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Job description
Title: Finance Manager
Reports to: General Manager
Duty station: Nairobi (Wilson Airport main office), with regular travel to Mogadishu and Juba
Contract type: Fixed Contract
Duration: 12 months renewable on satisfactory performance
ABOUT SABAR AIRLINES
Sabar Airlines is a regional airline committed to connecting people, businesses, and communities across East Africa. With flight services linking key destinations, including Nairobi, Mogadishu, Juba, and Hargeisa, we strive to make regional air travel safe, reliable, convenient, and accessible.
We understand that every journey matters. Whether you are travelling for business, visiting family and friends, or exploring new opportunities, Sabar Airlines is dedicated to providing a seamless travel experience. Our flight schedules are designed to accommodate the needs of our passengers while supporting trade, tourism, and economic connectivity across the region.
With our main office at Wilson Airport – Aerospace Logistics Centre in Nairobi, and additional offices in Eastleigh (Nairobi), Juba, South Sudan, and Mogadishu, Somali, Sabar Airlines maintains a strong regional presence. Our experienced teams are available to assist passengers and travel partners with reservations, ticketing, flight information, and personalized customer support.
At Sabar Airlines, safety, reliability, and customer satisfaction are at the heart of everything we do. As we continue to strengthen our regional network, our ambition remains clear: to become a trusted airline connecting East Africa through dependable air travel, exceptional customer service, and lasting relationships with our passengers and partners.
Sabar Airlines – Connecting People. Connecting Opportunities.
ABOUT MERIT ADVISORY SERVICES
Merit Advisory Services LLP is a multidisciplinary professional services firm helping public institutions, private companies and non-profit organizations strengthen governance, improve financial management, modernize operations and achieve sustainable growth.
The firm was founded to bridge critical gaps in accounting, assurance, institutional governance, technology and professional capability across the Horn of Africa and beyond. Merit combines international professional standards with a close understanding of local and regional operating conditions, so that solutions are technically sound, practical and built to last in the environments where they have to operate.
Merit is managing this recruitment on behalf of Sabar Airlines. Learn more at www.meritadvisory.so.
WHY JOIN SABAR AIRLINES?
• Lead the finance function of a growing regional airline operating across Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan.
• Play a central role in an organisation-wide reform of finance, governance and operations.
• Build modern finance systems and controls, with direct access to the General Manager and the Board.
• Work with a diverse, multicultural team across East Africa.
• Competitive remuneration package, commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Position Summary
Title: Finance Manager
Reports to: General Manager
Duty station: Nairobi (Wilson Airport main office), with regular travel to Mogadishu and Juba
Contract type: Fixed Type
Duration: 12 Months renewable on satisfactory performance
PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
The Finance Manager provides strategic leadership, direction and oversight of the finance function of Sabar Airlines across its Nairobi, Mogadishu and Juba branches. The incumbent is the principal advisor to the General Manager and the Board on financial stewardship, internal controls, cash and revenue management, and risk-informed decision-making.
The position leads the finance team at head office and in each branch, and is accountable for the integrity of the airline's accounts, the safeguarding of its cash and revenue, and timely, reliable management information that supports safe, efficient and profitable operations.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
Strategic leadership and governance
1. Set the direction, priorities and work plan of the finance function, aligned with the airline's strategy and the ongoing reform programme.
2. Advise the General Manager and the Board on financial performance, route and fleet economics, pricing, investment and funding decisions.
3. Establish and enforce finance policies, procedures and a Delegation of Authority applied consistently across all branches.
Finance and resource management
1. Direct all finance operations, including budgeting, accounting, treasury, payables, receivables, payroll and financial reporting.
2. Ensure timely month-end and year-end closes, bank reconciliations, management accounts and annual financial statements in line with IFRS.
3. Prepare the annual budget and cash-flow forecast, and monitor actual performance against budget.
4. Manage liquidity, banking relationships and foreign-currency exposure (USD, KES, SSP).
Revenue, cash and inter-branch control
1. Ensure all passenger, cargo and excess baggage revenue is recorded, banked and reconciled to the reservations system (AeroCRS) daily.
2. Control all cash collection points and bank accounts, with documented handovers and supported airport and supplier payments.
3. Run inter-branch accounting and reconcile inter-branch balances monthly across Nairobi, Mogadishu and Juba.
4. Manage travel agent credit limits, collections and overdue receivables.
Risk, internal controls and compliance
1. Design and maintain internal controls and segregation of duties that do not depend on individuals.
2. Identify, assess and manage financial and fiduciary risks, and escalate significant matters to the General Manager and the Board.
3. Ensure tax and statutory obligations in Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan are met on time.
Audit and oversight
1. Coordinate the external audit and responses to internal audit findings, ensuring dated action plans are implemented.
Reporting and systems
1. Produce monthly management accounts and a KPI dashboard (revenue and cost against budget, RASK/CASK, profit per flight and route, receivables).
2. Own the finance configuration of the ERP (Odoo), with individual user access and complete, retrievable records at every branch.
People management
1. Lead, coach and develop finance staff at head office and in each branch, including Station Accountants.
2. Set performance expectations and build the technical capacity of the team.
Representation and stakeholder management
1. Represent the airline with banks, auditors, tax and civil aviation authorities, suppliers and travel partners on financial matters.
Skills and qualifications
Skills and qualifications
EDUCATION
University degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics or Business Administration. A full professional accounting qualification (ACCA, CPA, CA or CIMA) is required; a Master's degree is an advantage.
EXPERIENCE
• At least 10 years of progressive experience in finance, including 5 years at senior management level.
• Experience running finance across more than one country or branch, including inter-branch or inter-company accounting.
• Proven record of building internal controls in a cash-intensive environment.
• Hands-on experience with an ERP accounting system (Odoo preferred).
• Airline, travel or aviation finance experience, including passenger and cargo revenue accounting, is a strong advantage.
COMPETENCIES
• High integrity and independence; willing to stop non-compliant transactions and report irregularities.
• Strong analytical skills and clear communication of financial results to non-finance managers and the Board.
• Leadership of dispersed teams and the ability to deliver under pressure and to deadlines.
LANGUAGE
• Fluency in English (written and spoken).
Attachments
How to apply
How to apply
Apply on the link below:
Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to the next stage of the recruitment process.