Finance Business Partner

Absa Group; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 500,000 - 850,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution is seeking a Finance Business Partner to enhance financial performance through strategic planning and report generation. In this role, you'll act as a central link between operations and finance, leading initiatives for growth and facilitating financial modelling to bolster decision-making across the organization.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of financial management experience, including articles.
• Desirable: 2+ years banking experience.
• Experience in finance processes is crucial.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial planning activities and maintain Finance Management Information.
• Perform financial reconciliations, reporting, and analysis.
• Provide financial information to support decision-making.

Skills

Financial modeling

Financial analysis

Risk assessment

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Financial Sciences

Postgraduate Degree (NQF level 8+), CA (SA), CIMA, or MBA preferred

Job description

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.

With over 100 years of rich history and a strong position as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

Job Summary

The Finance Business Partner acts as the intermediary between business/operations and Finance. They lead financial planning activities (RAF/MTP/Outlooks) and maintain the Finance Management Information (MI) to report on the financial and business performance of the BU. The role focuses on building financial models using historical data, product-related information, and industry/internal inputs to support business cases, strategic initiatives, new products, and partnerships.

The incumbent performs financial reconciliations, analysis, and reporting accurately and timely, continuously improving operations by scaling automated financial processes and conducting deep dives and trend analyses. They craft financial solutions aligned with controls, business health, and growth objectives. The Finance Business Partner provides finance and business leadership with sound financial information to support decision-making at all levels.

The role enables operational objectives by building an agile finance enablement, bringing stewardship, financial integrity, and insights to the current business state and future possibilities, supporting the new operating model and business objectives set by Absa. They co-create finance capabilities for exponential growth and effectiveness, oversee treasury activities, and maintain the approved funding structure.

Job Description

Commercial Finance Execution Accountabilities

• Serve as a subject matter expert on financial data integrity, accounting processes, reconciliations, analysis, and reporting for end-to-end financial management.
• Develop and sustain knowledge of end-to-end processes and relevant systems within scope.
• Ensure operational excellence and real-time responsiveness of finance to enable growth and profitability.
• Prepare for planning cycles in advance and engage with relevant teams.
• Focus on performance improvement through data-driven insights.
• Inform CFO and senior managers of key financial issues for timely management.
• Create seamless customer experiences via finance enablement.
• Embrace the brand aspiration and infuse it into the business.
• Identify and innovate operating practices, embracing digital solutions.
• Drive process efficiency, financial rigor, and controls.
• Adopt best practices for Absa’s finance functions.
• Maintain a holistic view of business, including geography, customer, channel, and product.
• Build financial models and insights to inform management decisions.
• Transform and evolve finance planning, tracking, and control processes.
• Understand BU financial ambitions and performance reporting needs.
• Contribute to core finance processes like planning, forecasting, and reporting.
• Integrate treasury, risk, and finance data where appropriate.
• Support the build of a global payments hub, if applicable.
• Maintain stewardship and drive sustainable growth through financial integrity.
• Contribute positively to society through business execution.
• Participate in BCM and cybersecurity processes relevant to the BU.

Financial Reporting Accountabilities

• Build trust through accurate, corroborated financial information aligned with accounting principles.
• Create clear progress reports on strategic and operational metrics.
• Engage stakeholders to maintain quality standards and resolve reporting issues.
• Deliver high-quality, timely financial and non-financial reports.
• Follow governance and control frameworks, addressing deficiencies proactively.
• Implement control procedures to ensure error-free reports.
• Provide commercial insights into performance reports.
• Use advanced modeling for actionable intelligence.
• Generate narratives and insights to drive business growth.
• Ensure timely, accurate delivery of management information with relevant metrics and insights.
• Tell compelling stories with financial data, maintaining clarity and coherence.
• Lead stakeholder engagement around reporting requirements and cycles.
• Manage the production of standardized financial and analytical reports.

People Investment Accountabilities

• Coach and mentor finance and business leaders.
• Network across ABSA to foster collaboration and awareness of challenges and opportunities.
• Focus on evolving finance skills to stay relevant.
• Promote finance partnership in MI, analytics, and business growth.
• Deepen understanding of financial statements, ratios, and key metrics through business engagement.

Role / Person Specification

• Postgraduate Degree (NQF level 8+), CA (SA), CIMA, or MBA preferred.
• At least 5 years of financial management experience, including articles if applicable.
• Desirable: 2+ years banking experience.
• Skills include experience in finance processes, financial modeling, planning, risk assessment, and knowledge of the financial sector.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Financial Sciences or equivalent required.

Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity employer. Preference will be given to candidates from designated groups to promote diversity. The bank reserves the right not to fill the position.