Sheila Mgadi

Strategic Finance Leader with over eight years of progressive experience driving financial performance, strengthening governance, and providing commercial decision support across complex multi-country operations within international development and consulting environments. Currently serving as Country Finance Lead at NIRAS International Consulting, providing regional financial leadership across six African country offices with responsibility for financial reporting, treasury management, budgeting and forecasting, internal controls, audit leadership, payroll oversight, and donor compliance. Recognized for transforming finance functions through stronger financial controls, process improvements, profitability analysis, and data-driven decision support that enables senior leadership to make informed business decisions.

Proven track record of leading regional financial operations, strengthening governance frameworks, improving audit outcomes, optimizing cash flow, and building high-performing finance teams while ensuring full compliance with donor, statutory, and corporate requirements.

Regional Finance Lead at NIRAS International Consulting (2022-09 – Present)

Provide strategic financial leadership across six African country offices (Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia), ensuring robust financial governance, consistent reporting standards, and sound financial stewardship that supports executive decision-making across regional operations. Partner closely with Country Directors, Project Managers and senior leadership to deliver financial analysis, profitability reviews, budgeting insights and commercial recommendations that strengthen project performance and support strategic business decisions.

• Increased project gross profit margins from 1–5% to between 12–20% within six months by strengthening project financial analysis, enhancing budget monitoring, improving revenue recognition, and proactively supporting project teams with financial decision-making.
• Led a regional balance sheet clean-up initiative that resolved legacy intercompany balances exceeding KES 80 million, improving financial accuracy, strengthening governance, and enhancing the integrity of consolidated financial reporting.
• Reduced the external audit completion cycle by approximately 66%, from three months to one month, through proactive reconciliation planning, strengthened balance sheet controls, and timely resolution of audit findings, enabling earlier financial reporting and improved compliance.
• Strengthened treasury and liquidity management across multi-currency operations by improving cash flow forecasting, monitoring working capital requirements, and ensuring optimal utilization of financial resources across regional offices.
• Developed and implemented standardized financial procedures, reporting templates and internal control improvements that enhanced consistency, compliance and operational efficiency across multiple country finance teams.
• Led the review of regional trial balances, balance sheet reconciliations and month-end reporting, ensuring accurate financial reporting, timely period close, and compliance with IFRS, donor requirements and corporate policies.
• Provided technical leadership and finance systems support across Oracle NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics NAV, SAP Umoja and QuickBooks, improving reporting quality, strengthening user capability and driving finance process improvements across the region.
• Managed complex donor-funded financial portfolios supported by organizations including the World Bank, KfW, FCDO, Sida and the African Development Bank, ensuring compliance with donor regulations, contractual requirements and internal financial policies.
• Built finance capability across regional teams through coaching, mentoring and technical support, strengthening financial reporting quality, improving compliance, and promoting continuous professional development.
• Supported executive management through preparation of financial dashboards, variance analysis, forecasting and management reporting, providing insights that informed operational planning and resource allocation.

Finance & Project Accounting Officer at NIRAS International Consulting (2020-08 – 2022-08)

Successfully managed end-to-end financial operations for regional donor-funded projects, ensuring timely month-end close, accurate financial reporting, and full compliance with statutory and donor requirements across Kenya, Uganda, and Malawi. Partnered with Project Managers throughout the project lifecycle by monitoring budgets, reviewing expenditure trends, preparing financial forecasts, and providing commercial insights that supported informed operational and financial decision-making.

• Managed treasury operations across 15 multi-currency bank accounts, strengthening liquidity management, improving cash flow visibility, and maintaining strong banking relationships across multiple jurisdictions.
• Delivered 100% compliance with statutory obligations, including VAT, PAYE, NSSF, NHIF, Housing Levy, NITA, and Withholding Tax, minimizing regulatory risk and ensuring timely statutory reporting.
• Strengthened the month-end reporting process through timely reconciliation of balance sheet accounts, bank accounts, receivables, and payables, significantly improving financial accuracy and audit readiness.
• Provided technical leadership and finance systems support across Oracle NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics NAV, SAP Umoja and QuickBooks, improving reporting quality, strengthening user capability and driving finance process improvements across the region.
• Managed complex donor-funded financial portfolios supported by organizations including the World Bank, KfW, FCDO, Sida and the African Development Bank, ensuring compliance with donor regulations, contractual requirements and internal financial policies.
• Built finance capability across regional teams through coaching, mentoring and technical support, strengthening financial reporting quality, improving compliance, and promoting continuous professional development.
• Supported executive management through preparation of financial dashboards, variance analysis, forecasting and management reporting, providing insights that informed operational planning and resource allocation.
• Managed the complete project accounting cycle, including revenue recognition, consultant payments, client invoicing, contract administration, accounts receivable, and accounts payable for complex donor-funded programmes.
• Collaborated with finance teams in Denmark and the United Kingdom to support regional financial reporting, intercompany reconciliations, and consolidated reporting across international operations.
• Supported payroll administration by reviewing payroll inputs, allowances, reimbursements, statutory deductions, and employee benefit payments, ensuring timely and accurate salary processing.

Finance & Project Support Officer at African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) (2019-07 – 2020-07)

Supported programme financial management by monitoring project budgets, analyzing expenditure against approved budgets, and providing financial information that supported programme planning and delivery. Processed high-volume payments to consultants, vendors, project fellows, and field staff while ensuring compliance with organizational policies and donor requirements.

• Performed monthly bank reconciliations, statutory tax payments, VAT reconciliations, and financial postings within Microsoft Dynamics, strengthening reporting accuracy and financial controls.
• Worked closely with Project Accountants to monitor financial performance, support donor-funded programme implementation, and improve the efficiency of financial processes.
• Streamlined accounts payable processes, improving payment turnaround times and operational efficiency.

Accounts Assistant at Boma International Hospitality College (2018-09 – 2019-06)

• Managed general ledger reconciliations, supplier reconciliations, accounts receivable, debt collection, statutory tax compliance, and financial reporting support.
• Introduced improved debtor follow-up procedures that strengthened receivable collection and maintained debtor days within organizational targets.
• Supported month-end financial close through reconciliation of supplier accounts, customer accounts, and general ledger balances.
• Eliminated a six-month transaction posting backlog within two months, significantly improving the accuracy and timeliness of financial reporting.

Finance & Budget Intern at UN-Habitat (2017-12 – 2018-07)

Supported donor finance, grants management, Umoja financial transactions, purchase order processing, and financial analysis for international development programmes. Worked closely with donor relations and programme teams to monitor contributions, prepare project documentation, and reconcile donor funding.

• Successfully reconciled over 2,000 donor deposits, leaving only five unidentified transactions and significantly improving donor funding visibility.

Master of Science in Development Finance – Strathmore Business School (2026-08)

International Module in Development Finance – Hochschule Mainz University of Applied Sciences

Bachelor of Commerce in Finance – Strathmore University