Finance and Operations Manager
CrossBoundary Group

Location

Ideally, the candidate will be based in South Africa, but alternatives in the UK, Kenya and Mauritius can be considered if practically viable

About the Firm
CrossBoundary Group is a mission-driven investment and advisory firm that unlocks the power of capital for sustainable growth and strong returns in underserved markets. CrossBoundary Advisory provides transaction and investment advisory services, having developed a specialized expertise in unleashing investment across all sectors in these markets. CrossBoundary Advisory has advised on over US$8bn worth of transactions across 75 countries globally, serving our clients from 20 offices spread across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Our advisory clients include governments, development finance institutions, private equity firms, Fortune 100 companies, and research institutions.

Our investment platforms, CrossBoundary Energy, CrossBoundary Energy Access, and CrossBoundary Educational Infrastructure, directly finance projects to bring cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable electricity, as well as education infrastructure, to developing countries. Anchoring the Group’s work in the renewable energy sector, CrossBoundary Energy is currently active in more than 10 African countries and has a portfolio of over US$100 million of renewable energy projects for commercial and industrial clients across the continent. CrossBoundary Energy Access uses blended finance and an innovative project financing structure to unlock capital for mini-grids with a mission to bring electricity for the first time to more than 170,000 people. Learn more at www.crossboundary.com

Job Description

The CrossBoundary Group is recruiting a full-time Finance and Operations Manager to lead and oversee compliance of its direct investment vehicles. The Finance and Operation Manager will be responsible for overseeing the preparation and review of quarterly and annual financial statements, head up internal controls and processes, manage financial operations, and act as the contact point for all service providers including outsourced accountants, auditors, and other related parties. We will also look to you as a trusted business advisor. You will be called on for practical insights on how to make discrete business decisions that will directly affect the financial outcomes and operations of our investment vehicles. The Finance and Operations Manager will be part of the financial leadership of the investment funds business. This person works closely with the investment teams to ensure strong financial returns and compliance.

Who We Are

CrossBoundary operates in frontier markets that also hold immense investment opportunities. The chosen candidate will play an important role in a unique team with the opportunity to have a transformational impact on the renewable energy landscape in Africa. Team members come from diverse backgrounds, but share several qualities: curiosity, humility, integrity, a drive for excellence, and a bias for action.

Who You Are

• Self-starter who is passionate about creating lasting change in frontier and developing market

• The belief that innovation is at the heart of finding solutions to the world’s biggest challenges

• Background and interest in accounting for alternative investment funds

• Creative, discerning, and detail-oriented regarding the proper application of accounting principles to various transactions

• A problem-solver who perseveres through complicated puzzles and builds systems from solutions

• Strategic thinker who acts with both team and broader group objectives in mind

• Confident and effective communicator, especially in cross-cultural contexts

• Willingness to work and live in challenging environments

• Ability to manage multiple workstreams, prioritise, and deliver on tasks independently

Primary Responsibilities

• Primary financial business partner to our Advisory business, helping to provide management reporting and analysis to all project managers.

• Oversee the financial close process for all entities, ensuring it meets the standards needed for accurate reporting and analysis

• Monitor cash flow

• Manage quarterly and annual investor financial reporting processes, including approval of financial statements

• Design group policies where appropriate

• Design and implement a robust internal control environment across all entities and ensure adherence to group reporting policies

• Manage tax compliance and audit for US entities

• Prepare budgets and forecasts for fund entities

• Lead capital activity including finance facility sweeps/transfers

• Read and interpret investor agreements

• Recommend and manage the implementation of automation and documentation of financial processes

• Business Strategy: Collaborate with senior management to develop and execute the firm’s strategic business plan, focusing on financial growth and operational excellence.

• Team Leadership: Manage and mentor the finance and operations team, fostering a culture of high performance, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with other department heads to ensure alignment of financial and operational strategies with overall business goals.
  

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have the following skills and qualifications:

• Experience working across multiple African jurisdictions

• Interest in designing and implementing financial management and compliance processes for newly established funds (process, team, systems, etc.)

• Comfort with ambiguity; ability to operate effectively within a growing business

• Ability to edit/interpret financial models for a wide range of structures and scenarios

• Working proficiency with Deltek, Preqin, Sage Suite or similar preferred

• Desire to play a senior role advising the scale-up of innovative financing ventures

Required skills and qualifications:

• Strong quantitative and technical accounting skills

• Chartered Accountant, CPA, CIMA, or similar qualification

• 5-8 years post qualification experience, preferably working in private equity, venture capital or infrastructure fund management

• Understanding of the key commercial terms in legal contracts and how to apply them to fund management processes

• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
  

Think you have what it takes but are not sure you check every box? Research shows that while men apply to roles when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women often only apply when they meet every requirement. If you're passionate about what we're building, we want to hear from you!

Location

Ideally, the candidate will be based in South Africa, but alternatives in the UK, Kenya and Mauritius can be considered if practically viable

Equal Opportunity Employer

CrossBoundary is an equal opportunity employer