ESB Finance Analyst

Ford; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

Ford is seeking a skilled financial analyst in South Africa to ensure accuracy in financial reporting and compliance within their supply chain operations. The role requires collaboration with various business units to enhance operational efficiencies and manage the integrity of financial data.

The ideal candidate will have significant experience in financial analysis, attention to detail, and a bachelor's degree in finance or a related field. Proficiency in Excel and automation tools like Power BI is essential.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 3-5 years of financial analysis or management accounting experience.
• Proven experience in month-end financial closing and account reconciliations.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office tools including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Conduct 'walk-throughs' of warehouse and operations processes.
• Oversee complex inventory cycle counts and resolve discrepancies.
• Develop monthly forecasts for Revenue and Marketing expenses.
• Calculate the Annual FCSD Transfer Price updates.

Skills

Financial closing

Communication with non-finance stakeholders

Problem-solving

Attention to detail

Use of automation tools

Fluent English

Education

Bachelor's degree in finance, Accounting, Internal Audit, or related field

CIMA, CA, or ACCA qualification

Tools

Alteryx

Power BI

Excel

Job description

Job Description

The role ensures the accuracy of monthly financials, monitors working capital and operational efficiencies, and maintains a robust control environment to drive financial transparency and informed decision-making in Ford Protect and FCSD South Africa (SAF) including Ford Protect Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) and Northern Africa (NAF). This role is critical for ensuring that financial reserves are accurately and fairly valued, identifying potential plan losses, and preparing comprehensive reports for management and fund administration that adhere to stringent financial controls and standards. The role also serves as the primary financial interface between PS&L, FCSD Operations, Purchasing, Payables and Regional GBS teams. This is a high impact, "hands-on" role responsible for ensuring that the physical reality of our supply chain is accurately reflected in our financial results. Moving beyond simple reporting to identify operational "root causes," strengthens internal controls, and optimizes the end-to-end Procure-to-Pay (PTP) process. Investigate and resolve PTP bottlenecks, specifically focusing on fixing root causes of supplier payment delays and training local operations on correct Goods Receipt (GR) procedures. Provide high-integrity financial reporting and analytical support for the FCSD business unit.

Responsibilities

• Conduct "walk-throughs" of warehouse and operations processes to identify and close local control gaps.
• Partner with Operations to oversee complex inventory cycle counts and resolve discrepancies.
• Provide financial context for PS&L budget variances and support local projects like warehouse footprint changes or provider transitions.
• Ensure compliance with duties, VAT, and parts movement documentation for the PS&L division.
• Develop monthly forecasts for Revenue, Technical, and Fixed Marketing/Selling expenses.
• Consolidate and present Business Operating Data (BOD) to leadership for the SSA and NAF regions.
• Calculate the Annual FCSD Transfer Price updates and conduct Loss Ratio analysis for the ESB SSA market.
• Perform ROI and benefit analysis for Variable Marketing (VM) programs to track investment effectiveness.
• Execute monthly and quarterly account reconciliations for ESB SSA and NAF markets, ensuring high-risk reserves are accurate.
• Manage the end-to-end journal process (preparation and posting) for FCSD, SSA, NAF, and SAF entities.
• Manage SAF‑specific requirements including Guardrisk and Pinn Bordereaux, MXSI commission calculations, and PDI/AA/Seriti billings.
• Perform detailed account investigations and subledger preparations to ensure "month-end" integrity.
• Analyze FCSD cost and margins, collaborating with Material Cost and Pricing teams to explain variances.
• Execute MCRP (Modular Control Review Program) testing; maintain and update Desk Procedures, DRIM, and Basic Control Files; provide support for Internal Audits & PWC audits and ensure KFS (CAT 1 & 2) compliance.
• Identify and implement automation opportunities to eliminate manual "waste" across FCSD and PS&L.
• Function as the critical business continuity backup for the FCSD Analyst and ESB SAF finance roles.
• Financial Integrity & Reporting Accuracy
• PS&L Operational Impact
• Robust Internal Control Environment
• Business Support & Continuity
• Innovation & Cost Transformation

Qualifications

• Proven experience in month-end financial closing, including journal preparation, subledger management, and complex account reconciliations across multiple currencies or markets.
• The ability to communicate financial concepts to non-finance stakeholders, specifically within the Parts Supply & Logistics (PS&L) and Ford Protect teams.
• Strong digital skills: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Microsoft Teams.
• The flexibility and cultural intelligence to manage financial operations across diverse markets, including SSA, NAF, and SAF.
• The ability to move between the office and the warehouse floor to solve "ground-level" process issues.
• Calm under pressure with strong problem-solving, attention to detail, and clear communication. The ability to influence non-finance stakeholders in PS&L, Purchasing, and Operations.
• A "waste elimination" mindset with the ability to use (or learn) automation tools (e.g., Alteryx, Power Automate, or Power BI) to streamline manual financial processes.
• Proficient English (spoken and written).
• A bachelor's degree in finance, Accounting, Internal Audit, or a related field. A professional qualification such as CIMA, CA, or ACCA is highly advantageous.
• A minimum of 3-5 years of financial analysis, management accounting, or internal audit within a large-scale corporate environment, preferably within the automotive industry.
• Experience using, or strong desire to learn, data automation tools such as Python, Power BI, or Power Automate to drive efficiency.
• Valid driver's license.