About Shalina Healthcare:

We are one of the largest, privately owned pharmaceutical businesses across Africa (Global Head Quarters- Dubai, UAE) with recent forays across multiple, new lines of businesses including Diagnostics and Consumer Healthcare.

Over the last 40 years, operating across multiple geographies, we have made it our mission to provide quality medicines to those who need it the most. We manufacture and distribute branded prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceutical and consumer products, across a broad range of therapeutic groups, including anti-malarial, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, respiratory, gastrointestinal, nutrition, oral care, dermatology, sexual well-being, and antiseptic liquids & soaps. Leading brands, great teams and a focus on influencing the well-being of people have made Shalina a household name in Africa.

We have a track record few can match, and our brands are among the most trusted in Africa. We are proud of our history and have big ambitions for the future. Our vision for 2030 is to be the health champion of Sub-Saharan Africa. To achieve this, we are looking for the right people to join us and create a lasting impact not just within our company but on the communities that we serve; people who identify with our Core Values and are as passionate about our Mission as we are.

Visit https://www.linkedin.com/company/shalina-healthcare to learn more about us.

Base Location: Lusaka, Zambia

What you become a part of:

The successful candidate will support the day-to-day finance operations, budgeting, business/financial planning and accounting for Shalina’s business in Zambia, while working closely with the central finance team and OU leadership — driving business partnering, financial discipline, treasury efficiency, statutory compliance and strong internal controls across the Operating Unit.

What to expect:

Business Partnering:

• Proactively recommend pricing action on products — where achievement exceeds AOP, where costs have risen due to currency fluctuation, or where OU PBT% trails AOP.
• Generate insight on product mix, channel mix, discounts and related commercial levers.
• Own the quarterly credit limit proposal and its implementation.
• Surface insights on unutilized credit limits and share growth opportunities with the business.
• Evaluate ROI on major marketing spend and capex investments (new shops, vehicles, etc.).
• Deliver quick capex evaluation and approval to keep implementation on schedule.
• Ensure accurate evaluation of credit notes and timely posting to customer accounts.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities and drive automation.

2. Monthly Closing:

• Ensure timely and accurate submission of monthly financials and closing checklist.
• Conduct a quarterly Balance Sheet review, highlighting any risk, under-provision or excess provision carried out in the books.
• Track and close out all action items raised during the management review.

3. Treasury:

• Ensure timely payment of forex remittances to Dubai.
• Minimize interest cost by ensuring no idle funds sit in accounts other than the OD.
• Drive the transition from paper-based banking to online banking.
• Negotiate and secure reductions in interest rates.
• Ensure forex risk is mitigated to the extent possible using available hedging mechanisms.

4. Statutory:

• Ensure timely and accurate filing of all statutory returns, including annual accounts and tax returns.
• Reconcile statutory and management books.
• Conduct quarterly review of transfer pricing and recommend updated DMCC pricing to HO Finance for implementation.
• Manage relationships with statutory bodies, tax regulators and internal/external auditors, ensuring proper tax planning and compliance with local tax laws.

5. Internal Controls:

• Ensure all guidelines and processes — past and present — are strictly followed, with no exceptions.
• Ensure regular stock/cash audits at each location, at least quarterly, conducted by an independent person.
• Prepare SOPs covering the AP/AR and procurement processes.
• Identify segregation-of-duties gaps and implement the right checks and controls to minimize risk.

Essential skills, experience & education:

• A minimum bachelor’s degree in finance & accounting with a preference for chartered accounting or similar relevant qualifications (IPCC) etc.
• 8-10 years’ experience in pharmaceuticals/retail/consumers goods industry with a minimum of 3 years in a regional finance business partner role.
• Prior experience working in Africa is preferred.
• Self-starter with an ability to stay independently motivated and deliver the assigned mandate.
• Experience working cross-culturally and cross-functionally with diverse colleagues.
• Prior exposure to ERP Systems such as MS Navision or SAP is mandatory and high proficiency in the use of MS Office.

• Proactively recommend pricing action on products — where achievement exceeds AOP, where costs have risen due to currency fluctuation, or where OU PBT% trails AOP.
• Generate insight on product mix, channel mix, discounts and related commercial levers.
• Own the quarterly credit limit proposal and its implementation.
• Surface insights on unutilized credit limits and share growth opportunities with the business.
• Evaluate ROI on major marketing spend and capex investments (new shops, vehicles, etc.).
• Deliver quick capex evaluation and approval to keep implementation on schedule.
• Ensure accurate evaluation of credit notes and timely posting to customer accounts.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities and drive automation.
• Ensure timely and accurate submission of monthly financials and closing checklist.
• Conduct a quarterly Balance Sheet review, highlighting any risk, under-provision or excess provision carried out in the books.
• Track and close out all action items raised during the management review.
• Ensure timely payment of forex remittances to Dubai.
• Minimize interest cost by ensuring no idle funds sit in accounts other than the OD.
• Drive the transition from paper-based banking to online banking.
• Negotiate and secure reductions in interest rates.
• Ensure forex risk is mitigated to the extent possible using available hedging mechanisms.
• Ensure timely and accurate filing of all statutory returns, including annual accounts and tax returns.
• Reconcile statutory and management books.
• Conduct quarterly review of transfer pricing and recommend updated DMCC pricing to HO Finance for implementation.
• Manage relationships with statutory bodies, tax regulators and internal/external auditors, ensuring proper tax planning and compliance with local tax laws.
• Ensure all guidelines and processes — past and present — are strictly followed, with no exceptions.
• Ensure regular stock/cash audits at each location, at least quarterly, conducted by an independent person.
• Prepare SOPs covering the AP/AR and procurement processes.
• Identify segregation-of-duties gaps and implement the right checks and controls to minimize risk.

• MS Office proficiency
• ERP Systems (MS Navision or SAP)
• Financial planning
• Budgeting
• Accounting
• Business partnering
• Financial discipline
• Treasury efficiency
• Statutory compliance
• Internal controls
• Pricing strategy
• Cost analysis
• ROI evaluation
• Capex evaluation
• Credit note evaluation
• Cost-saving identification
• Automation
• Monthly closing
• Balance Sheet review
• Forex remittances
• Interest cost minimization
• Online banking transition
• Interest rate negotiation
• Forex risk mitigation
• Statutory filing
• Tax planning
• Transfer pricing
• Auditor relationship management
• SOP preparation
• Segregation of duties