Head Financial Operations / Costing

Smith Garb and Associates CC; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global organisation in engineering and manufacturing is seeking a dynamic Head of Finance Operations for a strategic leadership role. The successful candidate will oversee cost accounting across EMEA, requiring strong analytical abilities and experience in complex manufacturing. This is an excellent opportunity for a finance professional to make a significant impact in a global environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years’ post-qualification experience in cost or management accounting.
• Strong analytical and reporting skills.
• Proven ability to interpret technical and regulatory material.

Responsibilities

• Lead and standardise cost accounting processes across the EMEA region.
• Analyse and report on operational performance, identifying trends.
• Drive financial performance through proactive KPI monitoring.

Skills

Analytical skills

Cost management

Operational finance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance

CIMA qualification

Tools

SAP ERP

Job description

A leading global organisation within the engineering and manufacturing sector is seeking a dynamic and experienced Head of Finance Operations to join their high-performing team. This is a strategic finance leadership role, focused on driving operational excellence across the region’s manufacturing footprint.

Reporting to a Senior Director, the successful candidate will oversee the cost accounting function across Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The role demands a confident, analytical leader with a strong track record in cost management and operational finance within complex manufacturing environments. A CIMA qualification is highly advantageous.

Key Responsibilities :

• Lead and standardise cost accounting processes across the EMEA region
• Enforce divisional costing principles and policies, ensuring understanding and compliance across operational teams
• Analyse and report on operational performance, identifying trends and opportunities for improvement
• Manage the regional cost roll process, validating changes and ensuring accuracy
• Drive financial performance through proactive KPI monitoring, early-warning systems, and gap analysis
• Engage closely with cross-functional leaders in operations, business, and finance
• Promote and uphold a zero-harm, world-class safety culture

Qualifications and Experience Required :

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance as well as CIMA
• A minimum of 5 years’ post-qualification experience in cost or management accounting, ideally within a multinational engineering or heavy manufacturing business. Ideally more than 5 years experience is required, as this is a senior role with exceptional responsibility
• Strong analytical and reporting skills, with the ability to present insights and recommendations to senior leadership
• Experience with SAP ERP is highly advantageous
• Proven ability to interpret technical and regulatory material, and translate complex data into actionable business intelligence

This is an excellent opportunity for a forward-thinking finance professional ready to make a tangible impact in a global setting. If you meet the above requirements and are looking to take the next step in your career, we invite you to apply in confidence.

Create a job alert for this search

Financial • JHB - Eastern Suburbs, Gauteng, ZA