Commercial Finance Analyst

SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:

Our client is a globally recognised premium FMCG brand, operating in South Africa as part of an international group with a heritage spanning more than a century.

With a strong local footprint and a national retail presence, the business is known for its high-quality products, performance-driven culture, and commitment to excellence. The South African operation employs over 150 people and works closely with international stakeholders, offering exposure to world-class systems, processes, and commercial best practice.

Position Purpose

The Commercial Finance Analyst will play a key role in supporting commercial and operational decision-making by providing insightful financial analysis and reporting across the business.

The role works closely with Sales, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Operations, supporting forecasting, budgeting, month-end reporting, and profitability analysis to enable informed management decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Review and analyse monthly forecasts by brand, channel, and customer, in collaboration with Sales and Supply Chain teams

• Support month-end reporting, budgeting, forecasting processes, and ad-hoc commercial analysis

• Develop and maintain customer and brand contribution statements, providing actionable insights to management

• Produce daily, weekly, and monthly commercial and financial reports for key stakeholders

• Ensure pricing and promotional mechanics are accurately reflected in the ERP system

• Monitor promotional and operating expenditure against budget and latest estimates, highlighting risks and opportunities

• Analyse promotional ROI and performance of new product launches against targets

• Support product managers with costing for new product development

• Perform financial modelling and price simulation analysis

• Partner closely with cross-functional teams to understand financial requirements and support business objectives

Requirements

• Relevant University degree (Finance, Accounting, Business Science, Economics or similar)

• Ideally studying towards a CIMA qualification

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in a commercial finance or analytical role (FMCG or retail environment preferred)

• Strong analytical and numerical skills with exceptional attention to detail

• Advanced Microsoft Excel capability

• Experience with SAP (S/4HANA advantageous)

• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Skills & Competencies

• Commercially astute with a strong understanding of customers and market dynamics

• Excellent analytical, conceptual, and communication skills (written and verbal)

• Proven ability to deliver results in a fast-paced FMCG environment

• Performance-driven, resilient, and goal-oriented

• Strong leadership potential with the ability to influence cross-functional teams

• Innovative problem-solver with a proactive mindset

• Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously

• Comfortable working with complex quantitative and qualitative data

• Flexible and adaptable, with the capacity to grow alongside the business

Why Apply?

• Join a high-performing, internationally backed FMCG business

• Exposure to commercial finance, strategic decision-making, and senior stakeholders

• Strong career development and learning opportunities

• Collaborative, performance-focused culture