Chief Finance Officer

Outsourced Cfo; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 1 500 000 - 2 500 000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent consultancy in South Africa is seeking an experienced CFO to provide strategic financial guidance and oversee all aspects of finance. The ideal candidate will lead a high-performing finance team, ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, and support the company's growth within the payment ecosystem. Minimum 10 years of experience in finance and a qualified CA(SA) is required.

Qualifications

• Strong financial modelling skills and deep end-to-end finance operations expertise.
• Experience in Fintech and payments across African markets.
• Proven senior finance leader with 10+ years in leading finance functions.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all financial aspects of the business, providing strategic guidance.
• Ensure compliance and deliver data-driven insights.
• Lead and mentor the finance team on transformation and innovation.

Skills

Financial modelling

Leadership

Risk management

Financial strategy

Education

Qualified CA(SA) or equivalent

Job description

Our client, a scale-up SME, is seeking a CFO to report directly to the CEO and step into a critical leadership role. You will oversee all financial aspects of the business, providing strategic guidance, ensuring stability and compliance, and delivering data-driven insights to support both immediate priorities and long-term growth. You will also play a key role in risk management and contribute to the company's ongoing transformation and innovation efforts. This is a full-time position, based in Sandton.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership and Strategy
  • Insight-Driven Leadership: Utilize data-driven insights to make informed financial decisions and provide actionable recommendations to the CEO and the Board.
  • Monitor key financial metrics, identify trends, and proactively address financial challenges and opportunities.
  • Strategic Financial Planning: Develop and execute a comprehensive financial strategy aligned with the company's mission and objectives; collaborate with the executive team to set financial goals and objectives, ensuring alignment with the company's vision.
  • Balancing Short-Term and Long-Term Value: Manage short-term financial requirements while strategically planning for long-term financial sustainability and growth; implement financial strategies that balance immediate needs with long-term value creation.
• Risk Management and Compliance
  • Set the risk appetite for the business and establish risk management frameworks.
  • Monitor and mitigate financial risks, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Transformation and Innovation
  • Lead and mentor the finance team, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
  • Drive transformational change within the finance department and contribute to the company's overall digital transformation journey.
• Payments and Financial Operations
  • Financial Strategy for Payments: Develop and implement financial strategies specific to the payments industry; optimize transaction processing costs, manage interchange fees, and explore new revenue streams within the payment ecosystem.
  • Payment Processing Oversight: Oversee the financial aspects of payment processing; ensure the security and compliance of payment transactions, monitor chargebacks and collaborate with payment processors.
  • Compliance and Regulatory Management: Stay updated on payment industry regulations and compliance requirements (e.g., PCI DSS); ensure the company's adherence to these standards and manage regulatory filings and audits related to financial operations.
  • Treasury Management: Manage the company's liquidity, optimize cash flow, and oversee treasury functions, including cash management, investments and working capital; maintain relationships with banks and financial institutions to secure favorable terms for banking services.
  • Financial Reporting and Analysis: Prepare accurate and timely financial reports, including income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and financial forecasts; conduct in-depth financial analysis to identify trends, opportunities, and potential risks within the payment business.
  • Mergers & Acquisitions: Evaluate potential M&A opportunities within the payments sector; lead financial negotiations and post-acquisition financial management.
  • Payment Technology Investment: Assess and recommend investments in payment technologies; evaluate the ROI of technology investments and their impact on the company\'s financial performance within the payments domain.
  • Cost Management: Implement cost-control measures and strategies to optimize operational expenses within the payment processing ecosystem; identify opportunities for cost reduction and efficiency improvements in payment processing.
• Investor Relations and Stakeholder Engagement
  • Capital Planning and Funding: Develop capital allocation strategies, manage capital budgets, and explore funding options for expansion and growth initiatives in the payments sector.
  • Investor Relations: Engage with investors and financial analysts to communicate the company\'s financial performance, strategies, and growth prospects; participate in earnings calls and investor presentations.
  • Board and Stakeholder Engagement: Present financial reports and strategies to the board of directors; collaborate with other executives to align financial goals with the company\'s overall mission, including payment-related initiatives.
• Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning
  • Develop and maintain plans to ensure uninterrupted payment processing and financial operations in case of disruptions or disasters, recognizing the critical nature of payment services.

Requirements

• Qualified CA(SA) or equivalent, with strong financial modelling skills and deep end-to-end finance operations expertise.
• Commercially minded with an investor\'s lens, experienced in Fintech and payments across African markets.
• Deep understanding of payment infrastructure, including PoS hardware, SaaS platforms, and value-added services.
• Proven leader in high-growth or turnaround settings, with strong grasp of pricing models and outsourced services.

Experience

• Proven senior finance leader with 10+ years\' leading end-to-end finance functions.
• Strong track record in transformation, automation, data, AI, and building future-ready finance teams.
• Deep experience in financial controls, restructuring, pricing strategy, and commercial negotiations.
• Strategic business partner with board-level influence and strong collaboration with C-suite, sales, product, and commercial teams.
• Demonstrated success scaling businesses across African markets; retail and payments experience is a plus.

Skills and Characteristics

• Transformational leader with strong gravitas, strategic vision, and executive team alignment.
• Proven people leader with a hands-on approach and ability to build and mentor high-performing finance teams.
• Strong ethical foundation, interpersonal skills, and cross-functional influence across diverse teams and regions.
• Commercially astute with a deep understanding of pricing, negotiation, and market dynamics.
• Future-focused mindset with passion for innovation, automation, and continuous improvement through data and tech.