ABOUT MERAKI CENTRO LIMITED

Meraki Centro Limited is a thriving food business in the heart of Lusaka, Zambia. We operate four café and bakery branches, a production, a growing FMCG range distributed nationwide.

Finance is not a support function at Meraki — it is a growth engine. The Finance Manager plays a critical role in ensuring the business has the financial discipline, visibility and controls to fund its ambitions and protect what has already been built.

ROLE PURPOSE

The Finance Manager is the financial custodian of Meraki Centro Limited. This role is responsible for the accuracy, integrity and timeliness of all financial reporting; the management of cash flow, budgets and controls; statutory compliance with ZRA and all relevant Zambian financial regulations; and the provision of clear, actionable financial intelligence to the CEO to support sound business decisions.

This is a hands-on, high-accountability role in a, multi-site business. The right person combines strong technical capability with sharp business acumen, excellent communication and the discipline to drive financial rigour at every level of the organisation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Financial Reporting & Analysis

▸  Prepare monthly management accounts — Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Statement — by the 10th of each month.

▸  Prepare weekly and monthly branch-wise Profit and loss statements for presentation to Senior Management

▸  Produce a monthly Budget vs. Actual Analysis Report for the CEO, with clear variance commentary on any line exceeding 10%.

▸  Maintain the General Ledger in QuickBooks — accurate, current and audit-ready at all times.

▸  Prepare quarterly and annual financial statements in compliance with IFRS and Zambian financial regulations.

▸  Provide the CEO with clear, concise financial intelligence to support strategic and operational decisions. 

2. Budgeting & Financial Planning

▸  Lead the annual budgeting process — consolidating departmental budgets into an organisational budget for CEO approval.

▸  Review and approve weekly departmental budget plans submitted by branch and department managers.

▸  Maintain a rolling 13-week cash flow forecast, updated weekly and presented to the CEO.

▸  Ensure Meraki maintains a minimum cash reserve equivalent to two weeks of operating costs at all times.

▸  Flag any projected cash shortfall to the CEO at least four weeks in advance.

3. Cash Management & Controls

▸  Oversee daily cash management across all branches — ensuring all cash is banked intact and reconciled daily.

▸  Review and approve all payment requisitions against budget allocations before disbursement.

▸  Manage the weekly payment run — cash purchases every Wednesday, account suppliers every Friday.

▸  Ensure petty cash across all five locations is properly managed, reconciled and replenished in line with policy.

▸  Review all bank charges monthly and ensure accurate recording in QuickBooks.

▸  Perform or supervise monthly bank reconciliations — completed and signed off by the 10th of the following month.

4. Procurement & Inventory Financial Oversight

▸  Review and approve all procurement requisitions against budget — ensuring no purchase proceeds without financial authorisation.

▸  Oversee the financial reconciliation between GAAP Unity (stock and procurement system) and QuickBooks monthly.

▸  Report on food cost percentages by branch against budget — flagging and investigating variances.

▸  Review stock adjustment entries in GAAP Unity before they are posted — ensuring all adjustments are authorised.

▸  Produce monthly food cost and wastage analysis reports for the CEO and COO. 

5. Statutory Compliance & Taxation

▸  Ensure full and timely compliance with all ZRA obligations — VAT returns by the 18th, PAYE and NAPSA by the 10th of each month.

▸  Manage NHIMA contributions and ensure timely submission.

▸  Ensure all VAT-claimable purchases are from ZRA Smart Invoicing registered suppliers — with valid VAT invoices filed.

▸  Liaise with external tax consultants on corporate income tax and annual returns.

▸  Ensure PACRA annual returns are submitted on time.

▸  Maintain all financial records for a minimum of seven years as required by Zambian law.

6. Internal Controls & Audit

▸  Maintain and enforce the Meraki Finance Policy Manual across all departments and branches.

▸  Ensure segregation of duties is maintained — no single person controls initiation, approval and processing of financial transactions.

▸  Support the Internal Audit function — providing records, responding to queries within 24 hours and implementing audit recommendations.

▸  Manage staff advance requests — reviewing against policy, ensuring proper documentation and tracking repayments via payroll.

▸  Maintain the Fixed Asset Register in QuickBooks — including depreciation schedules and disposal records.

7. Team Leadership & Reporting

▸  Manage and develop the Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable functions.

▸  Build a high-performing, accountable Finance team that operates to the Meraki standard.

▸  Report directly to the CEO — proactively, not reactively. Bring issues before they become problems.

▸  Attend weekly management meetings and present financial performance with confidence and clarity.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

▸  Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics or a related field.

▸  Minimum 4 years of hands-on financial management experience — including reporting, budgeting, cash flow management and statutory compliance.

▸  Proficiency in QuickBooks — this is non-negotiable. The candidate must be able to demonstrate working knowledge at interview.

▸  Solid working knowledge of Zambian tax law — VAT, PAYE, NAPSA, NHIMA and ZRA Smart Invoicing.

▸  Experience managing financial controls in a multi-site or multi-department business.

▸  Strong Excel skills — financial modelling, pivot tables and dashboard reporting.

▸  Excellent written and verbal communication — able to present financial information clearly to non-finance stakeholders.

Preferences

▸  ZICA membership or ACCA/CIMA qualification (full or part-qualified).

▸  Experience in the hospitality, food service or FMCG sector.

▸  Familiarity with GAAP Unity or similar POS and stock management systems.

▸  Experience working directly with a CEO or business owner in a business.

KEY COMPETENCIES

Financial Rigour

Accurate, disciplined and meticulous. Numbers are never approximate in this role.

Proactivity

Does not wait to be chased. Brings problems before they become crises.

Integrity

Handles sensitive financial information with absolute discretion and honesty.

Business Acumen

Understands that Finance exists to serve the business — not the other way around.

THE MERAKI STANDARD — WHAT WE EXPECT OF OUR FINANCE MANAGER

The Finance Manager at Meraki is not just a numbers person. They are a business partner, a guardian of integrity and a builder of systems that allow this business to grow without breaking. We are looking for someone who takes ownership, communicates proactively, builds strong relationships across the organisation and holds themselves to the same standard they expect of others. If you are the kind of person who finds a problem and solves it before being asked — this role is for you.

HOW TO APPLY

 To apply for the Finance Manager role at Meraki Centro Limited, please submit the following to hr@merakizm.org with the subject line: Finance Manager Application — [Your Name] 

▸  A current CV — maximum 3 pages.

▸  A cover letter of no more than one page explaining why you are the right person for this role and what you will bring to Meraki in the first 90 days.

▸  Proof of QuickBooks proficiency — a certificate, screenshot or brief description of how you have used QuickBooks in a previous role.

▸  Names and contact details of two professional referees.

 Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Meraki Centro Limited is an equal opportunity employer.

Closing Date: 18th September 2026

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

HOW TO APPLY