Store Operations Controller / Accountant

Ackermans; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Ackermans, a leading retailer in South Africa, seeks a commercially driven Store Operations Controller to turn store, sales, payroll and financial data into actionable insights that improve performance and efficiency. The role partners with Operations to drive budgeting, forecasting, cost control and performance management while supporting process improvement and automation.

Key responsibilities include store performance, budgeting, payroll, planning and reporting, with a focus on continuous

Qualifications

• 5-7 years’ experience in commercial, operational finance, store operations or similar role.
• Experience in operational finance, management accounting, store performance analysis, budgets and forecasting.
• Retail store operations exposure with understanding of how sales, costs, people and routines influence results.
• Experience in store-level budgeting, forecasting, targets and performance tracking.

Responsibilities

• Analyze store performance, sales and operating costs to identify trends and opportunities.
• Translate data into insights to support store-level decisions.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and performance reviews for stores.
• Analyze trends, seasonality, store maturity and trading patterns to inform forecasts and budgets.
• Investigate variances and drivers of store performance including sales, margin, costs and productivity.
• Provide actionable recommendations to improve operational efficiency and cost discipline.
• Collaborate with store and field ops teams to drive execution and decision-making.
• Prepare planning and reporting supporting store initiatives and improvements.

Skills

Store operations

Performance analysis

Financial budgeting

Forecasting

Labour productivity

Cost control

Data storytelling

Advanced Excel

Stakeholder engagement

Problem solving

Education

B.Com

Matric

Tools

Payroll systems

ERP systems

Job description

We are seeking a commercially driven Store Operations Controller to turn store, sales, payroll and financial data into actionable insights that improve performance and operational efficiency. The role partners closely with Operations to drive budgeting and forecasting, cost control, labour productivity and performance management, while supporting process improvement, automation and key store initiatives.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Store Performance, Controls and Insights

• Store-Level Sales Budgeting and Forecasting

• Store Payroll, Headcount and Labour Productivity

• Operational Support and Projects

• Business Partnering

• Planning & Reporting

• Continuous Improvement & Efficiency

• Projects & Ad Hoc Support

JOB RELATED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIRED

• Analyse and track store performance, sales performance, operational expenditure, controllable costs and key operating metrics across stores and business units to identify trends, risks and opportunities

• Translate financial, sales and operational data into meaningful insights to support store-level decision-making.

• Support store-level sales budgeting, forecasting and performance review processes.

• Analyse sales trends, seasonality, store maturity, trading patterns, store initiatives, revamps and operational changes to support realistic forecasts and budgets.

• Investigate variances and underlying drivers of store performance, including sales, margin, costs, productivity and operating disciplines.

• Provide clear, actionable recommendations to improve operational effectiveness and cost discipline.

• Strong analytical capability with a structured problem-solving approach.

• Naturally inquisitive, with the ability to challenge and investigate beyond the numbers.

• Strong commercial acumen with an understanding of retail/store operations.

• Ability to translate data into clear insights and practical recommendations.

• Process-oriented, with an interest in systems optimisation and automation.

• Effective communicator with strong stakeholder engagement skills.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

• Self-driven, proactive, and comfortable working independently.

• Capable of maintaining performance and delivering results in high-pressure environments.

• Ability to communicate effectively across all levels and work effectively within a team.

• Presentation skills.

• Advanced Excel skills.

EXPERIENCE & SKILLS REQUIRED

• 5-7 years’ experience working in commercial, operational finance, store operations, retail planning or similar support role.

• Experience in operational finance, management accounting, store performance analysis, sales budgeting and forecasting, or a similar analytical role.

• Retail store operations exposure, with an understanding of how store sales, controllable costs, people deployment and operating routines influence results.

• Experience in store-level sales budgeting, forecasting, target setting and performance tracking within a retail environment.

• Specific experience in shift-based store payroll, including headcount, hours worked, overtime and labour productivity, is required.

• Experience partnering with store and field operations teams to improve operational execution and decision-making.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

Essential:

• A Grade 12 Certificate/Matric

• B.Com

Preferred:

• CGMA

• CA(SA)

• Professional Accountant (SA)

• Payroll, workforce management, retail operations, labour planning exposure / certification will be advantageous