working capital performance and identify improvement opportunities.
• Support capital expenditure planning, prioritization, and investment reviews.
• Evaluate funding requirements and free cashflow generation.
• Perform post-investment reviews to assess business case realization.

Financial Modelling & Scenario Analysis

• Build robust and auditable financial models.
• Conduct sensitivity analysis and scenario planning to assess financial risk and opportunities.
• Evaluate downside and upside scenarios and recommend mitigation actions.
• Support strategic decision-making through advanced modelling techniques.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive improvements in FP&A processes, tools, and reporting capabilities.
• Enhance automation and data analytics within planning and reporting processes.
• Support finance transformation initiatives and adoption of best practices.
• Improve data quality, consistency, and governance across planning cycles.

Core competencies, knowledge and experience:

Technical Competencies
Financial Expertise

• Advanced financial modelling
• Budgeting and forecasting
• Long-range planning (LRP)
• Management reporting
• Variance analysis
• Business case development
• Capital investment analysis
• Cashflow forecasting
• Scenario and sensitivity analysis

Systems & Tools

• Advanced Microsoft Excel
• ERP and HFM platforms (e.g., Oracle, SAP, Hyperion, OneStream, Anaplan)
• PowerPoint and executive presentation development

Behavioural Competencies

• Commercial Acumen: Ability to interpret business performance drivers and convert analysis into actionable recommendations.
• Analytical Thinking: Strong problem-solving capability with attention to detail and ability to manage ambiguity.
• Business Partnering: Confidence to challenge assumptions and influence stakeholders without direct authority.
• Communication: Ability to communicate complex financial concepts to non-financial audiences and executive leadership.
• Strategic Mindset: Ability to link short-term performance to long-term strategic objectives and business outcomes.
• Results Orientation: Focus on delivering accurate, timely, and actionable financial insights.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Statistics, Business, or related field.
• MBA or master’s degree is an added advantage.
• Professional Qualifications: CPA & ACCA
  Experience
• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in Financial Planning & Analysis, Commercial Finance, Business Finance, Corporate Finance, or Management Reporting.
• Demonstrated experience in budgeting, forecasting, long-range planning, and financial modelling.
• Experience supporting senior stakeholders and business leaders.
• Experience working with large datasets and complex financial models.
• Telecommunications, Technology, FMCG, Banking, or other large corporate experience is desirable.