Real Estate : Financial Planning Analyst

Role Purpose

The Principal Specialist will be responsible for providing financial analysis and delivering insights on financial reports and forecasting to the various National Property business units within Technology. Building and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders.

This role will be responsible for:

1. Preparation of budget, rolling forecast, and long-range forecast within the Real Estate-towers portfolio, with extensive knowledge of the accounting standard, IFRS16.
2. An expansive IFRS16 forecast that should include the unwinding of assets and liabilities, renewal and modification reassessments, and adjustments for changes to lease rollouts.
3. Detailed analysis on the cost and income from lease agreements and ensuring completeness and accuracy of the lease portfolio is maintained.
4. Key involvement in the delivery of an automated leases and rentals forecasting tool with key data analysis, through close participation with relevant lease management systems.
5. Understanding of cost drivers on leases and rentals, electricity costs.
6. Highlighting risks and opportunities on a continuous basis to senior leadership.
7. A dedicated business partner to the Head of National Property Management, involved in saving initiatives to drive meaningful financial decision-making in the negotiation of lease agreements.
8. Managing various inputs from the business areas to feedback to a centralized FP&A, to enable accurate month-end forecasting and accurate financial inputs.
9. Continuous tracking and financial performance of strategic projects in comparison to planned rollouts.
10. Working closely with the Technology Effectiveness and Transformation team on identifying opportunities in the National Properties portfolio and tracking the saving plan.
11. Verification of the network sites accountable for energy consumption and ensuring controls are in place for the accuracy of costs recorded.
12. Working closely with Finops & National Property Business partners to provide comprehensive commentary for leases and rentals/electricity/leased lines on the variance relating to actual versus budgeted and forecasted spend at month-end closure.
13. Keeping abreast of the latest standards and ensuring alignment to the governance, SOX controls, and accounting standards are adhered to.
14. Participation in benchmarking activities with the relevant Technology business units.
15. Understanding of real estate intra-group transactions.
16. Support to key stakeholders, Finops, National Property, Regional Property, Group counterparts, and various business units in technology.
17. Proficiency in the accounting standards and liaison with the Finops IFRS team and internal audit when necessary.
18. Ad hoc requests as required.

Essence of Role Key Accountabilities

Compliance and Control

1. Establishing adherence to the relevant Group policies.
2. Ensure compliance with SOX controls.
3. Work with other departments to ensure all cross-department issues are resolved.

Knowledge and Experience

1. Proactive Business Partnering.
2. Accounting Experience or in a similar position.
3. Excellent working knowledge of MS Office, especially Advanced Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
4. Working knowledge of Accounting principles especially IAS17 & IFRS16.
5. Financial systems especially SAP.
6. Analytical thinking.
7. Problem-solving.
8. Attention to detail.
9. Ability to work independently with minimum supervision.
10. Effective communication (Verbal and Written).
11. Ability to work under pressure.
12. Ability to challenge the status quo.
13. Ability to work in uncertainty.

Technical / Professional Expertise

1. Preferably CA (SA) / B graduate, in Accountancy or business-related field.
2. 5+ years relevant financial experience.
3. Ideally working across multinational environments and stakeholders.
4. Extensive IAS17 & IFRS16 knowledge.
5. Microsoft Office (Excel essential).
6. Analytical, Problem Solving Skills.
7. Effective Communication skills (Verbal and written).
8. Experience with the SAP RE module.
9. Preferably HFM knowledge.
10. Preferably Experience in Telecommunications.
11. Preferably Experience with Robotics / Automation Skills.