Administration Manager (Finance and Operations)

PTY; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Red Ember Recruitment (PTY) Ltd in Johannesburg seeks an experienced Administration Manager to lead finance and operations within a national logistics environment. This strategic role demands strong commercial acumen, financial leadership and the ability to implement process improvements across admin and finance functions.

The role focuses on profitability, governance and compliance, partnering with Operations to optimize cost per km, route profitability and fleet utilization, while driving data

Qualifications

• Advanced Excel skills for budgeting, forecasting and financial modeling.
• Experience driving process improvements across finance and admin workflows.
• Proven track record in cost optimization within logistics/transport sectors.

Responsibilities

• Own regional P&L support with cost control and variance analysis.
• Deliver monthly, quarterly and annual budgets, forecasts and insights.
• Manage cash flow, working capital and leakage risks.
• Partner with Operations on profitability improvements (cost per km/route, fleet utilization).
• Standardize and optimize financial and operational workflows.
• Identify inefficiencies and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure data integrity across systems and auditable records.
• Maintain and develop admin teams and drive KPI performance.
• Act as finance business partner for operations and contracts.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Process improvement

Cost optimization

Education

Degree in Accounting/Financial Management/Transport Economics

Job description

Red Ember Recruitment (PTY) Ltd | Permanent

Administration Manager (Finance and Operations)

Johannesburg, South Africa | Posted on 03/09/2026

We are seeking an experienced and commercially minded Administration Manager to lead and integrate administrative and financial operations across a national logistics environment. This is not a traditional administrative role. It is a strategic operational finance position requiring strong commercial acumen, financial leadership, and process improvement expertise. The successful candidate will play a critical role in driving profitability, operational efficiency, governance, and compliance while supporting business growth in a high-volume logistics and transport environment. Experience in logistics, transport, distribution, or supply chain finance will be highly advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Own regional P&L support,including cost control, margin tracking and variance analysis.
  
• Deliver monthly, quarterly andannual budgets, forecasts and financial insights.
  
• Manage cash flow, working capitaland cost leakage risks.
  
• Partner with Operations onprofitability improvement (cost per km, cost per route, fleet utilization,etc.).
  
• Standardize and optimizefinancial and operational workflows.
  
• Identify inefficiencies andimplement continuous improvement initiatives.
  
• Ensure data integrity acrosssystems.
  
• Maintain accurate and auditablefinancial records.
  
• Manage and develop admin teams.
  
• Drive performance management,KPIs and accountability culture.
  
• Build financial capability withinoperational teams.
  
• Act as finance business partner.
  
• Knowledge and understanding stockand stock system.
  
• Analyzing and correcting nonadherence to company policies.
  
• Implementing processes that maylack of contracts.
  
• Assist Contract Mangers inFinance and Admin processes the contracts.
  
• Review balance sheet reconciliations, revenuereconciliations, journals, debtor and creditor controls.

Requirements

• Degree in Accounting, FinancialManagement, or Transport Economics
• 5-8 years' experience in alogistics/transport environment, with at least:
  3 years in a financial oroperational finance leadership role
• Strong exposure to:
  Budgeting and forecasting
  Costing, pricing and contractfinancials
• Advanced Excel (mandatory) + experience
• Proven track record in process improvement and cost optimization