Responsible for the financial operations/ shared services strategy and execution. The role defines the strategy of the transactional processing environment to ensure robust and efficient processes governed by a strong control environment and ensuring operational excellence. As a business leader, the role ensures operational delivery according to functional standards and effective collaboration with internal and external clients and stakeholders, which include the company.

Design and implement a global shared services infrastructure for vendor and customer transactions

Responsible for managing banking and suppliers’ relationships.

• Ensure that shared services run efficiently and effectively, and in an agile manner that supports business process and speed of execution
• Track and monitor operational KPIs daily, weekly and monthly as per area specific requirements
• Review and monitor operational KPIs, looking for trends, identifying improvements, isolating areas of concern and implementing corrective actions timeously.
• Review and monitor SLAs with internal customers and external service providers
• Ensure internal controls and internal financial controls are designed appropriately and are effective throughout each financial year, in order to support regulatory reporting such as JSE listing requirements
• Ensure there are processes and tools in place to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of controls, and that these are monitored periodicall

Asset Accounting

• Inventory:
• Ensure Real time Inventory reporting
• Ensure Standardised & Automated Inventory Reconciliation and Accounting
• Fixed Assets & Lease management:
• Ensure automated and rules-based settlement of Assets Under Construction
• Manage Systematic, ERP-enabled Fixed Asset Accounting
• IFRS 16 Lease Management
• Ensure effective and real-time Capital Optimisation

Finance Operations (systems, Processes, And Procedures)

• Ensure financial control procedures are operationalised in all spheres of the business
• Liaise with other areas of the business to discuss system changes to ensure optimal functionality of the system
• Ongoing review of internal processes and procedures for improvements and processing efficiency, ensuring the team are processing effectively with the tools provided and that operating issues are escalated and followed through for resolution.
• Generate proposals for processing improvements and new technologies to suit the needs of the department, improving processing efficiencies and the control framework.
• Execute the process delivery with expected service objectives and quality
• Take ownership for end-to-end process and service delivery
• Solve operational issues and act to prevent it in future
• Prepare and analyse SLA/KPI reports with root cause analysis
• Ensure complete and up to date process documentation
• Proactively raise any issue on design or execution of controls and propose changes to make controls effective and efficient

Procure To Pay And Cash Book Payments

• Manage the Accounts Payable department for the company. Ensure the most efficient process is adopted for automated invoice processing, and payments runs are managed in a way that optimises the working capital profile of the company.
• Ensure that staff do accurate and timely payments (rule based) to suppliers
• Ensure that signatory limits are created and adhered to
• Ensure that all procure to pay operational processes, procedures and policies are in place, updated and adhered to.
• Assure the review of automated recons to ensure that invoices are properly recorded and matched
• Ensure automated aged creditor reports (with real time visibility) and aged debtor reports are regularly reviewed and areas of risk are identified and communicated to financial control teams with actions agreed for resolution.

Payroll (Including Travel & Expenses)

• Develop the salary payment policy and monitor the execution thereof to ensure that the salary payment process is processed and controlled
• Ensure compliance of salaries payments with all legal and statutory requirements
• Ensure that annual the IRP5 process is executed accurately and within required statutory timeframes
• Ensure employee-related policies are applied correctly (e.g. PAYE)
• Design processes for the effective management and control of travel and expense payments

Operational Banking

• Develop an appropriate banking operations strategy and operating model that is appropriate for the company and minimises risk
• Ensure that all banking operational processes, procedures and policies are in place, updated and adhered to
• Participate as a member of Group Treasury Committee to identify cash flow required by SA, and the expected timing of cash inflows and outflows. Contribute to the cash flow forecast, inputting on forecasted supplier payments and customer receipts. Manage the short-term cash requirements of the company through working capital management as required
• Lead the company treasury committee to identify cash flow required by SA, and the expected timing of cash inflows and outflows

Sub-Ledger Close And General Ledger

• Drive the audit of the annual financial statements in relation to all sub-processes maintained out of the financial operations organisation
• Ensure each balance sheet account is supported by reconciliations
• Ensure the month end close processes are documented, standardised and effective in support of adherence to Internal financial controls
• Ensure that all sub-ledger close processes (automated), procedures and policies are in place, updated and adhered to, driven by a system
• Ensure IFRS expertise exist to ensure that transactions are accounted for in line with Accounting standards
• Ensure the timely GL report per department is consolidated and distributed to the various departments
• Assure the authorisation and verification of journals

• CIMA or CA(SA) – NQF level 7
• MBA/ Masters advantageous
• Membership of an Accounting- or financial regulatory body
• Large Corporate/commercial accounting experience (at least 5 years) with last 3 years working with Board/ exco/senior management, in the relevant sector/ industry as per relevant role
• People leadership experience in a shared services environment,
• Experience working in a global/multinational enterprise (understanding emerging markets advantageous)
• Worked across diverse cultures and geographies
• Obtained varied experience/ experience in different areas of the business
• Excellent people management skills in a high-volume finance processing environment
• Experience of managing and delivering change in operational finance environment, able to operate at pace in a fast-changing complex environment to manage competing priorities effectively
• Expert in Performance management using KPIs, SLAs and how to monitor end-user satisfaction
• Experience of building and maintaining effective and complex stakeholder relationships and networks, including the ability to quickly build quality relationships with an ability to influence at very senior level
• Inspiring leadership, with the ability to build teams and provide direction harnessing the talents of people and creating an inclusive, ambitious, outward-facing and professional work environment
• Previous experience and proven track record of new process design and system implementation for a centralised finance function, including automation of processes
• Previous experience and proven track record to create and maintain robust controls within centralised finance operations
• Passion for automation and building efficient processes
• Excellent communication and writing skills
• Attention to detail
• Control/Risk oriented mindset

Desired Skills

• financial operations
• shared services strategy and execution
• global shared services infrastructure

Desired Work Experience

• More than 10 years

Desired Qualification Level

• Honours