Commercial Property Controller

SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:

Overview:

Our client in the fuel supply industry is looking to employ a Commercial Property Controller . This role is critical to enforcing cost control, commercial discipline and ensuring forward planning within the property portfolio. The incumbent must work closely with customers, project managers, facility managers and property operations teams. The successful candidate will also manage a portfolio of properties, overseeing the full administrative function from lease onboarding to tenants, contracts management and stakeholder relations.

Minimum Requirements: 

• Grade 12 / Matric 
• National Diploma in Construction, Quantity Surveying, Facilities Management, Engineering, or Project Management (Essential due to technical nature of the role)
• A qualification in Property Management will be an added advantage
• 5–7 years in a similar role
• Experience in the property industry, financial service, project management, and utilities (essential)
• Experience managing contracts, budgets, and capex/opex controls in a high-pressure operational environment
• Previous experience within a Property Management, Legal, Finance or Accounting environment
• MDA and MS Excel proficiency
• Customer service/ Fuel industry experience

Key Responsibilities:

1. Commercial, Budget and Contract Oversight
   • Implement strict cost-control mechanisms to prevent budget overruns and ensure expenditure aligns with approved capex/opex plans
   • Evaluate repair, maintenance, and project requests using commercial judgment (payback periods, ROI, and contractual obligations)
   • Manage contracts end-to-end, including compliance with service levels, renewal terms, and penalties for non-performance
   • Escalate variances, risks, or non-compliance early and propose corrective action plans
   • Ensure accurate budgeting, forecasting, and tracking across the property portfolio

2. Billing & Collections oversight
   • Implement and maintain quality assurance protocols
   • Address and resolve billing escalations
   • Resolve customer disputes related to outstanding balances
   • Process and reconcile rental income and property-related payments
   • Liaise with property administrators to align financial transactions with property and development activities
   • Maintain strong client management and tenant relations
   • Adhere to established policies, procedures, and guidelines
3. Team Leadership
   • Lead, train, and support the clerical team
   • Participate in special projects
   • Provide weekly/monthly collection status reports to management
   • Monitor and report on aging, ledger reconciliations, and delinquency notifications
   • Work confidently with senior stakeholders monitor spend or requests that do not meet commercial or contractual criteria
4. Customer Relations
   • Deliver excellent customer service to internal and external stakeholders
   • Resolve customer disputes related to outstanding balances
   • Maintain strong client management and tenant relations
   • Liaise with stakeholders to resolve account and contract queries CLOROs, COROs
   • Credit checking for potential tenants
5. Portfolio Administration
   • Manage leasing administration, maintenance, building assessment 
   • Handle tenant collections and relations
   • Liaise with property administrators to align financial transactions with property activity
   • Support budgeting and forecasting across the property portfolio
   • Prepare projects supplier invoices and perform contracts management
   • Analysing and ensuring compliance with contracts conditions
   • Evaluation of building conditions
   • Analyse and enforce compliance with contractual conditions, municipal regulations, building standards, and OHS requirements
   • Conduct technical assessments of building conditions, maintenance requirements, and lifecycle planning
   • Review building plans, quotations, scopes of work, and contractor performance

Skills & Competencies

• Strong team player with leadership capabilities
• Friendly, service-oriented, and professionalism
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Effective planning, organizing, and time management
• Deadline-driven and results-oriented
• Ability to work under pressure and must be able to travel as and when required
• Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills
• Excellent organisational and multitasking abilities
• Strong MS Excel skills
• Commercial skills and ability to challenge cost, scope and contractor claims.
• Technical understanding of building maintenance, construction terminology, and property documentation

Desired Skills:

• Ability to Meet Deadlines
• Client Management
• Communication
• Lease Administration
• MDA Accounting
• Microsoft Excel
• Property Administration
• Financial reporting