Finance Manager - Costing

Empire Recruitment; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Empire Recruitment is seeking a senior cost and payables leader based in Gauteng to own the South African cost base across cost centres and business units, review GL, and oversee AP/Creditors functions.

The role requires CA(SA)/CIMA or BCom Honours with a strong costing and payables background, and the ability to mentor the AP team while partnering with operations to drive cost discipline.

You will deputise for the CFO on cost and payables, ensure controls, and support month-end close and audits.

Qualifications

• Strong costing and payables background required.
• Experience in Accounts Payable/Creditors, preferably in high-volume environments.
• Solid GL, month-end, accrual and reconciliation experience.

Responsibilities

• Own the South African cost base across all cost centres and business units.
• Review the GL monthly, ensuring cost completeness, accuracy and correct classification.
• Analyse and explain cost movements by business unit.
• Oversee the full Accounts Payable and Creditors function.
• Ensure effective three-way matching and strong payment controls.
• Manage creditor and supplier statement reconciliations.
• Oversee AP ageing and payment runs.
• Take ownership of month-end accruals, provisions and clean cut-off.
• Monitor spend against budget and challenge cost variances.
• Partner with operational teams to drive cost discipline and accountability.
• Ensure adherence to financial controls and delegation of authority.
• Support month-end close and audit requirements.
• Lead, mentor and develop the AP/Creditors team.
• Deputise for the CFO on the cost and payables side.

Skills

Costing

Payables

Accounts Payable

Financial analysis

Excel

Leadership

Education

CA(SA), CIMA or BCom Honours

Tools

Microsoft Excel

ERP systems

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Own the South African cost base across all cost centres and business units.
• Review the GL monthly, ensuring cost completeness, accuracy and correct classification.
• Analyse and explain cost movements by business unit.
• Oversee the full Accounts Payable and Creditors function.
• Ensure effective three-way matching and strong payment controls.
• Manage creditor and supplier statement reconciliations.
• Oversee AP ageing and payment runs.
• Take ownership of month-end accruals, provisions and clean cut-off.
• Monitor spend against budget and challenge cost variances.
• Partner with operational teams to drive cost discipline and accountability.
• Ensure adherence to financial controls and delegation of authority.
• Support month-end close and audit requirements.
• Lead, mentor and develop the AP/Creditors team.
• Deputise for the CFO on the cost and payables side.

What We're Looking For

• CA(SA), CIMA or BCom Honours with a strong costing and payables background.
• Proven experience within Accounts Payable/Creditors, preferably in a high-volume environment.
• Strong cost and management accounting experience.
• Solid GL, month-end, accrual and reconciliation experience.
• Experience taking ownership of a cost base rather than purely processing transactions.
• Strong commercial acumen and the confidence to challenge operational stakeholders.
• Previous team management experience would be advantageous.
• Strong Excel and systems capability.

Logistics, courier, distribution or another high-volume, multi-site environment would be highly advantageous, particularly where you have exposure to subcontractor, fleet, owner-driver or similar operational cost models.