Virtual CFO Services in Kenya
Senior finance leadership for growing businesses, non-governmental organisations, fintechs and financial institutions, a few days a month, working from the accounting system you already use.
Your monthly CFO pack
- Cash position and runway
- Budget against actual, with commentary
- Performance dashboard for the board
- Expenses checked against electronic tax invoices
Built from your own ledger, whatever system you keep it in.
What is a virtual CFO? A virtual chief financial officer (CFO), also called a fractional, outsourced or part-time CFO, is a qualified finance leader who works with you part time and remotely. Your virtual CFO runs cash-flow forecasts, management accounts, budgets, board and donor packs and lender reporting, without the commitment of a full-time hire. FNJ provides virtual CFO services from Nairobi to organisations across Kenya and East Africa.
Virtual CFO services for SMEs, NGOs, fintechs and financial institutions
Our virtual CFO service suits organisations that have outgrown basic bookkeeping but do not yet need a full-time chief financial officer.
Growing SMEs and family businesses
Cash discipline, bank facility reporting and books ready for the Electronic Tax Invoice Management System (eTIMS), as the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) checks expenses against invoices.
SMEs and growing businessesNGOs and public benefit organisations
Donor and restricted-fund reporting, finance committee papers and the public benefit organisation (PBO) annual reporting timetable.
NGOs and donor-funded programmesFintechs and financial institutions
Support for your in-house finance team: board packs, budgets, regulatory returns and anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) controls.
Financial institutionsCompanies raising debt or equity
Three-statement financial models, lender and investor packs and covenant tracking, ready for due diligence.
What a virtual CFO does for your business
13-week cash-flow forecast
See cash pressure weeks ahead and plan payments, collections and facilities.
Management accounts and performance dashboard
Monthly figures with commentary on what changed and what to do next.
Budgets and rolling forecasts
An annual budget the board approves, updated as the year unfolds.
Board, finance committee and donor packs
Clear papers delivered on time, in the format each reader expects.
Lender and investor reporting
Covenant tracking, facility reports and investor updates you can stand behind.
eTIMS checks before you file
Expenses matched to eTIMS invoices each month, so deductions hold at year end.
When an organisation needs a virtual CFO
Organisations usually appoint a virtual CFO when growth, regulation or funding outpaces the finance team. The common triggers are these.
- Cash is hard to forecast beyond the current month, even when trading is profitable.
- Some expenses lack electronic tax invoices, while KRA now checks deductions against eTIMS records.
- A lender, investor or donor has requested forecasts, covenant reports or an approved budget.
- Board and finance committee papers arrive late or without analysis.
- The organisation is adding a branch or an entity, or preparing to raise funds.
- A finance manager has left, or the accounting function records transactions without advising management.
- Management accounts are produced weeks after month end.
- New reporting requirements apply, such as the PBO Regulations, 2026 or International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 18 from 1 January 2027.
How a virtual CFO fits with bookkeeping and accounting
Your CFO works from books we keep or verify. Each step builds on the one before.
Step 1: Record
Bookkeeping
Sales, expenses, bank and M-Pesa reconciliations, eTIMS matching.
Bookkeeping servicesStep 2: Report
Accounting and tax
Management accounts, financial statements, VAT, PAYE and income tax returns.
Tax servicesStep 3: Decide
Virtual CFO
Cash, budgets, performance measures, funding and board decisions, looking forward.
Virtual CFO service options
Choose the time you need. Fees are quoted to your scope after the diagnostic.
CFO Diagnostic
2 weeks, one-off
Finance health check, books and eTIMS review, 13-week cash flow and a 90-day plan.
Outsourced finance
About a day a month
Bookkeeping plus monthly management accounts with commentary, budgets and a review meeting.
See bookkeeping packagesVirtual CFO
3 to 4 days a month, fortnightly meetings
Adds rolling forecasts, board packs, lender reporting and audit readiness.
Fractional CFO
About a day a week, board attendance
Adds investor relations, team leadership, scenario models and IFRS 18 readiness.
Is a fractional CFO the same as a virtual CFO?
Largely, yes. Both describe a qualified CFO who works for several organisations part time. "Fractional" stresses the share of time, often a day or more a week with board attendance. "Virtual" stresses remote working, often a few days a month. An outsourced or part-time CFO means the same thing.
An interim CFO is different: a full-time stand-in for a few months, usually while a permanent CFO is recruited.
Virtual CFO vs full-time CFO or finance manager
| Aspect | Virtual CFO | Full-time CFO or finance manager |
|---|---|---|
| Cost structure | A monthly fee for the time you use | Salary, statutory contributions, benefits and recruitment |
| Commitment | Monthly, after a two-week diagnostic | Employment contract |
| Time to start | Within weeks | Recruitment and notice periods |
| Experience | A qualified team across sectors and regulators | One person's experience |
| Cover during leave | Continuous | Gaps unless backed up |
Regulated institutions that must employ their finance officers keep them; we support that team rather than replace it.
How our virtual CFO service works
01
Free review call
Thirty minutes on your numbers and your priorities.
02
CFO Diagnostic
We review the books, controls and cash, then quote a fixed monthly fee.
03
90-day plan
Quick wins first: clean data, a cash forecast and a dashboard.
04
Monthly rhythm
Reports, meetings and board papers on a set calendar.
Works with your accounting system
We work from the system you already use, whether cloud accounting software, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system or spreadsheets. We connect your ledger, eTIMS invoicing and bank records to clear monthly dashboards, so every meeting starts from the same numbers.
Who you will work with
We match each client with a CFO for their sector, size and stage. You meet your CFO before the engagement starts.
Qualified
Certified Public Accountant of Kenya, CPA(K), ACCA or equivalent, and a member in good standing of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK).
Experienced
At least 8 years in senior finance roles, at finance manager level or above.
Matched to your sector
NGO and donor funding, fintech and financial services, or growing businesses.
Partner oversight
A firm partner oversees each engagement.
Our independence policy
We do not act as virtual CFO for clients we audit. You keep every decision; we prepare, advise and recommend.
Virtual CFO FAQs
How much does a virtual CFO cost in Kenya?
It depends on the days you need each month, the number of entities and the state of your books. We quote a fixed monthly fee after the CFO Diagnostic, so you know the cost before you commit.
What does a virtual CFO do?
A virtual CFO plans and explains your finances: cash-flow forecasts, budgets, management accounts with commentary, performance dashboards, board and donor packs, and reporting to lenders and investors.
How is a virtual CFO different from a bookkeeper or accountant?
A bookkeeper records transactions and an accountant prepares statements and tax returns. A virtual CFO uses those records to look ahead and advise on cash, growth and funding.
Can you work with our existing accountant?
Yes. Your accountant keeps the books and we verify them, or we take over bookkeeping if you prefer.
How long is the engagement?
It starts with a two-week CFO Diagnostic, after which we meet to discuss the results and agree the scope. The service then runs month to month.
How is our financial data protected?
Every engagement letter includes data protection terms in line with the Data Protection Act, 2019. Access to your systems is limited to the team assigned to you.
Do you work with clients outside Nairobi and Kenya?
Yes. We serve clients across Kenya and East Africa, including Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. The service is remote by design, with on-site visits for board meetings and planning sessions when needed.
Know your numbers before the next board meeting
Thirty minutes with a qualified accountant on your cash, reporting and next steps.
Book a free finance reviewThis page is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Speak to us about your organisation's circumstances before acting.