CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (CFO)

PPC Recruitment; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 6,000,000 - 9,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Our client in the construction and infrastructure sector seeks an experienced Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to deliver strategic financial leadership across the Group and subsidiaries, with primary responsibility for the infrastructure business. The role drives Vision 2030, strengthens governance, protects margins and optimises working capital.

This hands-on executive position requires a CA(SA) with 12–15 years' post-qualification experience, including seven years in senior financial leadership

Qualifications

• Qualified Chartered Accountant South Africa (CA(SA)) in good standing.
• Bachelor's degree and postgraduate qualification in Accounting, Finance or related field.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic, commercial and operational financial leadership for the Group and subsidiaries.
• Strengthen financial governance and optimize working capital.
• Oversee project margins, cash flows and funding facilities.
• Prepare for investor due diligence and potential JSE AltX listing.
• Engage with Audit and Risk Committees, external auditors and funders.

Skills

CA(SA)

Board governance

Project-costing

ERP systems

Strategic leadership

Education

CA(SA) qualification

Postgraduate qualification in Accounting/Finance

Tools

BuildSmart

SAP

Power BI

Job description

Functional Accountability: Board and Audit and Risk Committee

Our client, a leading construction and engineering group, is seeking an experienced Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to provide strategic, commercial and operational financial leadership across the Group and its subsidiaries, with primary responsibility for its infrastructure business.

The CFO will play a pivotal role in advancing the Group's Vision 2030 strategy and ambition to become a Tier 1 African infrastructure, Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC), and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) platform. Key priorities include strengthening financial governance, protecting project margins, optimising working capital, expanding funding and guarantee capacity, enhancing ERP-driven financial controls, and preparing the Group for institutional investment and a potential JSE AltX listing.

This is a hands-on executive role requiring a commercially astute finance leader with proven senior-level experience in a medium-sized to Tier 1 construction, civil engineering, infrastructure, EPC or project-based contracting environment. The successful candidate will combine strategic financial leadership with strong operational execution to drive sustainable growth, financial resilience and long-term shareholder value.

Qualification And Experience

• Qualified Chartered Accountant South Africa, CA(SA), registered and in good standing with SAICA.
• Bachelor's degree and postgraduate qualification in Accounting, Finance or a directly related discipline.
• Minimum 12-15 years of progressive post-qualification financial experience.
• At least seven years of senior financial leadership experience within a medium-sized to Tier 1 construction, civil engineering, infrastructure, EPC, mining-contracting or project-based organisation, and/or an infrastructure investment holding group.
• Proven experience as a CFO, Finance Director, Deputy CFO, Group Financial Executive or equivalent senior finance leader.
• Demonstrated experience preparing, presenting and defending financial reports, budgets, forecasts and strategic recommendations before EXCO, Boards and Board committees.
• Proven engagement with Audit and Risk Committees, external auditors, banks, funders and institutional stakeholders.
• Advanced practical experience using BuildSmart as a financial, project-costing and commercial-control platform.
• Strong project-accounting, contract-costing, project-margin management and cost-to-complete forecasting expertise.
• Demonstrated experience managing project cash flows, guarantees, retentions, claims, variations and working-capital pressures.
• Strong knowledge of IFRS, taxation, the Companies Act, internal controls and corporate governance.
• Proven experience leading and strengthening a multidisciplinary finance function.
• PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
• Experience within a recognised Tier 1 contractor and/or infrastructure investment holding company.
• Exposure to state-owned enterprises (SOEs), metropolitan municipalities, mining houses or major institutional infrastructure clients in the public and private sectors.
• Working knowledge of FIDIC, NEC, GCC and JBCC construction contracts.
• Experience in a JSE-listed, JSE-listable or private-equity-backed company.
• Capital raising, refinancing, transaction advisory or development-finance experience.
• Multi-entity consolidation and cross-border African operations.
• Experience with CCS Candy, Power BI, Microsoft Fabric, Sage, SAP or comparable financial and project-management systems.
• MBA, master's degree or recognised executive-development qualification.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Financial Performance

• Achievement of approved Group revenue, profitability, cash-flow and return-on-capital targets.
• Improved financial performance and operational cost efficiency across subsidiaries.

Project Margin Protection

• Variance between tendered, approved and forecast project margins.
• Accuracy of cost-to-complete forecasts.
• Recovery of contractual entitlements, claims and variations.

Working Capital and Treasury

• Improved cash conversion and debtor days.
• Effective management of retentions, contract assets and creditor obligations.
• Cash-flow forecast accuracy and availability of appropriate funding and guarantee facilities.

Governance and Reporting

• Accurate and timely monthly management accounts, EXCO reports, Board reports and committee submissions.
• Clean audits and timely closure of audit findings.
• Compliance with financial policies, statutory requirements and governance standards.

Systems and Controls

• Full and effective utilisation of BuildSmart.
• Compliant ERP workflows and reliable project financial data.
• Elimination of unauthorised off-system financial processes.

Capital and Listing Readiness

• Delivery of agreed balance-sheet strengthening and capital-raising milestones.
• Completion of investor due-diligence requirements.
• Progress against the Group's JSE AltX readiness plan.

7. EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS

The successful candidate must combine strategic financial leadership with hands-on commercial execution. The CFO must be comfortable operating at Board level while maintaining close oversight of project-level financial performance, cash flow, contract margins, funding requirements and financial controls.