HEAD OF COMMERCIAL AND FINANCE - CENTURION, Centurion

Our client is currently seeking a dynamic, financially minded individual for their Head of Commercial Finance position. This is a critical role and requires a strategic thinker capable of driving financial strategies while supporting various departments.

The successful candidate must have extensive experience working in the financial space. He/ She will be responsible for developing, leading and managing all commercial activities.

Strategic Involvement - provide strategic and commercial input into the renewable business, inclusive of pipeline, revenue, and cost management:

• Development of business cases including:
• supplier proposal review and adjudication;
• business case contextualization and motivation;
• financial analysis and recommendation;
• client proposal presentation.
• Review actual project performance relative to the business case post project implementation.
• Commercialisation of the business, including activation of the business opportunity, take to market strategy, commercial offering, and strategic development of the solution.
• Work with business units and departments to obtain relevant building information to enable design of solar and borehole/water proposals.
• Identifying areas where technical solutions would improve business performance.
• Risk mitigation through effective controls, review of legal contracts and implementation of sufficient insurance cover.
• Consulting across business operations, providing mentorship, and contributing specialised knowledge.

Group involvement - support the Group by providing input into strategic areas with various business units:

• Development of process documentation, aligned with the various colleague engagements and best practice.
• Support the budgeting process.
• Provide feedback and input into large property portfolio acquisitions or disposals.
• Advise, test, and implement new IT systems aligned to the Group strategy, inclusive of smart metering solutions.

Financial reporting and management - develop, lead and manage all financial reporting processes and cycles:

• Timely and accurate financial and management reporting.
• Financial forecasting and budgeting.
• Develop, implement, and run commercial funding solutions to gear projects with commercial funding partners.
• Develop an electricity and water consumption cost recovery model and integrate with utility management.
• Compliance and risk management.
• Design, develop and maintain financial controls and policies.
• Weekly cash flow forecasting.
• Engage and manage the external audit process.

Special projects - provide input and support for special projects:

• Support with the financial modelling and commercial review of special projects (e.g., mergers and acquisitions).
• Advise, test, and implement new IT systems aligned to the Group strategy.
• Provide support on utility related regulatory projects e.g., Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs).

Human Investment - managing team and stakeholder relationships and performance.

• Staff in own area (Manager, staff).
• Stakeholders outside own area (Leadership, tenants, municipalities / Eskom, service providers).
• Internal customers 
• Regulators / Government local authorities.
• Vendors / suppliers.
• Other (Industry forums / associations).

Requirements

• Finance Management: Qualified Chartered Accountant CA(SA)
• 8 - 10 years of experience in senior financial management in a major institution, preferably in the solar or real estate industry.
• International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
• Minimum 5 years leadership experience
• Familiarity with various operating systems and platforms, specifically SAGE, Archibus, MDA, DealPath.
• Project Management skills
• Property / Real Estate experience advantageous

Skills

• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal
• Strong knowledge of best practice controls
• Analytical skills
• Ability to work under extreme pressure to tight deadlines
• Leadership and teamwork skills
• Strong technical understanding of financial reporting and management
• Ensure compliance with relevant Acts and minimise business risk
• Strong analytical and problem - solving capacity
• Decision and initiating action
• Adapting and responding to change.