Supply chain Finance Partner

NicheHR LLP; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 850,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm in South Africa is seeking a Senior Finance Manager with a strong background in the FMCG sector. The ideal candidate will oversee financial operations and compliance, with a focus on budgeting and internal controls. This role requires at least 10 years of experience in financial management, strong analytical skills, and expertise in SAP. The position offers a dynamic work environment with opportunities for career growth.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience in financial management roles, preferably in FMCG/Personal Care sectors.
• Experience working in multi-country operations will be an added advantage.

Responsibilities

• Oversee financial operations, compliance, budgeting, cost management, and internal controls.
• Preparation of Opex Budget Variance Reports and Monthly MIS to guide management decisions.
• Manage Internal and External Audits, ensuring closure within one month of financial close.

Skills

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Expertise in SAP and financial systems

Solid understanding of FMCG cost structures and manufacturing finance

Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills

Audit readiness and strong compliance orientation

Proficiency in variance analysis and operational KPIs

Education

CA / CPA / CIMA / MBA (Finance) or equivalent professional qualification

Minimum 10 years of experience in financial management roles

Experience working in multi-country operations (especially Africa)

Job description

Overview

Job Title: Senior Finance Manager Operations & Compliance
Location: Gauteng
Industry: FMCG / Personal Care
Experience: 10+ years
Reporting To: Head of Finance / CFO

Job Summary: We are seeking an experienced Senior Finance Manager with a strong background in FMCG and Personal Care sectors to oversee financial operations, compliance, budgeting, cost management, and internal controls. This role requires a high level of expertise in operational finance, audits, costing, and SAP-based financial systems, ensuring adherence to global best practices and internal standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Financial Planning, Analysis & Reporting
• Preparation of Opex Budget Variance Reports and Monthly MIS to highlight overruns and guide management decisions
• Monitor IRR of CAPEX and conduct Post-CAPEX Analysis to assess project viability and ROI
• Preparation of Capital Commitment Reports on a quarterly basis
• Costing & Inventory Control
• Conduct Product Costing Reviews, Usage Variance Analysis, and Cost Benchmarking with other manufacturing locations and 3rd party units
• Manage Factory Costings and control of Raw Material/Packaging Material (RM/PM) via MAP checks
• Monitor Material Price Variance (MPV) and Total Delivered Cost (TDC) periodically reviewed by senior management
• Conduct Inventory Verification quarterly with third-party reconciliation and final stock posting in SAP
• Monthly provisioning for Overheads and Open Purchase Orders
• Review and reporting of Factory Wastage on a monthly basis
• Audit, Compliance & Controls
• Manage Internal and External Audits (South Africa and Atlanta entities), ensuring closure within one month of financial close
• Conduct detailed Trial Balance Reviews (P&L and Balance Sheet GLs) including schedule analysis and ageing
• Ensure Delegation of Authority (DOA) compliance
• Oversee Vendor Reconciliation and Balance Confirmations
• Monitor Fixed Assets Accounting, including depreciation and yearly physical verification
• Ensure correct Intercompany (IC) Markup is maintained
• Provisioning for Slow and Obsolete Inventory (SLOB)
• Operational Finance
• Ensure advance payments are tracked, followed up with invoices and accounted properly
• Maintain compliance and documentation for import and foreign payments
• Monitor Open PO and GRIR ageing (< 10 days), and manage month-end provisions
• Support new product costings as per business requirements

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Expertise in SAP and financial systems
• Solid understanding of FMCG cost structures and manufacturing finance
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Audit readiness and strong compliance orientation
• Proficiency in variance analysis and operational KPIs

Qualifications

• CA / CPA / CIMA / MBA (Finance) or equivalent professional qualification
• Minimum 10 years of experience in financial management roles, preferably in FMCG/Personal Care sectors
• Experience working in multi-country operations (especially Africa) will be an added advantage