Settlements Manager - Trading

Noa Group; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

A renewable energy company based in Cape Town seeks a Settlements Manager to lead and coordinate the settlement function in compliance with Eskom frameworks. The role requires strong analytical skills and client-facing experience. Candidates should have over 10 years in energy or finance, with at least 5 years in management. The company values problem-solving and continuous improvement, offering a dynamic work environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years’ experience in energy, finance or market operations roles.
• 5 years of experience in a senior management position.
• Knowledge of Eskom wheeling and South African market structures.

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end settlement lifecycle from data validation to financial settlement.
• Lead the transition from monthly to daily settlements.
• Onboard new clients into NOA’s trading ecosystem.

Skills

Analytical ability

Client engagement

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Energy, Data Science, or related field

Job description

Overview

About NOA

At NOA, we are building utility-scale renewable energy facilities across the country, bringing clean, affordable energy to South Africa's biggest businesses. Our team of energy sector veterans is on a mission to deliver 10GW of clean energy over the next 10 years. We have a demonstrated track record of completing renewable energy projects, with 30MW already in operation and 745MW in construction. We have built partnerships with South Africa's most successful renewable energy project developers, both in the private and public sectors. We have secured a NERSA trading license to simplify procurement, financing, and supply of renewable energy. We have a strong balance sheet with equity funding from a leading African infrastructure investment manager, AIIM, and an innovative capital and operational structure backed by several top-tier debt providers. We have assembled some of the smartest experts in the field, united to move the needle in South Africa\'s energy landscape.

Job Details

Join NOA as our Settlements Manager and play a pivotal role in powering South Africa’s renewable energy future. The Settlements Manager is responsible for leading and coordinating NOA’s settlement function, ensuring the accuracy of metering data, allocations, and financial settlements in compliance with Eskom frameworks and evolving South African market rules. This role manages the work of the Energy Data Analyst(s) (data validation and integrity) and the Settlement Analyst(s) (allocation execution, reconciliation, and financial settlement). The Settlements Manager must be able to step into either role when required, while also scaling the function to support increased complexity and frequency of settlements under the South African Wholesale Energy Market (SAWEM). Beyond operations, the Settlements Manager plays a critical client-facing role: helping customers understand settlement outcomes, working with them to maximise renewable energy penetration, and supporting the development of accurate energy forecasts by engaging directly with clients to understand their operational dependencies, future needs, and temporary variations in demand.

Key Accountabilities

Leadership & Oversight

• Supervise and coordinate the Energy Data Analyst and Settlement Analyst.
• Review, validate, and sign off on outputs from both roles.
• Step into either role when needed to ensure continuity or resolve escalated issues.
• Scale the team and processes as NOA’s customer base and SAWEM requirements expand.

Settlement Operations

• Manage the end-to-end settlement lifecycle: data validation → allocations → reconciliations → invoicing and financial settlement.
• Ensure compliance with Eskom wheeling frameworks, NERSA guidelines, bilateral contracts, and emerging SAWEM rules.
• Lead the transition from monthly to daily allocations and settlements under SAWEM.
• Resolve discrepancies with customers, Eskom, and other stakeholders quickly and transparently.

Client Engagement & Renewable Optimisation

• Onboard new clients into NOA’s trading and settlement ecosystem, including integration of their metering data into MDMS, NOWA, and ETRM platforms.
• Translate complex settlement results into clear, business-friendly insights.
• Proactively identify opportunities to allocate more renewable energy to clients when settlement data indicates availability.
• Engage with clients to understand current and future energy needs as well as temporary operational changes (e.g., shutdowns, ramp-ups).
• Support clients in maximising renewable energy penetration through short-term interventions and ongoing collaboration.

Forecasting Support

• Assist NOA’s trading and analytics teams in building forecast models for customer usage patterns.
• Work directly with clients to obtain forecasting inputs where operational dependency makes predictions difficult.
• Ensure forecasting information is integrated into NOA’s systems to improve trading, allocation, and settlement accuracy.
• Use settlements data to refine and improve forecasts over time.

System Operator Management

• Manage the transactional interface between NOA and the System Operator, Market Operator, Eskom Distribution and Municipalities we wheel into.

Data Integrity & Systems

• Ensure rigorous data quality checks on metering and allocation data.
• Collaborate with the technology team to integrate client metering data into NOA’s ecosystem.
• Drive automation and system enhancements to increase efficiency and accuracy.

Compliance & Audit

• Maintain robust internal controls and detailed audit trails.
• Support internal, client, and regulatory audits with reconciliations and documentation.

Position Specific Requirements

Minimum qualifications required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Energy, Data Science, or related field

Experience:

• 10+ years’ experience in energy, finance or market operations roles, 5 years of experience in a senior management position.
• Experience in forecasting, data modelling, or energy analytics is desirable.
• Strong client-facing experience in technical or advisory roles.
• Knowledge of Eskom wheeling, bilateral contracts, and South African market structures are advantageous.
• Familiarity with SAWEM and readiness for high-frequency settlements are advantageous.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong analytical and reconciliation ability with high attention to detail.
• Customer-centric approach with the ability to explain technical outcomes clearly.
• Forecasting awareness: able to support model building and gather client-driven inputs.
• Leadership and mentoring capability for technical specialists.
• Proven adaptability to evolving market frameworks

Cultural Fit & Values

• The Settlements Manager must not only excel technically and operationally, but also embody the values that define NOA’s culture and success:
• We are problem solvers: Tackle settlement challenges with creativity and persistence.
• We improve continuously: Seek out smarter, more efficient ways of working.
• We think, and act, big: Use settlements as a lever to maximise renewable penetration and transform the energy system.
• We are all-in: Commit fully to supporting clients, colleagues, and NOA’s mission.
• We step forward: Take ownership, lead change, and guide clients with confidence.
• We speak simply and truthfully: Communicate clearly, transparently, and with integrity.
• We savour the journey: Celebrate progress, value learning, and foster teamwork.