Group Financial Manager

Bowmans (Law Firm); Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1 000 000 - 1 500 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading law firm in Johannesburg seeks a seasoned Financial Manager to oversee financial management for the South African Group. The role requires strategic partnership with executives, driving digital transformation, and ensuring compliance with financial regulations. Ideal candidates should have CA (SA) qualifications, over 10 years in financial management, and strong skills in strategic business partnering. This position offers competitive remuneration and growth opportunities within a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• CA (SA) with articles at one of the big 4 audit firms.
• 10+ years post articles financial management experience.
• 5 years’ experience in a Senior Manager role.
• Experience in a medium-to-large professional services environment.
• Ability to communicate at executive level.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a strategic partner to the Executive team.
• Drive finance function digital transformation and best practices.
• Develop and implement Finance Policies.
• Manage the annual audit process and financial reporting.
• Oversee partner remuneration management.

Skills

Strategic Business Partnering

Digital Transformation

Financial Management

Relationship Building

Analytical Thinking

Education

CA (SA)

Job description

Purpose

Serve as a strategic partner to the Executive team, responsible for the management, control and supervision for the South African Group Financial Management activities and oversight of the Africa offices’ financial management activities, to ensure the effective financial management of Bowmans. Drive the finance function digital transformation, value creation and continuous improvement, and performing the role of 2IC for CFO when required. Champion best practices in Finance to support the firms’ strategic objectives and sustainable growth.

Experience and Qualifications

• CA (SA) with articles at one of the big 4 audit firms
• 10 years + years post articles financial management
• 5 years’ experience in Senior Manager role
• Experience in a medium-to-large professional services environment.
• Experience working in a multinational environment
• Must be able to communicate at executive level.

Key Accountabilities

Group

• Strategic Business Partnering with all the offices in the Group, and Executives, applicable committees and contribute to value creation
• Digital transformation and data driven decision making
• Develop and implement Finance Policies in conjunction with the Group Chief financial officer
• Develop and drive the standardisation, automation and optimisation of Group Finance activities
• Communicate best practice, processes, controls and procedures with Bowmans offices in the Group to ensure that best practice internal controls to ensure that the relevant information is available for adoption.
• Support with models for the opening and closing of offices in the group
• Support with the design and implementation of the controls for new offices to align to the Group
• Ensure adherence and compliance with Transfer Pricing laws for the Group

Offices Outside of South Africa

• Oversee Rest of Africa office’s staff in conjunction with Rest of Africa Financial Manager and respective Managers on site.
• Management Accounts.
• Ad hoc support for Africa i.e. building financial models etc.

GL and Sub Ledger for Group

• Overall responsibility for GL – ensures appropriate, best practice controls are in place to ensure that amounts are valid, accurate and complete.
• Ensure procedures are in place and maintained to ensure that information is captured by staff timeously.
• Liaise with Finance IT staff (3E Innovations Team) to ensure full functioning of systems.
• Ensure that Balance Sheet Reconciliations are performed monthly for all offices in the Group.

Group Budgeting Process

• Design and Implement the Group budgeting process
• Review the assumptions implied and reasonableness thereof
• Review of the consolidated Group budget
• Co-ordinate the group budgeting process
• Present the Group budget to the Group Chief Financial Officer
• Present the Group Budget to the Management Board under the supervision of the Group Chief Financial Officer.

Year End for Group

• Manage the execution of the annual audit process and ensure that appropriate/detailed work plans are in place to complete the audit on time.
• Ensure discussion and agreement of practical and appropriate management actions and ensuring actions are implemented in response to audit recommendations
• Overseeing the preparation of the financial statement for all companies that fall within Bowmans in accordance with IFRS.
• Other ad-hoc year end duties as required.

Partner Remuneration

• Oversee the management of the partner remuneration
• Review and Sign-off on the monthly partner remuneration
• Review the proposal of the distributions in line with the funds available
• Ensure adequate controls designed and implemented for the partner remuneration process.

Trust Account Management (South Africa)

• Ensure appropriate controls are in place to safeguard client funds.
• Report, under supervision, to the various law societies.
• Perform quarterly reviews on trust accounts ensuring that we are not in breach of any legislation or rule.

Banking Treasury (South Africa)

• Ensure appropriate relationships are formed with our bankers.
• Ensure that all approval lists are maintained and updated.
• Review on a regular basis if best banking practices are followed from a control’s perspective.
• Ensure that all unallocated funds are recorded, and appropriate lists are maintained.
• Provide support to Africa offices to develop relationships with the banks.

Corporate Tax & VAT (BG SA)

• Initiate and manage regular internal reviews to ensure that documentation is in line with revenue requirements.
• Review and sign-off provisional and final tax payments, dividend tax computations, VAT returns.
• Facilitate the resolution of all SARS/ relevant Africa country Revenue of Services related queries timeously.

Strategy

• Provides input into the BG Finance strategy.
• Work with Group Chief Financial Officer to establish annual operating plan and priorities to meet the Bowmans strategic objectives and budgetary parameters
• Delivery of strategic inbound and outbound projects e.g. Working capital optimization, collections and digitization.

Budget/Financial

• Development of the overall Finance budget.
• Administer and track costs relating to the budget with oversight from the Group Chief Financial Officer.
• Identify any opportunities for improved cost management and either address these, or raise them with the Group Chief Financial Officer as appropriate.

Monthly Management Accounts for the Group

• Provide direction and input into monthly cost contribution calculations.
• Review all analytical analysis performed on management accounts and ensure reasonableness thereof.
• Review cash forecasts and ensure the appropriateness of the assumptions applied.
• Review monthly profitability reports and ensure reasonableness thereof.

Relationship Building

• Develop strong relationships with Managing Partners and Finance Teams within Bowmans with a view to be regarded as a trusted advisor.
• Develop and maintain relationships with Partners, Executive and Business Services Management as a trusted advisor.
• Develop and maintain relationships with all individuals below management level as a trusted advisor.
• Maintain strong working relationships with and have open and transparent communication between all members of the team.
• Develop and maintain relationships with external vendors to ensure service delivery of a high quality.
• Building key relationships to ensure the efficient management of the firm’s finances e.g. Law Societies, Banks, and auditors.
• Develop and manage strategic partnerships with other law firms, clients, think tanks and professional services firms.

Management and Leadership

• Manages own teams’ performance to ensure delivery of the approved Finance strategy across designated departments (6 direct reports, up to 13 indirect reports).
• Gives regular, comprehensive and constructive feedback to team and conducts their performance appraisals.
• Proactively seeks feedback from team members and deals constructively with any criticism.
• Adjusts management style to get the best from the individuals within the team
• Delegates work to team members considering their capacity, level of skill and exposure to different types of work and complexity; provides clear instructions and direction, with reasonable deadlines.
• Monitor cross team activities and intervene to address any cross team-issues
• Contribute to the broader business by working with others in such a way that it optimises the overall business results, rather than just your team's.

Competencies

• Attention to Detail
• Analytical Thinking
• Interactive Communication
• Relationship Building
• Stress Management
• Work Ethics and Values
• Business Perspective
• Financial Policy Development, Interpretation and Application
• Legislation, Policies, Procedures and Standards
• Planning and Organizing
• Results Management

Bowmans is committed to achieving the objectives set in its transformation charter, and the targets in its employment equity plan. All recruitment decisions will be taken with due consideration being given to these objectives.