Fractional CFO

Job Description

• This is a remote position.
• Strengthening financial leadership, discipline, and strategic thinking across an established South African specialist reporting and communications agency, this remote fractional position guides the executive committee and project leads in sound commercial management. The role is structured to instil financial rigour into the monthly operational cycle, oversee accounting integrity, and establish clear internal controls. Hours required will vary according to monthly cadences.
• The primary impact of the role centres on bringing transparency to project profitability and cash flow visibility. By conducting quarterly margin analyses, evaluating utilisation metrics, and standardising management reporting packs for the Managing Director, the successful candidate ensures the leadership team possesses clear financial insight to make informed commercial decisions.
• Operating as an independent contractor, the incumbent will review, clean up, and redesign finance processes and systems, leaving simple, documented procedures that the business can sustain independently. The environment suits a hands-on, proactive finance leader who explains financial concepts in plain language and provides objective guidance to drive long-term sustainability

Core Scope of Deliverables and Project Outcomes

Month-End Review & Ledger Sign-Off

• Monthly close completed in Xero, including verified draft financial statements, sign-off of the monthly close, and reconciliation of bank, debtor, creditor, VAT, and payroll accounts, together with supplier statement reconciliations against the creditors ledger.
• Reconciled Xero ledger and approved monthly closing pack submitted by the agreed monthly deadline.

Project & Time Tracking Alignment

• Accurate reconciliation of time-tracking and billing data between Productive and Xero to ensure ledger integrity and appropriate revenue recognition.
• No unexplained variance between billable hours recorded in Productive and invoiced amounts reflected in Xero.

Financial Forecasting & Executive KPI Pack

• Maintained dynamic income and cash flow forecast models, monthly variance explanations against forecasts and prior periods, and compilation of standardised financial KPI packs for executive leadership.
• Monthly executive report pack delivered and presented to leadership.

Quarterly Profitability & Recovery Reviews

• Completed quarterly reviews of project, client, and team profitability using timesheet and billing data, identifying under-recoveries and recommending corrective commercial actions.
• Quarterly profitability insights presented to executive leadership.

Commercial Scenario Planning & Rate Modelling

• Evaluated utilisation models, capacity assumptions, rate cards, and annual fee escalations, incorporating base, downside, and upside financial scenarios.
• Validated scenario models delivered ahead of annual commercial reviews and bid submissions.

Tax & Annual Planning Support

• Planned provisional tax, VAT, and financial year-end processes in collaboration with the registered tax practitioner and external auditor or independent reviewer, and developed the annual budget model.
• Finalised audit and tax schedules together with an approved annual budget model.

Proposal & Commercial Bid Risk Assessments

• Reviewed major client proposals and tenders, assessing costing frameworks, margin thresholds, and cash flow timing before submission.
• Signed-off commercial risk assessments attached to major proposals.

B-BBEE Verification Management

• Managed the annual B-BBEE verification process, attended planning workshops, coordinated financial evidence with consultants, and assessed commercial impacts on scorecard ratings.
• Financial evidence submitted within required timelines, resulting in the issue of the B-BBEE certificate.

Finance Systems Architecture & Process Documentation

• Redesigned and optimised finance systems, established banking approval controls and delegation-of-authority limits, aligned Xero configurations, and documented standard operating procedures.
• Published delegation-of-authority matrix, operational checklists, and updated Xero account mapping.

Bookkeeper Quality Oversight

• Provided oversight and mentoring to the internal bookkeeper, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and adherence to financial processes without undertaking transactional processing.
• Regular workflow reviews completed with documented feedback and measurable reduction in processing errors.

Requirements
Essential Requirements

• Proven track record of hands-on finance leadership, preferably within a professional services environment.
• Proficiency in Xero 
• Willingness to learn Productive, or proven experience utilising comparable project and time tracking platforms.
• Solid, practical knowledge of South African VAT, provisional tax, and payroll compliance frameworks.
• Working understanding of the B-BBEE scorecard, ownership, procurement calculations, and verification procedures.
• Demonstrated background in restructuring, cleaning up, and documenting financial systems and internal controls (particularly segregation of duties).
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to explain financial data clearly to non-finance stakeholders.
• Independent, professional approach with the confidence to provide constructive challenge to executive leadership.
• South Africa-based with a dedicated remote setup to participate in scheduled executive check-ins.

Desirable Requirements

• Professional accounting designation such as CA(SA) or CIMA, or equivalent proven senior finance experience (formal designation is not a mandatory requirement).
• Prior experience interfacing with JSE-listed corporate clients, extended payment cycles, and multi-currency transactions.
• Experience coaching non-financial managers on margin awareness, pricing, and cash flow drivers.

Required Software Skills

• Xero