Senior Finance Manager

This senior finance role at Liberty in Johannesburg offers a significant opportunity to shape and execute financial strategy within a dynamic business environment. You will be instrumental in translating overarching financial goals into actionable plans for your supported business area, ensuring seamless implementation and delivering comprehensive financial management services.

About the Role

As the Senior Finance Manager, you will assume full accountability for the financial health and strategic direction of your designated business units. This position requires a forward-thinking leader who can provide clear vision and direction to a financial management team. Your responsibilities will extend to overseeing the entire spectrum of financial management services, ensuring they align with and support the broader objectives of Liberty, a key part of the Standard Bank Group. You will be a critical link between high-level financial strategy and the day-to-day operational execution, driving efficiency and effectiveness across all financial functions.

The core of this role involves leading and motivating a team of finance professionals to achieve departmental and organisational goals. Key responsibilities include:

• **Strategic Implementation:** Translate the overarching finance strategy into practical, implementable plans for the supported business areas.
• **Financial Oversight:** Ensure the effective delivery of all financial management services, including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and cost control.
• **Team Leadership:** Provide leadership, vision, and direction to the financial management team, fostering a high-performance culture and encouraging professional development.
• **Financial Analysis and Reporting:** Analyse complex financial data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities. Prepare insightful financial reports, statements, and projections for senior management.
• **System and Process Improvement:** Leverage knowledge of automated financial and accounting reporting systems and financial regulations to enhance processes and ensure compliance.
• **Stakeholder Engagement:** Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including banking partners, to facilitate smooth financial operations and strategic alignment.
• **Advisory Services:** Act as a key financial advisor to business leaders, providing guidance on financial implications of business decisions and strategic initiatives.

What They're Looking For

To excel in this role, candidates will need a strong academic foundation combined with extensive practical experience. A Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance or Accounting is essential, with an Honours degree or a CA(SA) designation being highly preferred.

Ideal candidates will possess:

• **Extensive Experience:** Between 8 and 15 years of post-articles or post-honours experience in financial or management accounting roles.
• **Financial Acumen:** High-level knowledge across all areas of finance, accounting, budgeting, and cost control principles.
• **Analytical Skills:** The ability to analyse and interpret financial data proficiently, coupled with excellent report-writing skills.
• **Leadership Capability:** Proven experience as a strong leader, capable of motivating and developing a team, and possessing the ability to see the bigger picture.
• **Technical Proficiency:** Familiarity with automated financial and accounting reporting systems and relevant financial regulations. Strong computer literacy, particularly in MS Excel and MS Word.
• **Industry Knowledge (Preferred):** Knowledge and understanding of the Finance & Value Management industry and its principles would be a distinct advantage.
• **Interpersonal Skills:** Excellent stakeholder management skills, with prior banking experience being beneficial.

Behavioural competencies such as adopting practical approaches, challenging ideas constructively, demonstrating self-confidence, convincing others, empowering individuals, exploring possibilities, generating innovative ideas, impressing stakeholders, inviting feedback, resolving conflict effectively, showing composure under pressure, and strong teamwork are crucial for success in this role.

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In South Africa, a Senior Finance Manager role with this level of responsibility typically commands a competitive salary, reflecting the critical nature of financial stewardship within a large organisation. Employers often include major financial institutions, large corporate groups, and multinational companies. Career progression from such a role can lead to more senior executive positions, such as Financial Director or Chief Financial Officer, with opportunities for international exposure within global banking groups.

• B Com Degree in Finance, Accounting
• Honours Degree Preferred
• CA(SA)

Experience Required

• 8-15 years Post Articles / Post Honours Financial Accounting, Finance & Technology
• Experience in a financial or management accounting role
• High-level knowledge in all areas of finance, accounting, budgeting and cost control principles
• Excellent report writing skills
• Knowledge of automated financial and accounting reporting systems and financial regulations
• Ability to analyse and interpret financial data and prepare financial reports, statement and projections
• Strong leader who can lead and motivate a team & must be able to see the bigger picture
• Knowledge and understanding of the Finance & Value Management industry and its principles (preferred)
• Good Stakeholder Management and Banking experience 
• Computer literacy with appropriate knowledge of MS Office software (Specifically MS Excel and MS Word)

Behavioural Competencies:

• Adopting Practical Approaches
• Challenging Ideas
• Conveying Self-Confidence
• Convincing People
• Empowering Individuals
• Exploring Possibilities
• Generating Ideas
• Impressing People
• Inviting Feedback
• Resolving Conflict
• Showing Composure
• Team Working

Technical Competencies:

• Financial Acumen
• Financial Analysis
• Financial Management (Financial)
• Interpreting Financial Statements
• Tax Management
• Transfer Pricing
• Stakeholder Management
• Forecasting & Planning