Head of Finance

Helderberg Personnel; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 1,600,000 - 2,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Helderberg Personnel is seeking a senior finance leader for a commodity trading group in South Africa. The role focuses on financial control, reporting, risk management, and financing activities, with independent review and analysis of results prior to board submission.

The candidate will oversee IFRS compliance, internal controls, and group finance, while leading the trading finance function and driving profitability and strategic planning.

Qualifications

• Qualified CA(SA) or CIMA (CGMA).
• Minimum of 10 years' relevant financial management experience.
• Experience in grain/agricultural commodity trading, risk management, treasury and trade finance, inventory and hedging management, group finance.
• Experience with SAFEX, futures contracts, and hedging instruments.
• Experience in audit, internal control, and risk management environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the financial function of the trading business.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and reliable month-end and annual reporting.
• Review and consolidate financial results of all relevant entities.
• Ensure compliance with IFRS, group policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Develop and implement best practices for financial control.
• Analyze and monitor the profitability of all trading activities.
• Review gross profit calculations per trader.
• Ensure reconciliation between profit calculations and the general ledger.
• Challenge variances and identify underlying performance drivers.
• Review fair value adjustments and inventory valuations, and ensure their accuracy.
• Monitor commodity price risk, basis risk, and inventory exposure.
• Ensure that all trading risks are identified, measured, and reported in a timely manner.
• Analyze margins, trends, and trading results.
• Prepare reports for management, EXCO, and the board.
• Provide strategic recommendations regarding profitability and risk.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning processes.
• Identify opportunities to improve returns.
• Oversee balance sheet reconciliations and critical financial control processes.
• Monitor compliance with internal policies and procedures.
• Support external auditors and internal audit processes.
• Ensure the timely resolution of control deficiencies.
• Lead and develop Financial Managers and Financial Accountants.
• Foster a culture of accountability, accuracy, and professional excellence.
• Ensure adequate capacity and succession planning within the finance team.
• Drive continuous process improvement and the digitalization of financial processes.

Skills

IFRS knowledge

Management accounting

Financial analysis

Inventory valuations

SAFEX hedging

Working capital management

Excel modelling

ERP and trading systems

Education

CA(SA) or CIMA (CGMA)

Tools

ERP systems

Trading systems

Job description

Purpose of this role:

To provide leadership regarding the group's financial control, reporting, risk management, and financing activities within the commodity trading environment. The incumbent is responsible for the independent review, challenge, and analysis of results, market risks, financing structures, and group performance prior to the submission of results to the Executive Committee and the Board.

Minimum Qualification

• Qualified CA(SA) or CIMA (CGMA).

Experience

• Minimum of 10 years' relevant financial management experience.
• Substantial experience in one or more of the following areas: Grain or agricultural commodity trading, Commodity risk management, Treasury and trade finance, Inventory and hedging management, Group finance and consolidations.
• Experience with SAFEX, futures contracts, and hedging instruments.
• Experience in audit, internal control, and risk management environments.

Technical Skills

• Knowledge of IFRS.
• Strong management accounting and financial analysis skills.
• Excellent knowledge of: Inventory valuations, SAFEX hedging, Working capital management.
• Advanced Excel and financial modelling skills.
• Experience with ERP and trading systems.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Financial Leadership and Group Control

• Lead the financial function of the trading business.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and reliable month-end and annual reporting.
• Review and consolidate financial results of all relevant entities.
• Ensure compliance with IFRS, group policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Develop and implement best practices for financial control.

Commodity and Trade Finance Management

• Analyze and monitor the profitability of all trading activities.
• Review gross profit calculations per trader.
• Ensure reconciliation between profit calculations and the general ledger.
• Challenge variances and identify underlying performance drivers.

Risk and Hedging Management

• Review fair value adjustments and inventory valuations, and ensure their accuracy.
• Monitor commodity price risk, basis risk, and inventory exposure.
• Ensure that all trading risks are identified, measured, and reported in a timely manner.

Financial Analysis and Strategic Input

• Analyze margins, trends, and trading results.
• Prepare reports for management, EXCO, and the board.
• Provide strategic recommendations regarding profitability and risk.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning processes.
• Identify opportunities to improve returns.

Internal Control and Corporate Governance

• Ensure adequate internal control measures are in place.
• Oversee balance sheet reconciliations and critical financial control processes.
• Monitor compliance with internal policies and procedures.
• Support external auditors and internal audit processes.
• Ensure the timely resolution of control deficiencies.

People Management and Development

• Lead and develop Financial Managers and Financial Accountants.
• Foster a culture of accountability, accuracy, and professional excellence.
• Ensure adequate capacity and succession planning within the finance team.
• Drive continuous process improvement and the digitalization of financial processes.