Finance and Operations Manager

SUMMARY:
A well-established Process Control and integration company supplying various large industrial industries requires the above to run the finance function and support the CEO with the Operations and the running of the company managing accurate financials and ensuring that cash and working capital are tightly managed, and meets its statutory and shareholder reporting obligations, as well as ensuring that the CEO has forward-looking financial insight to support decisions.

POSITION INFO:
Minimum requirements for the role: A CA(SA) or CIMA (CGMA) qualification or related is required for this role. Previous experience working in a Financial Manager, Financial Controller or finance and operations role, ideally in an engineering, contracting or project-based business. Hands-on experience running month-end, payroll, tax compliance and audits in a small to mid-sized company. Experience with project or job costing and work-in-progress accounting. Working knowledge of South African tax, labour and company law, and B-BBEE requirements. Strong financial modelling, budgeting and forecasting skills, with the ability to turn numbers into clear insight for non-finance managers. Strong Excel skills and experience with accounting systems such as Sage/Pastel; Power BI or similar is an advantage. Experience reporting to a board, shareholder or lender. Experience in a private equity-backed business is an advantage. High integrity, attention to detail, and the ability to manage a small team and work across functions. The successful candidate will be responsible for: Running the finance function and support the CEO with the Operations and the running of the company managing accurate financials and ensuring that cash and working capital are tightly managed, and meets its statutory and shareholder reporting obligations, as well as ensuring that the CEO has forward-looking financial insight to support decisions. Ensuring the administrative, procurement, HR and compliance functions run efficiently as the business grows. Owning the full accounting cycle, including the general ledger, month-end close and reconciliations. Managing debtors, creditors and cash, including invoicing against project milestones, collections, supplier payments and the weekly cash position. Managing project costing, work-in-progress and revenue recognition on contracts. Overseeing payroll, including statutory deductions and submissions. Managing tax compliance, including VAT, PAYE, provisional tax, income tax and engagement with SARS. Preparing the annual financial statements and managing the external audit. Designing, maintaining and enforcing financial controls, delegations of authority and approval processes. Managing banking relationships, facilities and insurance cover. Owning the annual budget and rolling forecast, and developing the three-year financial plan with the executive team. Producing monthly management accounts with variance analysis and clear commentary on the factors driving performance. Analysing project and customer profitability, margins and overhead efficiency, and recommending actions to improve them. Building pipeline-to-revenue and order-book forecasts, reconciled to the finance system. Preparing 13-week cash flow forecasts and working capital analyses. Building financial models and business cases for new opportunities, pricing decisions, capital expenditure and hiring. Preparing monthly and quarterly reports for the board, shareholders, and lenders, including covenant compliance. Developing a KPI dashboard covering financial and operational performance and identifying potential issues early. Overseeing procurement and supplier management, including purchase approvals, supplier onboarding and contract terms. Managing HR Administration, including employment contracts, leave, onboarding and offboarding, and personnel records, while working with external HR and labour advisers where required. Overseeing company secretarial and statutory compliance, including CIPC filings, the B-BBEE verification process, POPIA and other regulatory requirements. Managing contract administration, including customer and supplier contracts, renewals and key commercial terms. Overseeing IT, systems, facilities, vehicles (No big trucks) and assets. Improving administrative processes and systems as the business scales. Salary package, including benefits, is highly negotiable depending on experience gained.