Nicholas Karuraa

NICHOLAS MUGAMBI KARURAA P.O Box 7349 – 00300 Nairobi, Tel: - Email:-or-CAREER PROFILE SUMMARY I am an innovative and strategic-driven Finance professional in with over 8 years of progressive working experience in Finance Manager and Service Line Accountant roles. I am an enthusiastic, decisive, pragmatic and dynamic hands-on individual with a sense of urgency, attention to detail, thoroughness and unquestionable integrity. With my years of experience handling finance and accounting, I am seeking an opportunity where my leadership and financial management skills can be utilized in making a difference in the entire organization. I have been able to successfully lead, motivate and organize personnel. I possess a track record of growing bottom line while spearheading financial improvements to drive productivity and reduce costs. The positions I have held have seen me acquire skills in; strategy management, financial modelling and analysis, cash flow forecasting, financial reporting, payroll management, financial control, budget management and preparation, asset management and auditing. I am now looking to obtain a position where my solid understanding of financial statistics and accounting principles, with working knowledge of all statutory legislation and regulations pertaining to finance, and the ability to guide and lead employees to ensure appropriate financial processes are utilized. EDUCATION BACKGROUND    Msc. Financial Economics - Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology: 2015 to 2017 Bachelor of Science Agricultural Economics and Resource Management - Moi University: 2007 to 2011 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education - St. Pius X Seminary: 2002 to 2005 PROFESSIONAL COURSES   Certified Investments and Financial Analyst (C.I.F.A Finalist): November 2017 Awarded the best candidate in Advanced Portfolio Management in the CIFA Part III Nov. 2017 Certified Public Accountant III (C.P.A Finalist) - KASNEB : June 2010 PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP Member No ACIFA/0162 - Institute of Certified Investments and Financial Analysts (ICIFA) Member No. 23295 - Institute of Certified Public Accountants (ICPAK) KEY SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES ACQUIRED       Leadership and Supervision: Experienced in leading and managing the Finance teams ensuring that they are well mentored towards proper service delivery and supervise what they do to ensure they comply to organizations regulations. Business and Strategic Management: Experienced in developing and implementing strategic plans to meet set goals and objectives with the ability to coordinate culturally diverse and geographically dispersed teams and to build strong corporate and client relationships. Management Accounting Skills: Vastly experienced in management accounting in compliance with International Financial reporting standards (IFRS) and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Skilled in handling general accounting tasks such as reconciliations and general ledgers maintenance. Financial Management, Reporting and Budgetary Controls: I have excelled in monitoring expenditure, managing cash flow and working capital by monitoring the cash position with various tools, tracking of payments and receipts and setting up all internal control procedures Analytical skills: I hold the ability to synthesize complex or diverse information; collect and research data; use intuition and experience to complement data and design work flows and procedures. Auditing and Assurance Skills: Experienced in performing different kinds of audit and compliance reviews and procedures for assets, liabilities, income and expenses designed to ensure that these are adequately disclosed. 1    Human Capital Management: Proficient and knowledgeable in managing employees through ensuring they comply to the policies of the organization and able to work under pressure, with strong organizational, planning, prioritization and execution skills and the ability take accountability for results and achievement of objectives. Tax and statutory deductions: Well versed in various taxes (VAT, income tax and withholding) with knowledge in the preparation of statutory payments i.e. PAYE, NSSF, NHIF and payroll management. ICT Competencies: I am proficient in navigating through the MS suite. WORK HISTORY Finance and Strategy Manager Micro-Cap Holdings Limited: January 2019 to date Duties and Responsibilities  Supporting Group of Companies on all aspects of the Strategic cycle: Strategy design, planning, implementation, quality and accountability, monitoring and evaluation.  Providing technical and managerial support in all aspects of financial management and monitor agreements to ensure compliance with financial regulations and guidelines.  Providing professional development opportunities that will enhance the capacity, expertise and skill set of finance and administrative staff members.  In conjunction with the Executive Directors, conducting monitoring and evaluation of their enterprises performance and compile periodic Portfolio reports as required by the Board. Key Achievements  Successfully introduced a new chart of accounts reflecting dimensional accounting reducing audit issues by 75%  Stream lined consolidated accounts reporting by developing consolidation model thereby increasing return on assets by 2.5%  Attained a 100% turnaround time on strategic planning cycle ensuring smooth and timely reporting. Finance Manager Ireri Karuraa and Company, Certified Public Accountants of Kenya: October 2017 to December 2018 Duties and Achievements  Provided leadership, direction and management of the finance and accounting team  Gave strategic recommendations to the CEO and members of the executive management team  Managed the processes for financial forecasting and budgets, and overseeing the preparation of all financial reporting  Advised on long-term business and financial planning ensuring a 100% achievement of Budget  Established and developed relations with senior management and external partners and stakeholders  Reviewed all formal finance, HR and IT related procedures achieving 98% TATs improvement. Key Achievements  Successfully established the Financial Reporting Model incorporating variances thereby ensuring an average of 100% achievements of budgets.  Instructed, supervised, motivated and assessed performance of staff in daily operations including evaluations and discipline - efforts that led to a decrease in staff turnover by over 40% and achieved a 0% discrepancy rate.  Supported implementation of grant management for clients by ensuring that funds are available as and when needed, disbursements are done during work plan and budget with no material weaknesses noted by auditors during that period Service Line Accountant G4S Kenya Limited: January to October 2017 Duties and Achievements Enhanced the efficacy in monthly and annual reporting requirements  Ensured that monthly, quarterly and annual financial statements were issued on a timely basis and were accurate and complete.  Ensured optimal financial systems implementation, budgets and expenditure tracking, financial reporting and accounting for all programs. Management experience in Budgeting, Forecasting, Auditing and Assurance  Oversaw the proper development, administration and evaluation of information systems that connect staff within and across teams.  Trained and developed financial staff in budgeting and financial management 2 Key Achievements  Ensured timely preparation of financial statements to meet monthly, quarterly and year end requirements achieving 100% Turnaround times.  Successfully reduced 10% overhead costs by performing statistical, cost and financial analysis of financial reports and prepared subsequent narrative analysis for management.  Advised on tax strategies and liquidity planning for projected corporate and personal tax liabilities bringing about savings of 50% on a year on year basis. Business Analyst G4S Kenya Limited: February 2013 to December 2016 Achievements My role involved reviewing the status of business with expertise in providing sound developmental advice and overseeing the company’s transaction processing systems. My key achievements were:  Successfully streamlined the analysis of key business drivers  Improved financial status by analyzing results; monitoring variances; identifying trends and efficiently recommending actions to management for continuous improvement.  Coordinated internal audits that ensured compliance with requirements from time to time.  Engaged in an evolving cost reduction analyses in all areas of the company.  Managed the development of optimal business establishment models  Interpreted the company's financial results to management and recommended improvement activities.  Analyzed systems user-acceptance testing and inspired integrate any new system changes.  Produced payroll by initiating computer processing; printing checks, complete external audit by analyzing and scheduling general ledger accounts; providing information for auditors.  Revamped adherence to legislation thereby increasing overall margins by 2%  Transformed pricing of large bids ensuring a 14% organic growth by easing tough decisions on new clientele.  Managed accounts receivables and third party payments accounts; improving EBITDA by 4%. OTHER PAST EXPERIENCES Graduate Management Trainee - G4S Kenya Limited - Operations Manned Security Division: October 2011 to January 2013 Industrial Attachment - Agricultural Finance Corporation (A.F.C), Meru Branch: June to August 2010 TRAINING Performance Management, Industrial Relations Personal Development and Management skills REFEREES Mr. Francis Hasborn Gatobu Assistant Lecturer, Meru University of Science and Technology Tel: - Email:-CPA Cornelius K. Ng’etich Assistant Finance Manager, Career Connections Limited Tel: - Email:-CPA Alois Ireri K Chief Executive Officer Ireri Karuraa & Company Tel: - Email:- 3