Finance Manager: Continuous Improvements Lead-Strategic Planning and Analysis

Old Mutual; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 800 000 - 1 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A South African financial services firm is seeking a Lead in Strategic Planning and Analysis to drive continuous improvements and strategic initiatives. This role requires expertise in financial reporting and stakeholder management, aiming to enhance performance tracking and strategic alignment. Candidates must possess a finance degree and significant experience in managing complex projects. The position offers a dynamic work environment focusing on ongoing strategic development.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to lead strategic initiatives and navigate complexity.
• Familiarity with OML processes and governance are highly advantageous.
• Experience in managing cross-functional teams and delivering under pressure.
• Finance graduate with minimum 6 years post qualification experience.
• Good understanding of the International Financial Reporting Standards.
• Attention to detail and strong analytical skills.
• Experience in developing and managing relationships with senior management.
• Logical thinker with ability to manage complex processes.
• Ability to assess appropriateness and sufficiency of internal controls.
• Demonstrated stakeholder engagement and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the ORSA downside planning improvement initiative.
• Drive strategic engagement and competitor financial analysis.
• Advance the approach to strategic targets and objectives.
• Enhance reporting and analysis linked to cluster scorecards.
• Incorporate market analysis to strengthen strategic target setting.
• Improve forecasting processes for better transparency.
• Support and enhance remuneration and incentive tracking.
• Drive continuous improvements in performance tracking.

Skills

Accounting

Adaptive Thinking

Budget Management

Data Compilation

Data Controls

Evaluating Information

Executing Plans

Financial Accounting

Financial Acumen

Financial Auditing

Financial Modeling

Management Accounting

Numerical Aptitude

Policies & Procedures

Education

NQF Level 9 – Masters

Job description

Overview

Let's Write Africa's Story Together! Old Mutual is a firm believer in the African opportunity and our diverse talent reflects this.

Job Description

The Lead: Strategic Planning and Analysis – Continuous Improvements is responsible for delivering continuous improvements and responding to ad-hoc demands within the Strategic Planning and Analysis team. This role is critical in ensuring the team remains agile and effective amid expanding strategic priorities, increased reporting requirements, and evolving planning and forecasting processes. The incumbent will develop a deep understanding of the team’s two core areas of responsibility:

• Strategic business planning and tracking
• Reward planning, reporting, and analytics

Applying the understanding in identifying where improvements are required and leveraging support functions—including delivery coordination and data & analytics—to enhance current processes for efficiency and ensure they are updated in line with operating model changes and rising demand on the Strategic Planning and Analysis team.

As outlined above, this role will support the Strategic Planning and Analysis team in delivering ongoing and long-term improvements. The responsibilities below reflect current priorities, which will continue to evolve in response to strategic demands and operating model changes:

• Lead the ORSA downside planning improvement initiative in alignment with Line 2 and central teams. The objective is to embed a robust risk framework and process into the business planning cycle, enabling continuous scenario testing and responsiveness to shifts in strategic targets.
• Drive strategic engagement, including competitor financial analysis and integration of cluster strategies, to support sustained strategic alignment and insight generation.
• Advance the approach to strategic targets and objectives by implementing driver-based projections using the business plan as a foundation. This capability will support more robust decision-making and enable informed discussions at Exco and Board strategy sessions over time.
• Enhance reporting and analysis linked to cluster scorecards and incentive tracking, ensuring outputs remain relevant and aligned with evolving strategic priorities.
• Incorporate market analysis to strengthen strategic target setting and provide ongoing context for performance expectations.
• Improve forecasting processes to increase transparency and establish enduring linkages between actuals, strategic targets, and lead/lag KPIs. This includes aligning forecasts with segment and group strategic priorities to support integrated and forward-looking planning.
• Support and enhance the remuneration and incentive tracking process, including updates to analysis and reporting linked to cluster scorecards. This involves adapting to evolving requirements and ensuring alignment with strategic planning outputs and performance metrics over time.
• Drive continuous improvements in performance tracking of the business plan, particularly in forecasting and incentive tracking, as strategic targets evolve and organisational needs shift.

• Proven ability to lead strategic initiatives and navigate complexity.
• Familiarity with OML processes and governance are highly advantageous.
• Experience in managing cross-functional teams and delivering under pressure.
• Finance graduate with minimum 6 years post qualification experience.
• Good understanding of the International Financial Reporting Standards and ability to deal with complex accounting issues is required.
• Attention to detail and strong analytical skills.
• Experience in developing and managing relationships with senior management, external auditors, and executives.
• Logical thinker with ability to manage complex processes.
• Ability to assess appropriateness and sufficiency of internal controls over financial data.
• Demonstrated stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
• Over and above the standard role size P competencies below sets out those critical competencies required to be successful in this role:
• Self-Starter with End-to-End Accountability – Takes ownership of initiatives from concept to execution, proactively identifying opportunities for improvement and driving delivery without needing close supervision.
• Strategic Mindset – Anticipates future trends and translates them into actionable strategies that support long-term planning and decision-making.
• Optimises Work Processes – Continuously improves planning, forecasting, and reporting processes for greater efficiency and alignment with evolving business needs.
• Business Insight – Applies deep understanding of the business and marketplace to shape strategic initiatives and enhance performance tracking.
• Collaborates – Builds strong partnerships across teams and functions to deliver integrated planning and analysis outcomes.

Skills

• Accounting
• Adaptive Thinking
• Budget Management
• Data Compilation
• Data Controls
• Evaluating Information
• Executing Plans
• Financial Accounting
• Financial Acumen
• Financial Auditing
• Financial Modeling
• Management Accounting
• Numerical Aptitude
• Policies & Procedures

Competencies

• Balances Stakeholders
• Business Insight
• Decision Quality
• Ensures Accountability
• Financial Acumen
• Instills Trust
• Manages Complexity
• Optimizes Work Processes

Education

NQF Level 9 – Masters

Closing Date

11 November 2025, 23:59

The appointment will be made from the designated group in line with the Employment Equity Plan of Old Mutual South Africa and the specific business unit in question.

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