Assistant Finance Executive

The Assistant Finance Executive will support the finance team in managing day-to-day financial operations of Acentria Group. This role is designed to provide hands-on experience in accounting, regulatory compliance, financial record-keeping, and reconciliation processes. The Assistant Finance Executive will assist in ensuring accurate accounting, supporting audit processes, and maintaining strong financial controls while learning from experienced professionals.

1.MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JOB

Financial Accounting & Reporting Support

• Apply professional accounting standards to accurately record financial transactions, including premiums, commissions, journal entries, accruals, and prepayments.
• Maintain appropriate supporting documentation for all financial entries to ensure full audit trail compliance.
• Assist in preparing monthly, quarterly, and annual management accounts, demonstrating understanding of financial statement elements (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow).
• Support variance analysis of financial results against budgets, linking findings to business unit strategy and operational performance.
• Help interpret management information and provide basic analysis, identifying learning points to communicate within Acentria.
• Review basic management reports and identify key causes of business variances (e.g., premium income, commission earnings).
• Distinguish between internal factors (e.g., sales team performance) and external factors (e.g., market competition, regulatory changes) impacting financial performance.

Tax & Compliance Support

• Understand general compliance requirements (IRA, KRA) and provide accurate, timely financial submissions.
• Demonstrate understanding of business tax principles, including income tax, indirect tax (VAT), and corporate tax, within clear guidelines.
• Assist in calculating and filing PAYE, VAT, Withholding Tax, Corporation Tax, NSSF, SHIF, and Housing Levy.
• Propose solutions to routine business tax matters under supervision (e.g., correcting withholding tax errors).
• Apply corporate and international tax accounting standards to appropriately report tax implications of Acentria’s transactions.
• Demonstrate understanding of tax accounting, including deferred tax basics, and respond to information requests from taxing authorities (e.g., KRA).

Business Planning, Budgeting & Treasury Support

• Contribute to business planning, budgeting, and expenditure forecasting processes.
• Provide relevant financial support to enable effective planning, applying moderate budgeting and forecasting techniques.
• Apply basic modeling, forecasting, and planning techniques to develop cost forecasts, with cost drivers identified and explained.
• Identify funding needs and assist in assessing credit implications using standard models under supervision.
• Support implementation of standard corporate funding solutions where appropriate.
• Evaluate common treasury exposures (e.g., currency risk on insurer payments) and basic financial instruments, demonstrating understanding of financial mathematics underpinning pricing.
• Analyse corporate treasury policies pertaining to Acentria’s operations (e.g., cash flow management, trust account requirements).

Reconciliation & Process Improvement

• Perform regular reconciliations of bank accounts, client premium ledgers, and insurer statements.
• Reconcile general ledger accounts to debtors/creditors ledgers and balance sheet items.
• Assist in reviewing financial processes, identifying gaps for cost optimization and revenue assurance.
• Collaborate with broking, underwriting, and claims teams to resolve basic client account issues.

2.KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE

Minimum level of academic qualification, skills and knowledge required to perform effectively in the role:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, Finance, Commerce, or Business Administration (Accounting option) from a recognized institution.

Minimum level of professional qualification required to perform effectively in the role:

• CPA (K) partially completed.
• ACCA or equivalent (partially completed is an added advantage)

Minimum level of Technical experience required to perform effectively in the role:

• High integrity, attention to detail, and willingness to learn.
• Basic understanding of double-entry accounting, reconciliations, and general ledger concepts.
• Accounting & Bookkeeping: Data entry into accounting software, preparing bank reconciliations, managing invoices, and processing payments.
• Reporting & Analysis: Assisting with month-end closing, preparing financial reports, and analyzing expense data.
• Budgeting: Supporting the team with budget preparation, tracking, and forecasting.
• Documentation: Ensuring all financial records are properly filed, scanned, and updated on shared drives.
• Administrative Support: Handling petty cash, assisting with audits, and coordinating with implementing partners for report
• Demonstrates understanding of tax accounting and routine tax matters (income tax, indirect tax, corporate tax).
• Able to propose solutions to routine business tax matters and respond to taxing authority requests.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (basic formulas, pivot tables, VLOOKUP).
• Experience with any accounting system/ERP is a plus.

Minimum months or years of experience required to have to perform effectively in the role:

•  1-2 year of accounting experience (internships or part-time roles in finance are a plus)

3.COMPETENCIES

• Accounting Standards Application: Possesses basic knowledge of professional accounting standards and procedures; applies them accurately.
• Financial Reporting Understanding: Understands and describes main elements of financial statements and reports.
• Tax & Compliance Awareness: Understands general compliance requirements; demonstrates knowledge of business tax, indirect tax, and corporate tax; proposes solutions to routine tax matters.
• Analytical Thinking: Interprets management information, links to business strategy, analyses results, and distinguishes internal vs. external performance factors.
• Budgeting & Forecasting: Contributes to business planning, applies moderate forecasting techniques, develops cost forecasts with identified drivers.
• Treasury Fundamentals: Identifies funding needs, assesses credit rating using standard models, evaluates treasury exposures and basic financial instruments.
• Attention to Detail & Integrity: High ethical standards, numerical accuracy, and ownership of work.
• Learning Agility: Willingness to learn, take feedback constructively, and work under pressure to meet deadlines.