Sales Financial Controller

SUMMARY:
The Olive Theory in Action

POSITION INFO:
In business, the smallest detail can create the biggest impact. The famous “Olive Theory” comes from a decision by American Airlines in the 1980s to remove just one olive from every first-class salad - a seemingly insignificant change that ultimately saved the business thousands of dollars annually.

That’s the kind of thinking this role is built around.

A leading international multi-sector catering organisation is looking for a commercially sharp Sales Financial Controller to join its Johannesburg team. This role is designed for someone who understands that profitability is often driven by the details - pricing accuracy, cost control, operational efficiencies, and smart commercial decisions that compound over time.

You’ll work at the intersection of finance, operations, pricing, and business strategy, helping the business identify efficiencies, improve margins, and drive operational performance in a fast-moving environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Accounting & Financial Control
• Supporting finance teams through invoice auditing and month-end reporting activities
• Reviewing billing-related queries and resolving discrepancies
• Managing invoice simulations and supporting commercial financial alignment
• Participating in operational and client stock reviews where required
• Costing, Pricing & Commercial Analysis
• Calculating cost of sales to support strategic pricing decisions
• Extracting and validating raw financial data for management reporting
• Supporting commercial teams with pricing analysis during menu or service changes
• Updating pricing structures in internal systems following commercial adjustments
• Ensuring pricing cycles are accurately maintained and controlled
• Monitoring billing accuracy and SLA alignment within company systems
• Identifying margin improvement and cost-saving opportunities
• Owning and protecting the integrity of pricing data
• Financial Systems & Process Improvement
• Reviewing pricing and financial processes for efficiency improvements
• Supporting process optimisation and operational excellence initiatives
• Ensuring financial data is accurate, usable, and commercially meaningful

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Finance
• 3–5 years’ experience in accounting or commercial finance
• Experience in costing, pricing, and financial analysis
• Process improvement or operational excellence exposure advantageous
• Internal audit experience beneficial
• Strong accounting systems knowledge
• Advanced Excel and strong systems capability
• Strong understanding of pricing and costing processes

• Highly analytical with strong commercial thinking
• Strong organisational and problem-solving ability
• Detail-oriented while maintaining a broad business perspective
• Comfortable managing multiple priorities and deadlines
• Proactive with strong follow-through
• Adaptable and thrives in dynamic environments
• Logical thinker with strong critical analysis skills