Background

The WeWork — Green and Decent Jobs for Youth project, implemented by SHONA Group through The Good Green Business Accelerator in partnership with Enabel, is a 23-month initiative designed to address key constraints hindering the growth of Green and Circular Economy (GCE) enterprises in Uganda. The project seeks to contribute to a thriving, inclusive, and sustainable green and circular economy ecosystem, driven by competitive, investment-ready businesses that create decent jobs, reduce environmental harm, and promote resource efficiency. The project began with a recruitment campaign, where 100 businesses will be selected to participate in a 3-month online pre-accelerator. This phase includes self-paced learning, business diagnostics, and a baseline assessment of the businesses’ green practices. Based on this, 50 enterprises will be selected for an intensive acceleration phase. This includes tailored capacity building delivered through in-person bootcamps, technical assistance grants, peer learning circles, and exposure visits to industry leaders. Additionally, to ensure sustainable growth for the businesses, the project aims to:

1. Provide investment readiness support and connect the 50 entrepreneurs with SHONA Capital and other investors.

2. Contribute to job creation by co-developing career pathways for green jobs, training 200 youth via an online platform, and matching 100 youth to employment opportunities with the entrepreneurs.

To identify the right support to provide to the businesses, we are conducting business diagnostics to identify the needs and gaps within the businesses. This process will ensure the delivery of customized support that aligns with each business' specific needs. Business diagnostics conducted across the businesses have identified weak financial management systems as a critical constraint on business performance, creditworthiness, and growth capacity. Many businesses operate with limited or no formal bookkeeping, produce irregular or incomplete financial statements, and lack the financial planning tools needed to manage cash flow, attract investment, or comply with lender requirements. On this note, SHONA is seeking experienced consultants/organisations to offer targeted financial management Technical Assistance (TA) to support businesses in building the financial systems, skills, and practices needed to operate sustainably, access finance, and demonstrate credibility to investors and financial institutions.

Overall Objective of the Assignment

The overall objective of this assignment is to strengthen the financial management capacity of businesses participating in the Good Green Business Accelerator, enabling them to operate with greater transparency, financial discipline, and investment readiness.

The expertise to be offered to the business will fall under the key thematic areas listed below, and specific to the needs of the businesses at a given time.

Bookkeeping and Accounting Systems

• Conduct an assessment of each business's current financial record-keeping practices.
• Design and implement simple, fit-for-purpose bookkeeping systems — manual or digital — appropriate to the business's scale and capacity.
• Train business owners and/or designated staff on day-to-day recording of income, expenditure, assets, and liabilities.
• Introduce chart of accounts and basic accounting structures aligned with Ugandan accounting norms.
• Where applicable, support businesses in adopting or optimising digital accounting tools.

Financial Management manuals

• Prepare a Cash Flow and Budgeting Manual that guides businesses through the preparation of annual operating budgets and rolling cash flow forecasts, including worked examples relevant to the business’s sector and operating context.
• Produce a Financial Reporting Manual covering the preparation of profit and loss accounts, balance sheets, and cash flow statements, including guidance on reporting frequency, format.

Financial Reporting and Compliance

• Develop a Tax and Compliance Reference Guide summarising the applicable obligations under Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) regulations and, where relevant, National Social Security Fund and other statutory requirements.
• Support compliance with Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) compliance regulations and support preparation of basic tax records.
• Support compliance with National Social Security Fund (NSSF) obligations for businesses and employees.

Consultants will adopt an active, collaborative approach, working alongside business owners and key staff. The assignment should be guided by the following principles:

• Contextualised support: Assistance should be tailored to each business's current sector, size, and growth stage.
• Capacity transfer: The goal is to build the knowledge and routines for independent financial management, thereby enabling businesses to sustain these systems themselves after the consultancy.
• Practical delivery: Sessions should be conducted on-site, using plain language and practical tools appropriate to each business's level of financial literacy.
• Linkage to project objectives: The consultant(s) shall coordinate with the project team to align TA activities with business diagnostic findings, growth plans, access to finance initiatives and talent matching initiatives including coaching and mentorship.
• Reporting and documentation: Progress updates shall be shared with the project team on a frequency agreed at inception, with issues or risks flagged promptly.

Professional Experience

• A degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field; a professional accounting qualification (CPA, ACCA, or equivalent) is an added advantage.
• A minimum of five years of practical experience in financial management, business advisory, or accounting services.
• Demonstrable experience providing hands-on financial TA to SMEs, ideally in Uganda or East Africa.
• Working knowledge of Ugandan tax regulations (URA) and SME financial compliance requirements.
• Strong skills in financial analysis, budgeting, and financial statement preparation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain financial concepts to non-specialist business owners.

• Conduct an assessment of each business's current financial record-keeping practices.
• Design and implement simple, fit-for-purpose bookkeeping systems — manual or digital — appropriate to the business's scale and capacity.
• Train business owners and/or designated staff on day-to-day recording of income, expenditure, assets, and liabilities.
• Introduce chart of accounts and basic accounting structures aligned with Ugandan accounting norms.
• Where applicable, support businesses in adopting or optimising digital accounting tools.
• Prepare a Cash Flow and Budgeting Manual that guides businesses through the preparation of annual operating budgets and rolling cash flow forecasts, including worked examples relevant to the business’s sector and operating context.
• Produce a Financial Reporting Manual covering the preparation of profit and loss accounts, balance sheets, and cash flow statements, including guidance on reporting frequency, format.
• Develop a Tax and Compliance Reference Guide summarising the applicable obligations under Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) regulations and, where relevant, National Social Security Fund and other statutory requirements.
• Support compliance with Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) compliance regulations and support preparation of basic tax records.
• Support compliance with National Social Security Fund (NSSF) obligations for businesses and employees.
• Coordinate with the project team to align TA activities with business diagnostic findings, growth plans, access to finance initiatives and talent matching initiatives including coaching and mentorship.
• Share progress updates with the project team on a frequency agreed at inception, with issues or risks flagged promptly.

• Financial analysis
• Budgeting
• Financial statement preparation
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to explain financial concepts to non-specialist business owners

• A degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• A professional accounting qualification (CPA, ACCA, or equivalent) is an added advantage.