Operational Head of Finance

SUMMARY:
Our client is seeking an experienced and commercially driven Operational Head of Finance to provide strategic and operational financial leadership across a large and complex business portfolio.

POSITION INFO:
This is a senior leadership position for a finance professional who can go beyond reporting and financial governance to actively influence business performance, operational efficiency, profitability and commercial decision-making. The successful candidate will act as a strategic business partner to EXCO, MANCO and senior operational leadership, providing financial insight and commercial challenge across P&L performance, pricing, contracts, working capital, cost optimisation and business improvement initiatives. The role will suit a commercially astute finance leader who is comfortable working closely with operational teams, challenging business assumptions and translating financial data into practical actions that improve profitability, cash flow and operational performance. What We're Looking For We are looking for a finance leader who is commercially curious, operationally hands-on and comfortable challenging senior stakeholders. The ideal candidate will not simply tell the business what happened - they will understand why it happened, what it means for the business and what needs to happen next. You will be someone who can move comfortably between: Finance → Operations → Commercial → Strategy → People and turn financial insight into measurable business outcomes. If you are a commercially minded finance leader who enjoys working at the intersection of Finance, Operations and Strategy, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact at senior leadership level. You will have the opportunity to influence P&L performance, drive profitability and cash flow, shape commercial decisions and lead operational improvement initiatives across a large and complex business environment. If you are ready to move beyond traditional finance and help shape how the business performs, grows and operates, we would like to hear from you. Duties: Lead the financial strategy and operational finance agenda, partnering with EXCO, MANCO and operational leadership to drive business performance. Oversee budgets, forecasts, financial plans and performance targets, providing commercial insight and scenario analysis to support decision-making. Partner with Commercial and Operations on pricing, tenders, bids, contract negotiations and profitability, ensuring strong margins and commercial governance. Own P&L performance, analysing revenue, EBITDA, costs and key business drivers, and driving corrective action where required. Oversee financial reporting, management accounts, controls and compliance, ensuring accurate and timely financial information. Take ownership of cash flow, working capital, liquidity, collections and debtor performance, driving improved cash conversion. Identify and address financial leakage, cost drivers, waste and operational inefficiencies, driving cost optimisation and productivity. Strengthen financial and operational controls, managing financial risk, tax, audit and statutory compliance. Drive continuous improvement and business transformation initiatives across finance and operations. Identify opportunities to automate and optimise financial processes, reporting and systems, including ERP and BI solutions. Use data, analytics and business intelligence to identify trends, risks and opportunities and improve decision-making. Lead strategic projects, ensuring effective governance across scope, budgets, timelines, risks and benefits realisation. Lead, coach and develop the finance team while building financial and commercial capability across the wider business. Foster a culture of accountability, commercial thinking, collaboration, continuous improvement and high performance across Finance and Operations.. Job Experience & Skills Required: Qualifications: Matric (Grade 12) BCom Accounting BCom Honours CA(SA) or completed CIMA qualification - essential Experience: 10+ years' senior financial management experience, including full-cycle accounting Minimum 5 years' experience in a senior leadership\/executive finance role Proven experience partnering with Operations and senior business leadership Strong commercial finance experience, including pricing, tenders, contract profitability and margin management Demonstrated experience in P&L management, budgeting, forecasting and business performance Strong working capital, cash flow and liquidity management experience Proven experience in financial risk management, tax, IFRS and compliance Experience overseeing payroll, audits and statutory reporting Advanced MS Office and Excel skills, with strong ERP\/system experience Experience leading cross-functional teams and large-scale improvement or transformation projects Project Management certification (PMI\/PRINCE2) - advantageous Lean Six Sigma \/ Business Optimisation experience - advantageous Strong commercial acumen with the ability to translate financial information into business decisions Excellent leadership, communication, analytical and problem-solving skills Skills & Competencies: Commercial acumen Operational leadership Strategic thinking P&L orientation Business partnering Financial and commercial analysis Contract and pricing governance Working capital management Problem-solving Change and transformation leadership Stakeholder management People leadership Strong communication and influencing skills Results orientation High integrity and accountability If you have not had any response in two weeks, please consider the vacancy application unsuccessful. Your profile will be kept on our database for any other suitable roles \/ positions.