Finance Manager

To ensure that finance is seen as a value adding business partner by improving the impact, and understanding, of financial reporting on business performance. Providing analysis and insights that link to business strategies. Maintaining commercial acumen to ensure that key operational, commercial and financial targets are delivered. Building partnerships and maintaining strong relationships with all senior managers both within CBRE Excellerate and within the client organization.

Operational Deliverables:

• Proactive management and delivery of accounting services to the client including the full suite of services for expense accounting and payment of creditors. Oversee client finance account reporting in line with the agreed reporting pack. Analyse and interpret expenses for variances.
• Act as key contact for the client for expense accounting.
• Collaboration with the corporate accounting, property and utilities teams – where required – as well as lease and transaction management to deliver a seamless and cohesive client approach.
• Managing and advising on ad hoc client finance projects
• Active involvement in, including both leadership and support of projects and initiatives to drive improvement in team performance, efficiency, and productivity.

Expense/Payables Management:

• Reporting of results to client, management of expenses, balance sheet control including maintenance of GL account, handling of queries relating to financial reporting, maintenance of recurring expenses and payments, management of cash flow
• Analyse and interpret expenses for variances
• Preparation of expense files for submission to client

Budgeting & Forecasting:

• Compilation of expense budget, budget management, handling of queries, analysis and evaluation of deviations

Drawdown and payments:

• Ensure monthly drawdown files are compiled, reviewed, and sent for approval. Handle payments and queries on accounts together with Payables team

Payables/Creditors Management:

• Pro-active management of creditor accounts and management of cash flow
• Manage and prevent disconnections due to non/short payments.
• Ensuring that communication with various municipalities are handled professionally and pro-actively.
• Monitor creditor accounts for non-payments, delayed payments, and other irregularities
• Interact with payables team and municipalities to resolve queries.
• Communicate, investigate and resolve queries via phone, email and/or meetings to be initiated
• Strengthen and grow relationships with creditors and staff by communicating regularly regarding account information including payments, alignment and account updates

Audit:

• Handling of queries on audit report, preparation of audit packs. Assistance with preparation of budgets, forecast as well as variance analysis and reporting on monthly and quarterly results

People management:

• Support and mentoring of operational resources

Business partnering:

• Query management and resolution, collaboration within team to improve process efficiency and reduce risk

Stakeholder Management

• Support the account leadership in complaints investigation and liaise with function heads and audit and compliance to resolve complaints or disputes.
• Where appropriate for any finance failures or complaints, identify remedies and implement approved recommendations of investigations, leading to change management as necessary

Experience / Education / Knowledge:

• Minimum BCom (Accounting) degree. Other academic qualifications will be advantageous (SAIPA, CIMA, CA(SA) etc)
• At least 3-5 years relevant experience in Financial Management
• Staff management experience
• Knowledge of South Africa’s Utilities network operations, property markets and general administration/Accounting/Finance acumen

PC and Technical Skills required:

• Computer literacy (SAP; MS Office – Excel Advanced, Outlook and Word)
• Excellent Business administration and organisational skills             
• Time Management
• Advanced Financial Calculations & Reporting
• Business planning
• Analytical/sound numeracy skills
• Problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Interpersonal skills

Competencies required:

• Communication
• Analytical Thinking
• Problem solving
• Decision-making
• Customer Relationship Building and networking
• Change Leadership
• Financial and Business Acumen
• Applied Strategic Planning
• Challenging environment adoption