Job Description

The Regional Financial Manager plays a key leadership role in driving financial performance, governance, and control across a portfolio of dealerships within the division. Reporting to the Divisional Finance Executive, this position provides strategic financial direction, ensures robust governance, and delivers insightful analysis to support sound operational and commercial decisions.
The successful candidate will lead and develop dealership-based Finance Managers, promoting consistency in financial standards, accuracy in reporting, and alignment with group objectives to maximise profitability and operational efficiency. A central focus of the role is the safeguarding of business assets through the implementation and enforcement of strong internal controls and disciplined financial practices.
Financial Governance & Internal Controls

• Maintain a strong internal control environment and ensure strict adherence to financial, operational, and statutory policies;
• Safeguard company assets through robust controls, accurate financial reporting, and compliance with Group policies, IFRS, FIC, and audit standards;
• Monitor and mitigate credit, operational, and regulatory risks, implementing corrective actions where necessary;
• Oversee audit processes, ensuring timely resolution of findings and continuous control improvement;
• Ensure proper segregation of duties, authorisation limits, and accuracy of provisions, accruals, and commissions;
• Conduct regular dealer visits to verify control effectiveness over stock, cash, debtors, and fixed assets, including compliance with NATIS and key management procedures.

Asset & Risk Management

• Safeguard company assets through rigorous stock management, regular reconciliations, and fixed asset verifications;
• Oversee payroll reporting accuracy and departmental allocations;
• Implement new company policies and ensure prompt adoption across dealerships;
• Ensure all journals, credit notes, and adjustments are properly authorised and supported by valid documentation;
• Maintain restricted access controls to financial systems and banking platforms;
• Conduct regular reviews of internal control procedures to identify weaknesses and close gaps immediately;
• Conduct a monthly review of general ledger reconciliation files to confirm that all accounts reconcile to the trial balance and transaction listings, and that balances are fully supported by valid and complete documentation and that queries are resolved within 30 days.

Financial Management & Reporting

• Oversee all financial operations across dealerships to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant reporting;
• Ensure accurate expense recognition in the correct accounting periods and proper disclosure in accordance with accounting standards;
• Review creditor reconciliations;
• Authorise payments in line with policy;
• Consolidate divisional performance for presentation to senior leadership and provide actionable financial insights;
• Ensure that expenses are correctly recognised, disclosed, and aligned with approved budgets;
• Ensuring all Internal and Head Office deadlines are adhered to;
• Ensuring information and reports received from Financial Managers are accurate;
• Drive cost-saving initiatives across dealerships and shared functions;
• Monitor floorplan utilisation, interest costs, and inventory aging.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Performance Analysis

• Support the preparation and review of annual budgets and periodic forecasts;
• Ensure that the consolidated divisional budget is reasonable, consistent, and reflects an accurate representation of expected financial performance;
• Analyse financial performance against targets, identify variances, and recommend corrective actions.
• Monitor expense trends, floorplan utilisation, interest costs, and working capital efficiency.
• Provide financial insight and analysis to support strategic planning and business decision-making.
• Monitor performance against budget, investigating variances and recommending corrective action

People Development & Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop Dealership Financial Managers and finance teams to ensure capability, accuracy, and adherence to policies;
• Provide training on accounting principles, VAT, and company procedures;
• Support succession planning and professional development within the finance function;
• Ensure that Dealership Financial Managers are properly trained in all financial reporting processes and standards.

Other

• Maintain effective working relationships with Dealer Principals and Franchise Executive to resolve issues efficiently;
• Drive cost-saving initiatives and promote process standardisation and automation;
• Assisting Dealer Principals and Financial Managers with queries;
• Ensuring payments are made timeously and accurately with correct authorisations in place;
• Manage regional cash flow and working capital efficiency;
• Promote efficiency, automation and standardisation of finance processes;
• Ensuring completeness, validity and accuracy of provisions and accruals;
• Ensure that all dealerships' monthly commissions and incentives are accurately calculated, properly reviewed, and authorised at the correct approval levels;
• Visiting dealerships to ensure that all policies and procedures, financial controls, OEM requirements, tax, and audit standards are adhered to and that segregation of duties is adhered to;
• Implementing new company policies and procedures as instructed or discussed;
• Oversee payroll reporting to ensure accuracy of designations and departments

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 5-7 years as a dealership Financial Manager
• Qualified accountant (financial degree, CIMA or equivalent), advantageous
• Strong commercial awareness
• Demonstrated experience managing and developing finance team.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Proficient in dealership management systems (e.g., Kerridge/CDK/Automate or similar).
• Advanced Excel skills.
• High integrity and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Regional profitability and cost control.
• Compliance with financial controls and audit requirements.
• Achievement of budgeted financial targets and efficiency improvements.
• Maintains tight control of working capital
• Accuracy and timeliness of financial reporting.
• Performance development of Finance Managers.

Travel Requirements

• Candidate must be based in greater George area.
• Ability to be based at different branches for extended periods during audits, training, or investigations.
• Travel to and from Gauteng, occasionally required.

Skills Required