Financial Strategy Training Course

Duration 10 days 20 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Finance Managers, Financial Analysts and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 9 Nov 2026 Course code SD-FM-080

Before you join: Participants should understand basic accounting concepts, including the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Financial strategy turns accounting data, market assumptions and funding choices into decisions that protect cash, improve returns and support growth. Finance leaders must decide which initiatives deserve capital, how much debt is appropriate, where working capital is trapped, and whether reported profit is creating economic value. Poor decisions can produce liquidity pressure, weak investment returns, covenant breaches or value-destructive acquisitions.

This course develops the analytical and decision-making skills required to shape and challenge financial strategy. Participants connect business strategy to financial objectives, analyse profitability and cash drivers, prepare integrated forecasts, assess capital investments, calculate weighted average cost of capital, value businesses and evaluate funding alternatives. They also examine financial risk, governance, performance management and the financial implications of mergers, acquisitions and sustainability commitments.

Teaching combines concise instructor briefings with financial cases, spreadsheet-based analysis, group decision exercises, board-level discussions and structured application planning. Participants progressively build a financial strategy pack for a realistic organisation, using financial statements, operating assumptions, investment proposals and funding data. They leave with reusable models, decision templates and a completed financial strategy pack that can be adapted to their own organisation.

The course suits finance professionals and business managers who contribute to planning, investment, funding or performance decisions. It is particularly relevant where participants must explain financial trade-offs clearly to executives, operational leaders, lenders, investors or public-sector stakeholders.

What you will be able to do

  • Analyse financial statements using ratio analysis, cash conversion and economic profit measures
  • Build integrated profit, cash flow and balance sheet forecasts from operating assumptions
  • Prepare a 13-week rolling cash forecast and working capital improvement plan
  • Evaluate capital investments using NPV, IRR, payback and sensitivity analysis
  • Calculate WACC and assess capital structure choices using debt and equity inputs
  • Value a business using discounted cash flow, trading multiples and transaction multiples
  • Design financial KPIs and targets linked to strategic objectives and value drivers
  • Present a complete financial strategy pack with recommendations, risks and implementation priorities

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Produce board-ready investment recommendations supported by valuation and cash evidence
  • Challenge operating plans by tracing assumptions through profit, cash and funding needs
  • Explain WACC, capital structure and business value in clear management language
  • Identify working capital actions that release cash without damaging operations
  • Build a financial strategy pack for promotion, planning or leadership discussions

For your organisation

  • Improves capital allocation through consistent NPV, IRR and sensitivity assessments
  • Strengthens cash discipline through rolling forecasts and working capital actions
  • Connects operational plans to funding requirements, covenant capacity and returns
  • Creates more transparent performance discussions using value-driver KPIs
  • Improves executive decisions on investments, acquisitions, pricing and funding

Course modules

20 modules over 10 days

Participants can frame financial strategy around value creation, cash discipline and stakeholder expectations.

  • Finance function mandates, decision rights and value creation responsibilities
  • Three financial statements linked through operating and financing decisions
  • ROIC, ROCE and economic profit as performance measures
  • Agency theory, stewardship and incentive design in capital allocation
  • Stakeholder claims mapped across shareholders, lenders, employees and governments
  • Financial policy choices translated into management decision criteria

Participants can diagnose strategic position and identify the financial drivers requiring management action.

  • PESTLE analysis identifies macroeconomic assumptions affecting financial plans
  • Porter's Five Forces tests industry profitability and pricing power
  • Business model analysis maps revenue streams, costs and capital requirements
  • SWOT findings converted into quantified financial opportunities and exposures
  • Value-driver trees connect commercial actions to financial outcomes
  • Scenario assumptions documented with owners, evidence sources and review dates

Participants can interpret financial statements to identify profitability, liquidity, efficiency and solvency issues.

  • Common-size analysis separates structural changes from absolute growth
  • Horizontal analysis identifies material movements across reporting periods
  • Profitability ratios assess margin, asset use and shareholder returns
  • Liquidity ratios test short-term obligations against available current assets
  • Solvency ratios examine debt capacity, interest cover and covenant pressure
  • DuPont analysis decomposes return on equity into operating drivers

Participants can distinguish reported earnings from sustainable cash-generating performance.

  • Accrual accounting adjustments reconciled to operating cash flow
  • Non-recurring items isolated when assessing sustainable earnings capacity
  • Revenue recognition timing tested against IFRS 15 principles
  • EBITDA limitations examined for capital-intensive and debt-funded businesses
  • Cash conversion cycle calculated from receivables, inventory and payables
  • Earnings quality indicators incorporated into management reporting questions

Participants can identify and prioritise operational actions that improve economic returns.

  • Contribution margin analysis separates volume, price and mix effects
  • Cost-to-serve analysis exposes unprofitable customers, channels and products
  • Activity-based costing assigns overheads using operational cost drivers
  • Price-volume-mix bridge explains revenue and margin movements
  • Break-even analysis tests fixed-cost exposure under demand changes
  • Profit improvement initiatives prioritised by value, feasibility and timing

Participants can build integrated financial plans from commercial and operating assumptions.

  • Driver-based planning links volumes, prices, headcount and capacity
  • Income statement forecasts built from revenue and cost assumptions
  • Balance sheet forecasts reflect investment, working capital and financing
  • Cash flow forecasts reconcile operating, investing and financing movements
  • Circular references managed through disciplined model design and checks
  • Assumption registers record sources, ranges, owners and approval status

Participants can prepare forecasts that show uncertainty, management choices and financial consequences.

  • Rolling forecasts replace fixed annual assumptions with current evidence
  • Base, upside and downside cases quantify alternative business outcomes
  • Sensitivity analysis tests key assumptions against profit and cash
  • Monte Carlo simulation principles assess distributions of uncertain outcomes
  • Forecast bias diagnosed through variance analysis and forecast accuracy
  • Trigger points define management responses to adverse scenario developments

Participants can manage short-term liquidity through disciplined cash forecasting and control actions.

  • 13-week rolling cash forecast built from receipts, payroll and supplier data
  • Daily cash positioning reconciles bank balances, payments and collections
  • Cash conversion cycle targets set by customer, product and location
  • Collections strategies segment overdue balances by risk and recoverability
  • Payment scheduling balances supplier relationships, discounts and liquidity
  • Liquidity contingency plans define escalation thresholds and funding actions

Participants can develop working capital actions that release cash while protecting operational continuity.

  • Receivables ageing analysis prioritises collection effort and credit interventions
  • Credit policy sets limits, payment terms and approval authorities
  • Inventory optimisation compares service levels, safety stock and carrying costs
  • Supplier terms assessed against procurement risk and financing alternatives
  • Working capital dashboards track DSO, DIO, DPO and cash conversion
  • Cash release initiatives assigned owners, milestones and quantified benefits

Participants can assess investment proposals using cash flow-based appraisal methods.

  • Relevant cash flows distinguish incremental effects from accounting allocations
  • Net present value ranks investments by value created
  • Internal rate of return tested against reinvestment and scale limitations
  • Payback period assesses liquidity exposure and capital recovery timing
  • Discounted payback supplements NPV for capital-constrained investment decisions
  • Sensitivity tables test volume, price, cost and timing assumptions

Participants can incorporate uncertainty, flexibility and risk mitigation into investment recommendations.

  • Decision trees model staged investments and contingent management choices
  • Scenario analysis compares strategic alternatives under different market conditions
  • Real options identify deferral, expansion, abandonment and switching value
  • Risk registers connect investment threats to financial consequences
  • Probability-impact scoring prioritises mitigation for material investment risks
  • Investment papers state assumptions, downside cases and approval conditions

Participants can calculate funding costs and assess debt-equity choices for strategic decisions.

  • Capital structure compares debt, equity, retained earnings and hybrid instruments
  • CAPM estimates cost of equity from beta and market risk premium
  • After-tax cost of debt reflects borrowing rates and tax shields
  • WACC weights funding sources using market values and risk
  • Modigliani-Miller propositions clarify assumptions behind capital structure theory
  • Debt capacity assessed through cash flow, covenants and refinancing risk

Participants can value businesses and strategic options using appropriate valuation methods.

  • Discounted cash flow valuation forecasts free cash flow
  • Terminal value calculated using perpetuity growth and exit multiple methods
  • Enterprise value reconciled to equity value through net debt
  • Trading multiples benchmark value against comparable listed companies
  • Transaction multiples reflect control premiums and deal-specific conditions
  • Valuation ranges communicated with assumptions, sensitivities and limitations

Participants can evaluate funding sources, liquidity arrangements and treasury policy choices.

  • Funding maturity profiles identify refinancing concentrations and timing gaps
  • Revolving credit facilities compared with term loans and bonds
  • Covenant headroom monitored using forecast EBITDA, debt and liquidity
  • Liquidity buffers sized against volatility, commitments and funding access
  • Treasury policy defines authority limits, counterparties and permitted instruments
  • Rating agency considerations linked to financial policy and capital structure

Participants can identify financial exposures and select proportionate risk management responses.

  • Foreign exchange exposure classified as transaction, translation and economic risk
  • Interest rate risk measured across fixed-rate and floating-rate debt
  • Commodity price exposures linked to procurement and margin scenarios
  • Forward contracts, swaps and options compared for hedge purposes
  • Hedge accounting principles considered under IFRS 9 requirements
  • Risk appetite statements set limits, reporting thresholds and escalation routes

Participants can design performance measures that align business activity with financial strategy.

  • Balanced Scorecard connects financial outcomes with operational performance drivers
  • KPI design defines formulas, data sources, thresholds and accountabilities
  • Leading indicators distinguish future performance signals from reported outcomes
  • Target setting balances ambition, controllability and external market conditions
  • Variance analysis separates price, volume, mix and efficiency causes
  • Management dashboards focus attention on exceptions requiring decisions

Participants can assess pricing decisions using value, cost and financial return evidence.

  • Value-based pricing links customer benefits to willingness-to-pay evidence
  • Cost-plus pricing tested against demand elasticity and competitor positions
  • Price waterfall analysis identifies discounts, rebates and revenue leakage
  • Customer profitability combines margin, service costs and capital employed
  • Contract terms assessed for indexation, payment timing and risk transfer
  • Commercial proposals model revenue, margin, cash and return consequences

Participants can assess transaction logic, value creation assumptions and financial integration risks.

  • Acquisition rationale tested against strategic fit and value creation
  • Due diligence scopes financial, tax, commercial and operational findings
  • Synergy cases separate revenue opportunities from cost reduction assumptions
  • Purchase price allocation affects goodwill, depreciation and future earnings
  • Integration plans sequence governance, systems, people and cash controls
  • Restructuring cases compare turnaround investment, divestment and closure options

Participants can incorporate governance, ethical judgement and sustainability considerations into financial strategy.

  • Board reporting distinguishes decisions, assurance information and management commentary
  • Delegated authorities control commitments, investments and funding approvals
  • Fraud risk indicators considered within financial controls and forecasts
  • Ethical dilemmas assessed using stakeholder impact and professional judgement
  • Climate-related financial risks considered through TCFD reporting principles
  • Sustainability investments assessed using financial returns and strategic obligations

Participants can build, review and present a complete financial strategy pack with prioritised recommendations.

  • Strategic diagnosis synthesises market, operating and financial evidence
  • Integrated forecast establishes profit, cash, balance sheet and funding needs
  • Capital allocation plan ranks investments using NPV and strategic criteria
  • Funding recommendation addresses WACC, debt capacity and liquidity requirements
  • Risk response plan covers scenarios, covenants and financial exposures
  • Board presentation communicates recommendations, trade-offs, milestones and accountabilities

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Integrated financial planning model
  2. 13-week rolling cash forecast template
  3. Capital investment appraisal template
  4. WACC and valuation model
  5. Financial KPI dashboard design
  6. Board-level financial strategy pack

Who should attend

  • Finance Managers — responsible for planning, reporting and financial recommendations
  • Financial Analysts — preparing forecasts, valuations and investment cases
  • FP&A Managers — translating operating plans into financial targets and scenarios
  • Business Unit Leaders — making investment, pricing and resource allocation decisions
  • Treasury Managers — assessing liquidity, funding and financial risk choices
  • Accountants and Controllers — moving from reporting results to shaping decisions

Skills and tools covered

Financial statement analysisCash flow forecastingCapital investment appraisalBusiness valuationFunding strategyPerformance management

Tools and standards

Discounted Cash Flow, Weighted Average Cost of Capital, Capital Asset Pricing Model, Balanced Scorecard

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short instructor briefings to introduce each method, followed by financial cases drawn from corporate, banking, public-service and project settings. Participants interpret statements, test assumptions, prepare forecasts, assess investment proposals and debate funding choices in small groups. Simulations place participants in management and board decision roles where cash, returns, risk and stakeholder priorities conflict. Individual application planning links each tool to a current business issue. Facilitators provide worked examples, structured feedback and practical templates throughout.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should understand basic accounting concepts, including the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement. They should be comfortable interpreting financial reports and performing routine spreadsheet calculations. Experience in budgeting, reporting, planning, treasury, commercial finance or business management is useful. The course assumes participants can discuss their organisation's revenue model, cost base and planning cycle. Advanced corporate finance, formal valuation experience, investment banking experience and specialist modelling qualifications are not required. Participants do not need to bring audited financial statements, although familiar non-confidential figures can support application planning.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should understand the basic purpose of the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement. You do not need advanced corporate finance knowledge or prior valuation experience.

Bring a laptop with spreadsheet software if attending in person or online. Non-confidential information about a current planning, investment, cash or performance issue will help you apply the templates.

It is designed for finance managers, analysts, FP&A professionals, controllers, treasury staff and business leaders with financial decision responsibilities. It suits participants who need to move beyond reporting results into recommending actions.

Financial accounting focuses on recording and reporting past transactions, while budgeting training concentrates on plan preparation and control. This course uses those foundations to make investment, funding, valuation, cash and value-creation decisions.

Participants use reusable templates for forecasts, cash planning, investment appraisal, valuation and performance reporting. The capstone pack provides a structure for presenting a financial recommendation to managers or senior leaders.

Training days run from 08:30 to 16:30 and provide about 6.5 contact hours each. The first part establishes diagnosis, planning, cash and investment methods; the later sessions cover funding, valuation, risk, governance and the final capstone presentation.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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