Job Description

Position Overview:

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a key member of the Executive Leadership Team and a strategic business partner to the CEO and Board of Directors. This role is responsible for overseeing the financial health, risk management, strategic planning, and fiscal operations of the organisation. The CFO will lead all financial and procurement functions while ensuring effective governance, regulatory compliance, and sustainable growth across the Group.

The CFO will play a critical role in managing margins, optimising store performance, and navigating a dynamic retail landscape, including omnichannel operations, inventory cycles, and seasonal fluctuations.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

Develop and implement the Group's financial strategy aligned with long-term corporate objectives.

Contribute to M&A activities, capital allocation, and investment decision-making.

Support CEO and Board in developing and evaluating strategic initiatives, budgets, and business plans.

Play a key role in shaping and challenging corporate strategy, acting as a strategic advisor and partner.

Advise on pricing strategies, promotional effectiveness, and profitability by product category, region, and retail channel.

Financial Planning & Analysis

Lead the preparation, consolidation, and monitoring of annual budgets and 5-year business plans.

Provide ongoing financial forecasting, scenario modeling, and variance analysis.

Develop financial performance metrics and dashboards to drive decision-making across the Group.

Analyse same-store sales, basket size, footfall data, and gross margin return on inventory (GMROI) to inform retail operations and marketing initiatives.

Financial Reporting & Compliance

Oversee timely and accurate financial reporting (internal and statutory), including Monthly MIS and board packs.

Ensure compliance with IFRS, King IV, and all applicable financial, tax, and regulatory frameworks.

Coordinate and manage all audit activities (internal and external), ensuring clean audit outcomes.

Risk Management & Governance

Identify and manage financial, operational, and strategic risks across the Group.

Maintain and evolve the enterprise-wide risk management framework.

Track emerging risks and communicate their business impact to the Board and relevant committees.

Monitor risks related to consumer demand shifts, vendor disruptions, supply chain volatility, and seasonal cash flow constraints.

Treasury, Capital & Investment Management

Manage the Group's treasury function, including liquidity, capital structure, and funding strategies.

Evaluate investment opportunities and capital expenditures, including ROI and valuation analysis.

Negotiate and maintain banking relationships, debt financing, and foreign exchange contracts.

Oversee working capital tied to inventory purchases, supplier credit terms, and seasonal financing needs.

Procurement & Operational Finance

Lead the Group Procurement function, including sourcing strategy, vendor negotiations, and high-value RFQs.

Drive cost-efficiency through analysis of BOMs, product costing models, and supplier alternatives.

Improve working capital through proactive payables, receivables, and inventory management.

Optimise procurement across fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), private labels, and direct imports to reduce costs and improve availability.

Systems, Technology & Data Integrity

Oversee financial systems and ERP optimisation to ensure data accuracy, timeliness, and automation.

Lead change management, training, and digital transformation initiatives in the finance function.

Support integration of POS systems, retail analytics platforms, and inventory management tools with the finance function.

External Stakeholder Management

Act as the primary point of contact for auditors, banks, legal advisors, tax authorities, and insurance providers.

Present financial results and insights to the Board, audit, remuneration, and ethics committees.

Legal, Tax & Compliance

Ensure companywide compliance with tax laws (direct and indirect), statutory filings, and secretarial regulations.

Oversee due diligence and risk reviews for key contracts and business initiatives.

Manage transfer pricing, export/import regulations, insurance policies, and corporate legal matters.

Monitor compliance related to retail store licensing, VAT treatment on sales, and import duties.

Leadership & Team Development

Lead and develop a high-performing finance and procurement team across geographies.

Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and ethical leadership.

Manage talent development, resource planning, and succession within the finance organisation.

Build finance capabilities that can support rapid expansion into new locations or formats (e.g., pop-ups, e-commerce fulfilment centres).

Qualifications and Experience:

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field is required.

MBA, CA, CPA, or equivalent post-graduate qualification preferred.

Experience

Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible financial leadership experience, ideally in a complex, multi-entity or multinational organisation.

Strong preference for candidates with experience in retail, FMCG, or consumer-facing industries, including experience with seasonal cycles, inventory-heavy balance sheets, and omni-channel finance operations.

Proven track record in strategic finance, investment evaluation, corporate governance, and treasury management.

Experience in procurement oversight, ERP implementation, and cross-border operations is highly desirable.

Skills and Competencies:

Strong financial acumen with deep knowledge of corporate finance, accounting, and risk management.

Proven leadership and team development capabilities at the executive level.

Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and presentation skills.

Expertise in financial systems.

Ability to operate with integrity, strategic foresight, and resilience in volatile market conditions.

Analytical mindset with ability to translate retail KPIs into financial strategies (e.g., conversion rates, shrinkage, customer acquisition cost).

Job Type: Full-time

Application Question(s):

What is your current CTC? Are you willing to relocate to Nelspruit?
Work Location: In person