Senior FP&A Analyst – Financial Modelling (Nairobi, Kenya)

The Company

Solar Panda is a fast-growing Canadian clean-tech company providing innovative solar power systems for lighting and TV to rural communities in Kenya, Zambia, Senegal and Benin. Our loan-to-own model allows homes to have electricity for less than the daily cost of kerosene and mobile phone charging.

Job Overview

Solar Panda is looking for a Senior FP&A Analyst – Financial Modelling to own the company’s core financial models. Reporting directly to the CFO, you will work across modelling and financial planning & analysis.

The role has two parts. On the modelling side, you will own the models behind our forecasts, business cases and funding decisions. On the FP&A side, you will lead the annual budget and monthly performance reporting, working closely with our Country Managers. Strong modelling skills are essential, and a strong accounting background will be a real advantage for the FP&A work.

Duties and Responsibilities

Financial Modelling & Forecasting

• Build, own and maintain the company’s integrated three-statement financial model (income statement, balance sheet and cash flow), driven by operational assumptions such as unit sales, pricing, customer repayment rates and costs.
• Develop rolling cash-flow and working-capital forecasts across our current markets, and new markets as we expand.
• Run scenario and sensitivity analysis to test the impact of key assumptions on profitability, cash runway and funding needs.
• Support fundraising and debt financing by preparing model outputs for investors and lenders, and tracking covenant compliance.
• Keep models well structured and auditable, with clear separation of inputs, calculations and outputs, built-in error checks, documentation and version control.

Financial Planning & Analysis

• Lead the annual budget process, working with Country Managers to build budgets for each market.
• Lead the preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports including variance analysis against budget and forecast.
• Conduct profitability analysis and cost modelling to support strategic business decisions.
• Support Country Managers in preparing business cases for new products, markets and major spending decisions.
• Monitor financial performance against KPIs and highlight risks and opportunities to the CFO on a regular basis.
• Prepare executive-level financial summaries, board packs and CFO presentations.
• Maintain Power BI dashboards that give Country Managers visibility of financial and operational KPIs.
• Respond to ad-hoc analysis requests from the CFO and country leadership.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Actuarial Science, Mathematics, Engineering or another quantitative field.
• Preferably 4-6 years’ experience in a role where financial modelling was a core part of the job, for example FP&A, corporate finance, transaction advisory or valuations, investment analysis, or finance roles in PAYGo, fintech, microfinance or energy companies.
• Proven ability to build integrated financial models from a blank spreadsheet, not only update existing ones.
• Advanced Excel skills, including lookup and reference functions (INDEX/MATCH, XLOOKUP), dynamic arrays, scenario tools, structured model design and error checks.
• Solid understanding of accounting and how the three financial statements link, as well as cash flow, time value of money and returns analysis.
• Ability to explain financial results clearly to non-finance colleagues, both in writing and in person.
• Strong attention to detail; curious and commercially minded.

Nice to have

• A strong accounting background, such as a CPA(K) or ACCA qualification, or experience in audit, financial reporting or management accounting. This is especially valuable for the FP&A side of the role.
• CFA or a financial modelling certification (e.g. FMVA), completed or in progress.
• Experience in off-grid solar, PAYGo, consumer lending or other asset-financing businesses.
• Working knowledge of Power BI, Power Query, SQL or Python.
• French language skills (useful for our operations in Senegal and Benin).

Location

This role is based in Nairobi, Kenya. We welcome applications from candidates across East Africa who are able to work from Nairobi.

Selection Process

Shortlisted candidates will complete a practical, timed Excel-based financial modelling assessment. You will be given a set of business assumptions and asked to build a working forecast model. The assessment looks at model structure, accuracy and judgement, not just formulas. Please apply only if you are comfortable building a model on your own from a blank sheet.

More about Solar Panda

The company places a high priority on personal integrity, hard work, and respect for customers and co-workers.

Solar Panda is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, sex, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations.  Applications from women are strongly encouraged.

Solar Panda does not charge any recruitment fees.