The Role
Lead the finance function blending control and commercial partnering: own tactical cash forecasting, DSO management, ERP automation, month-end close, GL integrity, audits, and statutory tax compliance. Partner with CFO/FP&A to provide strategic insights, drive process improvements, and manage teams across AP, cash, and expense controls to support fast-paced business growth.
Summary Generated by Built In
Our client is seeking a high-caliber, control-focused Financial Controller to take full ownership of our financial ecosystem. In this role, you will be the custodian of financial integrity, ensuring that accounting systems, financial reporting, statutory submissions, and audit deliverables are timely, accurate, and completely compliant.
You will bridge the gap between rigorous financial control and operational efficiency—leading our accounting, payables, and control functions to ensure robust governance across a fast-paced business environment.
Reporting directly to the Finance Director/CFO, you will manage a dedicated operational finance team of approximately 9 people.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Commercial Value & Business Partnering (The "Mindset" Shift)
- Cash Optimization: Own the 13-week tactical cash forecasting model. Actively track Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) and collaborate with FP&A/Sales to optimize working capital.
- Strategic Input: Partner directly with the CFO and FP&A teams, translating core financial outcomes into actionable insights for budgeting and forecasting.
- Finance Transformation: Act as a change agent. Drive automation, streamline ERP configurations (Syspro/equivalent), and eliminate manual inefficiencies to free up the team for analytical work.
2. Financial Reporting & Robust Control
- Month-End Mastery: Lead and elevate the month-end close process, ensuring management accounts are highly accurate, punchy, and meaningful for executive decision-making.
- Balance Sheet Integrity: Oversee the General Ledger, sub-ledger alignments, and monthly review packs with a razor-sharp eye for detail.
- Audit Ownership: Lead the preparation of Annual Financial Statements (AFS) and quarterback the external audit process to guarantee clean, friction-free outcomes.
3. Tax, Compliance & Team Leadership
- Statutory Governance: Ensure flawless compliance across VAT, PAYE, and Corporate Income Tax (CIT) frameworks.
- Operational Oversight: Mentor and lead the Accounts Payable, Bank & Cash, and Expense Control teams, fostering a culture of high accountability and continuous improvement.
Requirements
- The Badge: CA(SA) or equivalent professional accounting qualification is essential.
- The Track Record: 5 to 8 years of post-articles experience, with a proven history of managing complex financial closes, tax cycles, and audits.
- The Sector Edge: Experience in FMCG, Retail, or Distribution will give you a massive head start (understanding inventory, high-volume transactions, and tight margins is key).
- Systems Savvy: Strong ERP experience is non-negotiable; hands-on experience with Syspro or similar mid-to-enterprise tier systems is highly advantageous.
- Technical Depth: Deep working knowledge of IFRS and South African tax/regulatory frameworks.
The Ideal Candidate
You are a "hybrid" finance professional. You love the neatness of a perfectly reconciled balance sheet, but you get genuinely excited about finding a leak in the supply chain or automating a broken process. You don't just report the numbers; you care deeply about why the numbers look the way they do and how to improve them tomorrow.
Skills Required
- CA(SA) or equivalent professional accounting qualification
- 5 to 8 years post-articles experience
- Proven experience managing complex financial closes, tax cycles, and external audits
- Strong ERP experience (hands-on with Syspro or similar mid-to-enterprise systems)
- Hands-on experience with Syspro (or equivalent) specifically
- Deep working knowledge of IFRS and South African tax/regulatory frameworks
- Experience in FMCG, Retail, or Distribution (inventory and high-volume transaction environments)
- People management / ability to lead and mentor finance teams (oversight of ~9 team members)
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The Company
What We Do
Outsourced CFO offers founders financial management services including CFO Services, Cloud Accounting, Automation Services & Talent Solutions, building world-class finance functions for scaling companies.
