Digital Commerce: Assistant Financial Manager

Role Purpose

This role supports the delivery of decision-making insight, control, and performance management across the digital commerce landscape. The role is primarily focused on day-to-day financial management, analysis, and stakeholder support, working collaboratively with key stakeholders across Ecommerce, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Group Finance to enable effective financial decision making, while providing operational support to the Finance Manager.

Role Description

Financial Reporting & Analysis

• Support the Finance Manager in managing the ecommerce P&L, including revenue, margin, fulfilment costs, and marketing spend across various banners and delivery options.
• Prepare monthly management packs, variance analysis, and performance dashboards.
• Own detailed cost and margin analysis, highlighting key risks and opportunities.
• Ensure accurate tracking of ecommerce KPIs, including contribution margin, cost per order and average basket value.
• Support the Senior Data Accountant in the management and accounting of the Digital App Credit wallet.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Planning

• Assist in the preparation of annual budget including expected orders, rolling forecasts, and long-term plans.
• Maintain forecast models and scenario analyses relating to volume, pricing, and cost movements.
• Track budget adherence and support corrective action planning where required.

Business Partnering & Commercial Support

• Partner with Ecommerce, Marketing, Supply Chain, IT and Operations teams on day td ay financial matters.
• Support the evaluation of new initiatives through business cases and postimplementation reviews.
• Produce insights on customer , order l evel, banner and service option profitability.

Cost Control & Operational Insight

• Work closely with last mile delivery partner in monitoring of last mile delivery costs.
• Support initiatives aimed at improving unit economics and operational efficiency.
• Assist with cost allocation between online and store channels.
• Identify and escalate risks related to cost overruns or margin dilution.

Financial Governance & Controls

• Support compliance with financial policies, controls, and accounting standards.
• Manage accruals, provisions, and reconciliations specific to the e commerce business.
• Assist with audits and ensure robust supporting documentation is maintained.
• Maintain data integrity across finance systems and e commerce platforms.

Team & Stakeholder Support

• Act as deputy to the Finance Manager, providing cover during periods of absence.
• Prepare financial materials for senior management and trading meetings.
• Support the mentoring and development of junior finance team members, where applicable.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of finance processes and reporting with a focus on automation and working with AI tools.

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree and membership with a recognised accounting body membership (essential).
• +5 years’ experience in commercial or management finance (essential).
• Experience within retail, grocery, FMCG, or e commerce environments (essential).
• Strong analytical skills with advanced Excel capability (essential).
• Proven experience supporting P&Ls and commercial decision-making
• Exposure to online retail or omnichannel operations
• Experience with ERP, BI, or data analytics tools
• Experience working in a transformational environment

Key Competencies and Work Ethic

• Proficient in Financial Accounting - Demonstrates an understanding of the recording of financial transactions, compilation of reports and interrogation of transactions, applying accounting fundamentals and principles, analyzing and reconciling financial information and data, whilst understanding accounting issues and how to resolve them.
• Analytical thinker – Strong analytical skills to compare trends and data while readily grasping new concepts and information, investigating various courses of action, and integrating multiple sources of data to identify optimal solutions.
• Operational efficiency – someone who can spread themselves across multiple tasks simultaneously by working smartly, efficiently, and effectively. Diligently staying on top of the details and understanding how they fit into the big picture.
• Understands how retail operates and the issues and risks that drive success and impact commercial viability. Keen interest in understanding customer or retail shopper behaviour.
• Results-driven and organised - Proactively drives results, sets stretch goals for self, remains focused, manages time and deadlines efficiently while working tenaciously toward meeting and exceeding expectations within quality standards.
• Strong verbal, written and presentation skills - Able to communicate effectively, converting complex concepts into simple, well-articulated and compelling messages. 
• Able to work under pressure while managing ambiguity, adapting as the business evolves and balancing competing demands and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Collaborative partner – Contributes to a positive team morale while working collaboratively with multiple teams and stakeholders to resolve issues and come up with solutions. Builds sound relationships both internally and externally.

Our Group and all its operating companies is committed to creating, embracing, and preserving a diverse workplace that values the unique talents, perspectives, backgrounds, and abilities that enrich our organisation. A place where everyone matters and feels included.

We are committed to Employment Equity when recruiting internally and externally.

Please take note that by responding to this application and providing your personal information, you confirm your express and informed consent for Shoprite Checkers (Pty) Ltd and all its subsidiaries and affiliates companies to process your personal information for the Company to consider your application for this position. All Personal Information which you provide to the Company will be used and/or retained only for the purposes for which it is collected, whereafter it will be permanently destroyed. Your information is only retained if it is required by law or where you have given consent to us to retain such information for an extended period.

If you don’t hear from us within 14 days, please consider your application unsuccessful. Any personal information collected as part of your application will be destroyed, securely, in accordance with South African legislation.