Head of Finance and Accounts (Real Estate)

Location: Lagos (Island)

Job Type: Full Time

About Company: Our client is a prominent real estate and property development subsidiary of a well-established, diversified Nigerian conglomerate. The company specializes in the development, acquisition, sale, and long-term facility management of premium commercial and residential property portfolios.

Job Objective: The Head of Finance and Accounts will drive the company’s financial strategy and oversee all financial and administrative operations. The role ensures strict regulatory compliance, precise multi-sector financial reporting, and the strategic deployment of capital across real estate portfolios to maximize Return on Equity (ROE) and achieve the group's growth targets

Key Responsibilities:

§  Develop and implement financial strategies, policies, and plans aligned with the organization's goals, objectives, and vision.

§  Oversee all financial operations, including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, cash flow management, investments, and treasury management.

§  Manage the annual budgeting process, working closely with department heads and executive management to develop and review budgets, forecasts, and financial plans.

§  Monitor on a periodic basis (monthly, quarterly, annually) financial performance against budget, forecast, and key performance indicators (KPIs), analyzing variances and trends, and providing insights and recommendations to improve financial results.

§  Ensure timely and accurate preparation of financial statements, reports, and disclosures in accordance with accounting principles, regulatory requirements, and internal policies

§  Coordinate and liaise with external auditors, tax authorities, and regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with financial reporting and tax obligations.

§  Assess and manage financial risks, including currency exchange risk, interest rate risk, credit risk, and market risk, and implement strategies to mitigate and manage these risks effectively, working closely with the company’s appointed Risk Manager.

§  Participate in and contribute to the implementation of the Enterprise Risk Management framework.

§  Lead financial analysis and modelling initiatives to support strategic decision-making, investment evaluation, and business planning processes.

§  Evaluate and optimize capital structure, financing options, and investment opportunities to maximize shareholder value and support growth initiatives.

§  Provide financial insights and guidance to executive management and the board of directors, presenting financial performance, forecasts, and recommendations at meetings and presentations.

§  Stay updated on industry trends, market developments, and regulatory changes affecting the organization's financial operations and performance.

§  Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement within the finance and admin department, promoting teamwork, professional development, and excellence in performance.

§  Management of the fixed assets register and accounting thereof.

§  Provide leadership and daily supervision for the operation of the company’s administrative services team.

Requirements

Professional Qualifications and Education:

§  Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related quantitative field.

§  Master of Business Administration (MBA) or a Master’s in Finance is highly preferred.

§  Active certification as a CPA, ACCA, CFA, or ICAN is strictly required.

Experience:

§  Minimum of 10 to 12 years of progressive corporate finance and accounting experience.

§  At least 5 years in a senior managerial role (e.g., Finance Manager or Controller).

§  Minimum of 3 to 5 years of direct experience within the real estate development, property investment, or construction sectors.

§  Prior experience handling large-scale external audits and dealing with major tax authorities.

Technical Skills and Knowledge:

Financial Modeling:

§  Expert-level proficiency in capital budgeting, joint venture (JV) structuring, and project-level cash flow modeling (IRR, NPV calculations).

Real Estate Accounting:

§  Deep understanding of IFRS 15 (Revenue from Contracts with Customers for real estate sales) and IFRS 16 (Leases).

Treasury Management:

§  Proven track record managing liquidity ratios, commercial paper, debt covenants, and treasury asset investments.

Taxation Expertise:

§  Strong knowledge of corporate tax laws, value-added tax (VAT) on property transactions, and withholding tax (WHT) management.

Asset Management:

§  Hands-on experience overseeing comprehensive fixed asset registers and depreciation policies for high-value property portfolios.

Software Competency:

§  Mastery of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software (e.g., SAP, Oracle, or Microsoft Dynamics) and real estate management systems.

Annual Key Performance Indicator (KPI)

§  The main characteristics of accountability are as stated below:

§  Achieve 15% of the non-market-facing premium generation target

§  Return on Equity (ROE): Maintain a minimum ROE of

§  Return on Investment: Achieve a minimum ROI of on all treasury assets

§  Gross Profit Margin: Achieve gross profit margin of --%------------------------------

§  Maintain a Quick Ratio of not less than --%---------------------------------------

§  Maintain Current Ratio of not less than ---%------------------------------------------

§  Earning Per Share (EPS): Maintain an EPS of ---%------------------------------------------

§  Achieve Compound Average Growth Rate (CARG) of ---%------------------------------------

§  Ensure proper allocation of funds towards CAPEX & OPEX without exceeding the Board’s approved budget.

§  Achieve timely and accurately prepared financial and management reports (monthly, quarterly, annually)

§  Timely remittance of all regulatory and statutory returns and reports.

§  Ensure 100% compliance with all regulatory requirements

§  Develop and implement cost-cutting measures and reduce operational costs by 20%

§  The above KPIs are not exclusive of the employee performance targets as would be contained in the performance management system and are subject to review from time to time.

Benefits