Head Of Finance

Twinsaver Group; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 1 000 000 - 1 500 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading manufacturing company in Gauteng is seeking a Head of Finance Operations to provide strategic and operational financial leadership across manufacturing and logistics. Responsibilities include financial management, performance optimization, and compliance oversight. Candidates must have a CA(SA), CIMA or equivalent, and at least 10 years of experience in finance operations, with a strong background in cost accounting and ERP systems. This position offers opportunities for leadership and team development.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in manufacturing/FMCG finance.
• At least 5 years in a senior operational finance leadership role.
• Experience managing multi-site teams in a complex environment.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary financial business partner to Operations Executive.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and monthly reporting.
• Drive continuous improvement in financial processes and systems.

Skills

Financial leadership

Cost accounting

ERP systems

Excel

Stakeholder management

Education

CA(SA), CIMA or equivalent qualification

Tools

ERP

WMS

Job description

Introduction

The Head of Finance Operations : Responsible for providing strategic and operational financial leadership across Twinsaver's manufacturing and logistics operations.

The role ensures effective financial management, cost control, and performance optimisation across all production sites and the end-to-end supply chain.

Reporting directly to the CFO, the Head of Finance Operations acts as a key business partner to Production and Supply Chain—driving profitability, efficiency, and robust financial governance

Duties & Responsibilities

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES : Financial Leadership and Business Partnering Serve as the primary financial business partner to the Operations Executive and Plant GM's.

Provide financial insights to support manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution decisions that enhance profitability and working capital performance.

Align financial strategies with operational objectives to support long-term business growth and competitiveness.

Contribute to strategic initiatives such as footprint optimisation, make-or-buy analysis and logistics cost transformation.

Drive continuous improvement in financial processes and systems supporting the plants and logistics operations. Financial Planning, Analysis and Reporting Lead budgeting, forecasting and monthly reporting for all plants and logistics operations.

Analyse performance against plan, highlighting key variances, operational risks, and improvement opportunities.

Deliver accurate, timely, and insightful management reports on manufacturing costs, logistics spend, and operational KPIs.

Develop and maintain dashboards tracking cost per tonne, variances vs standards, freight efficiency, and inventory turns.

Identifying cost-saving opportunities and efficiency improvements. Cost and Performance Management Lead standard costing, product costing and variance analysis across all plants.

Evaluate and drive efficiency projects targeting both material and factory expenses.

Partner with operations teams to drive margin improvement, waste reduction, and productivity initiatives across all paper mills and conversion plants.

Manage cost-to-serve analysis across logistics and distribution channels.

Partner with Supply Chain / 4PL to monitor and optimise warehousing and transport costs.

Support capital investment decisions, business cases, and post-implementation reviews.

Oversee the accuracy and integrity of standard costing models and manufacturing cost reports. Financial Control and Compliance Ensure strong internal controls, governance, and compliance with financial policies across manufacturing and logistics functions.

Review and approve plant-level financial submissions, reconciliations, and capex proposals.

Oversee inventory valuation, stock reconciliations, and cycle count processes.

Support internal and external audits, ensuring integrity of operational financial data.

Implement best practices in financial processes, controls, and systems across all sites.

Leadership and People Development Lead and develop a team of site-based Factory Accountants and a central Management Accountant.

Build a cohesive, high-performing operations finance team across all locations.

Drive accountability and continuous improvement across the operations network.

Foster collaboration and knowledge sharing between sites to ensure consistency and best practices.

Coach plant and logistics leadership on financial literacy and decision-making.

Build capability within the team to support business growth and evolving reporting needs.

Desired Experience & Qualification

REQUIREMENTS : QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCECA(SA), CIMA or equivalent qualification essential.

Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in manufacturing / FMCG finance, with at least 5 years in a senior operational finance leadership role.

Strong understanding of cost accounting, product costing, and logistics cost drivers.

Strong understanding of ERP, WMS and demand planning systems.

Advanced Excel / financial modelling skills.

Experience managing multi-site teams, working in a complex, fast-paced environment and collaborating cross-functionally.

Experience in Integrated Business Planning and plant OMSKEY COMPETENCIES Strategic and analytical thinker with strong commercial acumen.

Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Hands-on approach and attention to detail with focus on operational excellence and results. Proven ability to influence and challenge senior plant and supply chain teams.

Commitment to continuous improvement and cost optimisation. PERFORMANCE METRICS Accuracy and timeliness of operational financial reporting.

Achievement of plant and logistics cost and efficiency targets.

Effectiveness of financial controls and audit outcomes.

Inventory accuracy and working capital improvement.

Team engagement and development and retention of a high-performing finance team.

Contribution to overall business profitability and strategic initiatives.