Financial Director

Optential Consulting; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Optential Consulting seeks an experienced Financial Director to provide strategic financial leadership, governance, and play a key role in growth. The role partners with the executive team to improve reporting, manage risk and deliver meaningful insights for decision making.

The position oversees budgeting, cash flow, tax and financial controls, working with shareholders, investors and external advisers. A hands‑on leader who mentors the finance team is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related field
• 3–5 years of experience in finance or accounting, incl. financial reporting, budgeting and capital raising
• Experience in tax compliance, financial analysis and financial statement prep
• Experience in managing cash flow, budgeting and working capital
• Familiarity with financial software such as QuickBooks, SAP or other ERP systems
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills
• High proficiency in Excel and financial modelling
• Strong communication and presentation skills with directors and stakeholders
• Detail‑oriented with ability to handle large data sets and tight deadlines

Responsibilities

• Work with chair of the board and MD on shareholder/investor relations, fundraising and reporting
• Set annual budget with MD and Production Director to guide production scheduling
• Provide central finance resource for budgeting, reporting, and governance
• Maintain relationships with accounting advisers for regulatory and tax compliance
• Ensure tax matters (PAYE, VAT, Income Tax) are current
• Oversee procurement and finance functions, including cash flow management
• Generate monthly management accounts and variance reports for directors/shareholders
• Track performance against budget and manage variances
• Support capital raises with proper legal/financial requirements

Skills

Financial reporting

Budgeting

Capital raising

Tax compliance

Cash flow management

Excel

SAP

QuickBooks

Financial modelling

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance/Accounting/Business Administration

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and commercially minded Financial Director to join a dynamic and growing organisation. This senior leadership role is responsible for providing strategic financial direction, strengthening financial governance, and ensuring that the finance function effectively supports the organisation’s growth and long-term objectives. The ideal candidate will combine strong technical financial expertise with commercial insight and a hands‑on leadership approach. They will work closely with the executive team to drive financial performance, improve reporting and controls, manage risk, and provide meaningful financial insights that support sound business decisions.

Division/Department Finance

Level of position Director

Number of reports 1

Reports to Managing Director

Employment type: Full-time

Overall Responsibility

Work closely with the chair of the board on shareholder and investor relations, including fundraising and stakeholder reporting. Maintain regular communication with the Managing Director and Production Director to remain up to date with business and production developments, enabling the finance/accounts function to make accurate decisions on product costings, selling prices, margins, working capital requirements and deal offerings. Work with Sales and the Managing Director to set the annual budget, which informs the production schedule and operational budgeting. The role serves as a central financial and budgeting resource across the business. Maintain effective relationships with local and international accounting advisers to support regulatory and tax compliance in South Africa and the United Kingdom, and access specialist financial advice when required. Manage shareholder relations, including administrative support and relationship management where required for refinancing. Ensure tax matters, including PAYE, VAT and Income Tax, are promptly dealt with and kept up to date.

Key Performance Area: Procurement

• Oversee the Procurement Officer and ensure adherence to company procurement policies and procedures.
• Oversee the development and maintenance of a reliable supplier base, negotiating contracts, pricing and service agreements to ensure cost efficiency and quality.
• Monitor purchasing activities to ensure timely procurement of goods and services aligned with operational and production requirements.
• Implement controls to prevent overspending, manage budgets and align procurement decisions with financial objectives.
• Evaluate supplier performance, manage risks and resolve issues relating to delivery, quality or compliance.
• Collaborate with Operations, R&D and Production to forecast needs and plan procurement schedules.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and internal governance standards in procurementpractices.
• Drive continuous improvement in procurement processes, including automation, reporting and efficiency measures where applicable.

Key Performance Area: Finance

• Discuss capital raise amounts, valuation, instruments for capital raise, and terms and conditions.
• Issue share purchase agreements, collect signatures, send out share certificates and maintain the share capital table.
• Ensure capital raises are closed successfully, with all legal and financial requirements met.
• Coordinate with external stakeholders such as investors and regulatory bodies to finalise transactions.
• Ensure all share capital transactions receive the required regulatory approvals and comply with applicable legal requirements.
• Ensure all financial transactions are valid, accurately captured and complete.
• Manage cash flow and working capital, approve substantial payments and ensure accurate accounting for transactions.
• Generate monthly management accounts and variance reports for discussion with directors and shareholders.
• Ensure reports are accurate and provide clear insights into the company's financial health.
• Set the annual sales and expenditure budget for shareholder approval.
• Track and report performance against budget, keeping expenditure as close to budget as possible to avoid adverse variances.

Minimum Education and/or Work Experience Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or a related field.
• 3-5 years of experience in finance or accounting, particularly in financial reporting, budgeting and capital raising.
• Experience in tax compliance, financial analysis and financial statement preparation.
• Prior experience in managing cash flow, budgeting and working capital.
• Familiarity with financial software such as QuickBooks, SAP or other ERP systems.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• High proficiency in Excel and other financial tools, including financial modelling.
• Strong communication and presentation skills to engage with directors and stakeholders.
• Detail-oriented with the ability to manage large volumes of data accurately.
• Ability to work under pressure and deliver reports in a timely manner.

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