SENIOR PLANNING AND STRATEGY OFFICER

Job Title

The Senior Planning and Strategy Officer is a critical analytical and coordination role within the Department of Finance and Planning, responsible for leading and executing the Corporation’s strategic planning, budgeting, and financial forecasting functions. This role serves as the primary engine for translating the Corporation’s long-term vision and strategic ambitions into actionable, financially grounded plans, budgets, and performance frameworks. The Officer is tasked with developing comprehensive financial models, conducting rigorous scenario analyses, supporting capital allocation decisions, and producing high-quality strategic reports and executive presentations for the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, Financiers, and other critical stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Functional Responsibilities
• The Officer is responsible for the development, execution, and continuous refinement of the Corporation’s strategic plans, financial models, budgets, and performance monitoring systems, ensuring analytical integrity and alignment with corporate objectives.
• 1.1 Planning and Corporate Strategy Development
• Lead the development and periodic review of the Corporation’s long-term and short-term strategy and plans, ensuring alignment with the corporate mission, market trends, and industry foresight in the mobility industry.
• Conduct comprehensive market analysis, competitor benchmarking, and industry forecasting to provide data-driven recommendations for future business growth, product positioning, and market penetration strategies across target African markets.
• Collaborate with Executive Management and all departmental heads to define, refine, and cascade measurable business objectives, ensuring that strategic initiatives are financially viable, time-bound, and aligned with the Corporation’s approved strategic direction.
• Support the development and maintenance of the Corporation’s Balanced Scorecard and Strategy Map, ensuring clear line-of-sight between departmental activities and corporate-level strategic outcomes.
• Prepare comprehensive strategic planning documents, concept notes, and investment cases for the corporation’s programs and projects.
• 1.2 Budgeting and Financial Forecasting
• Lead the annual and multi-year budgeting process, coordinating with all departments (Production, Product Development, Marketing and Sales, QHSE, HR and Administration, Legal Affairs and Compliance) to ensure the consolidated budget reflects the Corporation’s strategic priorities and operational realities.
• Develop detailed revenue projections, cost structures, and cash flow forecasts using advanced financial modelling techniques, including Monte Carlo simulations, sensitivity analyses, and scenario planning, to anticipate potential outcomes and inform executive decision-making.
• Monitor and review financial performance against budgeted figures on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis, identifying material variances, analyzing root causes, and recommending timely corrective actions.
• Prepare financial reports that inform management on the financial status, emerging trends, and performance trajectories of the Corporation, enabling proactive resource allocation and strategic adjustments.
• 1.3 Cost Management and Financial Analysis
• Conduct in-depth financial analyses, including profitability assessments, cost-benefit analyses, return on investment (ROI) evaluations, and working capital analyses for major corporate projects, capital expenditure proposals, and departmental initiatives.
• Provide actionable insights on cost management and operational efficiency to improve gross and net margins, reduce unnecessary expenditures, and optimize the allocation of scarce financial resources across the Corporation.
• Assist in identifying cost-saving opportunities within the automotive supply chain, production processes, and distribution channels, leveraging financial data and benchmarking against industry best practices.
• Support the development of product costing models and pricing strategies in collaboration with the Cost Engineering and Estimation Unit within the Department of Product Development and the Revenue Generation Unit within the Department of Marketing and Sales.
• 1.4 Financial Reporting and Executive Presentations
• Prepare and present detailed financial reports, strategic plans, budget performance reviews, and investment cases to the Executive Management, Board of Directors, Board Committees (Audit and Risk Management Committee), shareholders, and external stakeholders including Financiers.
• Develop compelling, executive presentations that articulate complex financial data, key performance indicators (KPIs), forecasts, risk assessments, and strategic recommendations.
• Ensure the accuracy, timeliness, and compliance of all reports with applicable regulatory frameworks, including International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) requirements, and corporate governance best practices.
• Support the preparation of the Corporation’s Integrated Financial Reports, articulating the Six Capitals (Financial, Manufactured, Intellectual, Human, Social & Relationship, and Natural) for comprehensive value creation reporting.
• 1.5 Performance Monitoring and Strategy Execution Tracking
• Develop, implement, and maintain robust performance monitoring and reporting systems to track the execution status of strategic initiatives, departmental work plans, and flagship programme milestones against approved timelines and budgets.
• Continuously evaluate business performance by analysing trends, variances, and leading indicators, providing actionable insights to improve decision-making, accelerate strategy execution, and enhance overall corporate results.
• Support the establishment and refinement of clear financial and non-financial KPIs and benchmarks across all departments to measure and evaluate the Corporation’s progress toward its strategic goals.
• 1.6 Risk Analysis and Scenario Planning
• Develop and maintain dynamic financial models incorporating scenario analysis (base case, upside, and downside), Monte Carlo simulations, and sensitivity testing to stress-test assumptions and quantify the impact of key risk variables on corporate financial outcomes.
• 1.7 Cross-Functional Coordination and Stakeholder Support
• Act as the primary planning and budgeting liaison between the Department of Finance and Planning and all other departments, ensuring seamless information flow, alignment of departmental plans with corporate strategy, and timely resolution of planning-related queries.
• Support in engagements with external stakeholders, including Financiers, Government Ministries and strategic partners, by preparing financial models, due diligence materials, and investment memoranda.
• Coordinate data collection, validation, and consolidation from all departments to support the timely preparation of budgets, forecasts, and strategic reports.
• 1.8 Strategic QHSE Integration and Sustainability Planning
• Lead the integration of QHSE objectives and sustainability targets into the Corporation’s long-term strategic plans and annual work plans.
• Collaborate with the QHSE department to develop financially-grounded strategies for carbon neutrality, waste reduction, and zero-harm workplace initiatives.
• Conduct strategic impact assessments to align the Corporation’s expansion with international environmental standards and “Green” industrial policies, ensuring that QHSE performance is a key pillar of the Corporation’s value creation narrative in the Integrated Annual Report.
• 1.9 Any Other Duties
• Any other duties assigned by your Supervisor.
• Social Responsibilities
• The Senior Planning, Strategy and Budgeting Officer serves as a collaborative and trusted analytical partner, fostering data-driven decision-making, building cross-functional relationships, and contributing to a culture of strategic discipline and financial accountability across the Corporation.
• 2.1 Analytical Partnership and Advisory
• Serve as a trusted analytical resource to departmental managers and project leads, providing timely and accessible financial guidance, budget clarifications, and strategic insights that enable informed decision-making at all operational levels.
• 2.2 Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Proactively build and maintain strong working relationships with officers and managers across all departments, championing a culture of data transparency, collaborative planning, and shared accountability for the Corporation’s strategic and financial objectives.
• 2.3 Institutional Knowledge Development
• Contribute to the development and documentation of the Corporation’s planning and budgeting policies, procedures, templates, and best practices, ensuring institutional knowledge is captured, standardized, and accessible for continuous improvement and onboarding of future team members.
• 2.4 Stakeholder Communication Support
• Support senior leadership in preparing clear, accurate, and compelling communications for external stakeholders, including Board presentations, investor briefings, progress reports, and Government submissions, ensuring that the Corporation’s financial narrative is consistent, credible, and strategically aligned.
• Emotional Responsibilities
• The role demands exceptional analytical discipline, intellectual rigour, professional composure, and a deep commitment to accuracy and integrity, particularly when operating under tight deadlines, managing competing priorities, and supporting high-stakes executive decisions.
• 3.1 Analytical Precision and Intellectual Rigour
• Maintain an unwavering commitment to accuracy, thoroughness, and analytical excellence in all financial models, reports, and strategic analyses, recognizing that the Corporation’s investment decisions, Board deliberations, and stakeholder confidence depend directly on the quality and integrity of the work produced.
• 3.2 Composure Under Pressure
• Demonstrate professional composure, clarity of thought, and effective time management when operating under demanding deadlines particularly during annual budgeting cycles, Board reporting periods, Financiers submission timelines, and urgent ad-hoc executive requests ensuring consistent output quality without compromising analytical rigour.
• 3.3 Integrity and Confidentiality
• Handle sensitive financial data, strategic projections, pricing models, and Board-level information with absolute discretion, integrity, and professionalism, upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct and fiduciary responsibility.
• 3.4 Adaptability and Continuous Learning
• Demonstrate the intellectual curiosity and adaptability required to stay current with evolving financial regulations, industry developments in the automotive and e-mobility sectors, and emerging best practices in corporate planning, financial modelling, and performance management within the context of a rapidly scaling manufacturing enterprise.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Education
• Bachelor’s Degree (Honours) in Commerce, Economics, or Engineering from a recognized Academic Institution.
• Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Economics, Business Strategy or Related Field from a recognized Academic Institution.
• Experience
• Applicant should have at least Five (5) Years Experience as a Strategy and Planning Officer in a reputable organization, preferably within the mobility, manufacturing, financial services, or capital goods industry with demonstrated experience in financial modelling, budgeting, strategic planning, and/or financial analysis, with practical exposure to multi-stakeholder reporting environments.
• Continuous Professional Development
• Certificates in at least Two (2) relevant fields (e.g., Financial Modelling and Valuation Analyst – FMVA, Project Management Professional – PMP, Certified Business Analysis Professional – CBAP, or equivalent certifications).
• Professional Membership
• Affiliate or Associate Membership to a Relevant Professional Body (International Association for Strategy Professionals (IASP), Strategic Planning Society (SPS); The Strategy Institute (TSI) or Equivalent) and in Good Standing.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• 1. Financial Modelling and Analytical Expertise
• Advanced proficiency in building, maintaining, and interpreting complex financial models, including discounted cash flow (DCF), revenue projection, cost-benefit, sensitivity analysis, Monte Carlo simulation, and scenario planning models.
• Microsoft Excel skills and familiarity with financial modelling tools (e.g., Oracle CrystalBall).
• Strong quantitative and analytical reasoning skills with the ability to synthesize large volumes of financial data into clear, actionable insights.
• 2. Strategic Planning and Business Acumen
• Solid understanding of corporate strategic planning frameworks, balanced scorecard methodologies, and strategy execution monitoring systems.
• Ability to connect financial analysis with broader business strategy, translating strategic objectives into measurable financial targets and budgetary allocations.
• Awareness of the automotive and e-mobility industry landscape, particularly within the East African and broader African market context.
• 3. Budgeting and Cost Management
• Proficiency in leading and coordinating multi-departmental budgeting processes, including zero-based budgeting, activity-based costing, and forecast techniques.
• Strong understanding of cost management principles, working capital optimization, and capital expenditure evaluation within a manufacturing environment.
• 4. Reporting, Presentation, and Communication
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare Board-quality reports, investment memoranda, and executive presentations that articulate complex financial concepts clearly to both financial and non-financial audiences.
• Proficiency in data visualization and presentation tools (e.g., Microsoft PowerPoint, CANVA, Power BI, or equivalent) to communicate financial insights compellingly.
• 5. Technology Acumen and Digital Proficiency
• Familiarity with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and their application in financial planning and reporting within a manufacturing context.
• Awareness of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) applications in financial forecasting, predictive analytics, and business intelligence.
• Proficiency in leveraging digital tools and data analytics platforms to enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and impact of planning and budgeting processes.
• 6. QHSE Strategic Literacy and Sustainability Governance
• Proficiency in integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks into corporate strategy and the Balanced Scorecard.
• This includes the ability to translate QHSE goals into strategic KPIs and track the long-term impact of sustainability initiatives on corporate brand equity and financier relations.
• The officer must understand how QHSE performance contributes to the Corporation’s overall value creation narrative.