Senior Manager - Finance and Operations

Dante Personnel; Centurion; On-site; ZAR 1,800,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Dante Personnel seeks an experienced Senior Operations leader to drive strategic execution across Retail, FMCG, Distribution, and related sectors. You will lead cross-functional teams with a focus on efficiency, growth, and financial performance.

Responsibilities include overseeing supply chain, inventory, budgets, and cash flow while building a high-performing team and ensuring governance and regulatory compliance. Travel as required.

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Business Administration, Operations Management or Supply Chain.
• Management or a related discipline; postgraduate qualification advantageous.
• Extensive senior management experience in operations leadership within Retail, FMCG, Distribution, Direct Selling or similar environments.
• Proven ability to scale operations and deliver measurable efficiency improvements.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Demonstrated financial acumen and budget management experience.
• Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Results-driven with strong organisational and execution capability.
• High integrity, resilience and professional maturity.
• Ability to operate under pressure and manage competing priorities.
• Valid driver's licence and willingness to travel as required.
• Strong understanding of cash flow management, working capital optimisation and treasury principles.
• Experience managing balance sheet performance and investments.
• Knowledge of inventory optimisation principles and supply chain economics.
• Commercially astute with understanding of profitability analysis.
• Experience managing large operational budgets and ROI responsibilities.
• Ability to translate operational strategies into measurable financial outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership to execute the Company's business strategy.
• Oversee day-to-day operations across all functional areas with target performance.
• Develop scalable operating models to support growth of the direct selling network.
• Ensure optimal performance of supply chain, procurement, distribution and service delivery.
• Drive process optimisation, cost management, automation and continuous improvement.
• Monitor and manage operational budgets, resources and productivity metrics.
• Establish performance management systems, KPIs, reporting frameworks and dashboards.
• Ensure compliance with policies, governance and regulatory obligations.
• Identify operational risks and implement mitigation strategies.
• Support the MD in strategic initiatives and organisational change.
• Build and lead high-performing operational teams with accountability.
• Lead organisational change and execution of strategic priorities.
• Drive sustainable growth through disciplined capital allocation and cash flow management.
• Maintain liquidity through cash forecasting and working capital optimisation.
• Lead initiatives to improve cash conversion and supplier payment strategies.
• Oversee balance sheet performance and ROI of capital expenditure.
• Develop inventory management strategies balancing service and stock investment.

Skills

Senior leadership

Operations management

Strategic planning

Financial acumen

Budget management

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Cash flow management

Inventory optimisation

Change management

Leadership

Travel readiness

Strategic execution

Education

Postgraduate qualification advantageous in Management or related discipline

Relevant tertiary qualification in Business Administration, Operations Management or Supply Chain

Job description

Minimum requirements:

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Business Administration, Operations Management, Supply Chain
• Management or a related discipline; postgraduate qualification advantageous
• Extensive senior management experience in operations leadership within Retail, FMCG, Distribution, Direct Selling or a similar environment
• Proven ability to scale operations and deliver measurable efficiency improvements.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
• Demonstrated financial acumen and budget management experience
• Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• Results-driven with strong organisational and execution capability
• High integrity, resilience and professional maturity
• Ability to operate effectively under pressure and manage competing priorities
• Valid driver's licence and willingness to travel as required
• Strong understanding of cash flow management, working capital optimisation and treasury principles.
• Demonstrated experience managing and improving balance sheet performance.
• Proven ability to evaluate business investments, capital expenditure projects and strategic growth
  initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of inventory optimisation principles, stock management and supply chain economics.
• Commercially astute with a deep understanding of financial drivers, profitability analysis and value
  creation.
• Experience managing large operational budgets with accountability for financial performance and return
  on investment.
• Ability to translate operational strategies into measurable financial outcomes.

Key deliverables:

• Provide strategic and operational leadership to ensure efficient execution of the Company's business strategy
• Oversee day-to-day operations across all functional areas, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives and performance targets
• Develop and implement scalable operating models to support growth of the direct selling network and associated business activities
• Ensure optimal performance of supply chain, procurement, distribution and service delivery functions
• Drive operational excellence through process optimisation, cost management, automation and continuous improvement initiatives
• Monitor and manage operational budgets, resource allocation and productivity metrics
• Establish robust performance management systems, including KPIs, reporting frameworks and operational dashboards
• Ensure compliance with internal policies, governance requirements and regulatory obligations
• Identify operational risks and implement mitigation strategies to protect business continuity
• Support the MD in executing strategic initiatives and organisational change programmes
• Build and lead high-performing operational teams and foster a culture of accountability and excellence
• Lead organisational change initiatives and ensure effective execution of strategic priorities
• Drive sustainable business growth through effective operational execution, disciplined capital allocation and strong cash flow management.
• Ensure the Company maintains healthy liquidity through robust cash forecasting and working capital optimisation
• Lead initiatives to improve cash conversion, including inventory optimisation and supplier payment strategies.
• Oversee balance sheet performance, ensuring efficient utilisation of assets, management of liabilities and optimisation of return on capital employed.
• Evaluate and govern all major capital expenditure projects, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and required financial returns.
• Develop and implement inventory management strategies that balance customer service requirements, stock availability, inventory investment and obsolescence risk.