Chief Financial Officer at Essilor

Job Description

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) provides both operational and program support to the Essilor South Africa Group. The CFO manages the finance departments of the group and is the chief financial spokesperson for the entire Essilor South Africa Group. The CFO directly works with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on strategic vision including fostering and cultivating stakeholder relationships with new acquisitions

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Control

• The CFO is responsible for presenting and reporting accurate and timely historical financial information of the Essilor South Africa Group, working with the Finance Manager in the group.
• Ensure that the Finance department staff are well trained and made aware of financial management matters – Needs to work closely with the Finance Manager on this
• Ensure compliance and reporting in terms of Essilor Group guidelines for all group companies.
• Ensure adequate controls are in place and that substantiating documentation is approved and available, rolling out best practices in the group
• Develop and maintain systems of internal controls to safeguard financial assets of the group.
• Oversee the co-ordination and activities of independent auditors and all compliances are met and the annual financial statements are in accordance with IFRS
• Ensure adequate cash flow to meet group’s needs
• Oversee business insurance plans and coverage analysis
• Oversee business analyst and business intelligence function

Executive:

• Work with the CEO on the strategic vision including fostering and cultivating relationships, as well as assisting in the development and negotiation of contracts on new acquisitions
• Participate in developing new business, specifically: assist the CEO and CCO in drafting budgets and determining cost effectiveness of service delivery
• Provide the Operations Director with an operating budget, ensuring success through cost analysis support
• Attend board and sub-committee meetings, including being the lead on the audit/finance committee
• Maintain relationships with external as well as internal auditors, investigate their findings and recommendations
• Serve as one of the trustees on the company’s pension fund
• Report on the group’s performance on a monthly basis
• Identifies and analyses problematic areas and facilitates actions plans and responsibilities to address these.
• Oversee legal matters with assistance of external legal council
• Oversee group secretarial function
• Assist the CEO with Mergers and Acquisitions (Background in this will be advantageous)
• Oversee sign-off of monthly payroll
• Oversee group tax requirements and submissions as well as planning
• Oversee group capital requirements
• Oversee stock management
• Enforcer of all company policies

The above duties are not exhaustive and may be amended from time to time as deemed necessary by the Executive Management.
Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
• Certified CA preferred
• Five to seven years of financial and management experience with the day-to-day financial operations of an organisation of at least 100 employees at Chief Financial Officer / Controller level
• Any equivalent combination of education and experience determined to be acceptable

Skills Required

Computer skills

• Microsoft Office
• Advanced Excel
• Word
• Email

Soft skills

• Attention to detail
• High analytical capacity
• Ability to work in a team
• Honesty, integrity and accountability
• Positive work ethic
• Hands on, willing to get involved with various issues, not just finance related matters

Region of Coverage:

• South Africa + some neighboring countries
• This position will require some travel.

Transversal Responsibilities:

• All employees have a responsibility to contribute to the Group’s sustainability and in doing so ensure that we can continue to fulfil our mission of improving lives by improving sight.
• All business decisions and actions must serve and be in line with the Group’s sustainability goals and mission.