Financial Management Specialist x 2

SUMMARY:
Our client is currently in the process of recruiting a Financial Management Specialist. 1 position based in Eastern Cape and 1 position based in Limpopo.

POSITION INFO:

Key performance areas:

Functions

• Provide financial management technical capacity support to municipalities and Budget and Treasury Office (BTO) staff on focus areas of support related to local government financial management reforms, legislative compliance and infrastructure investment planning.
• Compile a district financial management capacity support plan based on an assessment of the requirements of the municipalities and support programmes implemented by other government departments and agencies.
• Support municipalities with designing and implementing workable Supply Chain Management (SCM) policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs), effective contract management processes and systems, compliance with SCM regulatory prescripts and value for money procurement.
• Provide technical support and guidance to municipalities on the implementation of Generally Recognized Accounting Practice (GRAP) standards, preparation of in-year and annual financial statements (AFS), internal audit and audit committees, accounting related policies and internal controls, audit action plans, etc.
• Assist municipalities with the preparation of credible, funded and compliant medium-term budgets and long-term infrastructure/capital investment plans.
• Provide support to municipalities with designing and implementing customized revenue management policies and SOPs across the key elements of the revenue value chain to ensure measurable improvements in revenue performance.
• Assist municipalities with designing and implementing practical asset management policies and SOPs aligned to applicable legislation, frameworks and guidelines; technical support on all municipal asset accounting, internal controls and related matters.
• Perform specialized financial and / or cost analysis e.g. cash-flow analysis, “what-if” analysis and prepare related reports in the form of pro-forma financial statements.
• Review financial performance of investments and report on material variations based on credible financial modelling.
• Continuously evaluate changes in public sector financial reporting/ accounting standards and principles in order to determine the impact thereof on the interpretation of financial results for the purposes of credit analysis and financial risk determination.
• Continuous research and advice on best practice to follow when analyzing and interpreting the financial results of public sector entities
• Any other duties as assigned.

KPI measures:

• Quality of capacity building plan and results
• Improved municipal accounting, reporting and audit outcomes
• Reduction in municipal SCM non-compliance, e.g. irregular expenditure
• Funded budgets
• Improved municipal revenue performance.
• Improved infrastructure investment planning and treasury functions.

Qualifications and experience:

Minimum Requirements

• A B-degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field preferably in Public Sector Accounting.
• Professional registration with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) or the Chartered Institute of Government Finance Audit and Risk Officers (CIGFARO) will be an added advantage.
• Good knowledge and understanding of Public Sector Accounting and Reporting standards (e.g. GRAP, IAS, IFRS).
• At least 5 to 7 years’ experience in compiling and interpreting the financial statements of public sector entitles (with the emphasis on Local Government, and Utilities such as Water Boards).
• A minimum of 7 to 10 years’ experience in local government financial management with demonstrated experience in municipal finance operations, implementing financial management reforms and performance improvement initiatives.
• At least 5 to 7 years’ experience in providing technical capacity support within the area of municipal financial management.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the MFMA, PFMA and related legislation with an emphasis on implementing related reforms, regulations and standards.
• Demonstrable track record of working with high level and multiple local government stakeholders.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and MS Projects)

Desirable Requirements in local government financial management

• Accounting and auditing.
• Budget and revenue management.
• Treasury management.
• Infrastructure investment planning.
• Supply chain management.
• Asset management.

Competencies:

Behavioral:

• Customer Service Orientation
• Tries to understand the underlying needs of customers and matches these needs to available or customized products and services.
• Adapts processes and procedures to meet on-going customer needs.
• Utilizes the feedback received by customers, in order to develop new and/or improve existing services/ products that relate to their on-going needs.
• Thinks of new ways to align offerings with future customer needs.

• Self-Awareness and Self Control

• Withholds effects of strong emotions in difficult situations.
• Keeps functioning or responds constructively despite stress.
• May apply special techniques or plan of time to manage emotions or stress.

 

• Strategic and Innovative Thinking

• Experiments with new approaches, tests scenarios, questions assumptions and challenges conventional thinking.
• Creates new concepts that are not obvious to others, leveraging internal and external sources of information, to build incremental revenue and growth opportunities.

 

• Driving Delivery of Results

• Sets challenging goals that will have a significant impact on the business or support the organizational strategy.
• Commits significant resources and/or time to ensure that challenging goals are achieved, while also taking action to mitigate risk.

 

• Teamwork and Cooperation
• Acts to promote a friendly climate and good morale and resolves conflicts.
• Creates opportunities for cross-functional working.
• Encourages others to network outside of their own team/department and learn from their experience.

Technical:

2.1. Financial Acumen

• Makes sound financial decisions after having analyzed their impacts on the organization, partner agencies, and community.
• Knows the internal and external factors that impact on resource and asset availability.
• Can interpret management account reports in an operational/commercial context and act as appropriate to maximize revenues and control costs.

 

2.2. Financial Analysis

• Interprets, analyses and/or evaluates compliance with applicable legislation, sound regulatory practices and procedures, generally accepted accounting principles, and other such rules and regulations.
• Analyses or interprets financial records and develops program procedures, financial models and databases.
• Demonstrates a thorough knowledge and understanding of applicable regulations, rules, entity/company practices, concepts, and industry issues.
• Demonstrates a thorough knowledge or experience working with legal and regulatory issues in their subject area.
• Develops and maintains effective working relationships with regulated industries, government officials, administrators, and leaders.

 

2.3 Financial Accounting

• Implements controls for and monitors accounting transactions to ensure legal/regulatory compliance, and accuracy and timeliness of accounting information.
• Identifies bottlenecks and areas for improvement within the organization’s Financial Services with respect to efficiency and accuracy of the existing financial systems and processes.

 

2.4 Costing & Budgeting

• Sets, maintains and updates the budgeting control process/methodologies.
• Reviews and monitors budget to ensure that the required financial procedures are adhered to and all monies are accounted for.
• Able to verify that monthly close procedures have been followed and identify anomalies.
• Significant experience in the analysis of variance reports to identify underlying operational trends.
• Is able to collate budget inputs from across the organization and analyze bids to determine consistency with company overall cost/revenue targets.
• Able to prepare company-wide budget reports and manuals.
• Develops options and recommendations for budget targets.

 

2.5 Solutions Focused

• Identifies broad, highly complex problems based on a multitude of factors, many of which are complex and sweeping in nature, difficult to define and often contradictory.
• Creates procedures to articulate the nature of problems and to identify and weigh alternate solutions.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of solutions using approaches tailored to the situation.

 

2.6 Presentation Skills

• Can reinforce key presentation points with examples.
• Can translate technical terminology into language understandable to the audience.

·         Has insight into the audience’s behaviour and motivation and responds appropriately and professionally, adapting communication style as appropriate

 

NB! This job is now closed. You can apply for other jobs by uploading your CV.

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