Accountant Finance: Planning at Absa Group Limited (Absa)

Job Summary

• The purpose of the role will be focused on coordinating the planning process within Relationship Banking Financial Decision Support (FDS). This central team provides continuous decision support for Exco and senior management within Relationship Banking.
• Analysing and reporting of budgeting financial information in an accurate, complete and timely manner and providing business with meaningful insights and value-add perspective to enable decision making. Continuously seeking ways to improve operations by scaling automated financial processes, performing deep dives on several topics and trend analysis. Crafting financial solutions aligned to all appropriate controls, business financial health and growth objectives.

Job Description

• Financial Reporting Accountabilities 
• Build trust in the finance function through the creation of a single source of financial information which is corroborated by related management information sources and alignment to the agreed accounting principles, methodologies, and underlying data are correctly applied.
• Ensure appropriate, quality and timeous delivery of accurate financial and non-financial management information to support business objectives and expectations, including appropriate financial and non-financial metrics, valid and insightful comments and packaging the information in a relevant and appropriate manner.
• Own the process of delivery of high-quality information for regular and ad-hoc enhanced reporting to agreed requirements, timelines, and standards.
• Validate all management reporting information for flash results, month end financial results and utilisation and reporting of various key metrics
• Generate finance narratives and insights driving business; and build pioneering new propositions.
• Take a commercial view on business and provide contextual insights into performance reports.
• Prepare financial results for senior stakeholders highlighting performance against plans, prior performance and providing meaningful insights on possible risks and opportunities for the near future
• Align to processes around month-end and year-end across the Everyday Banking Financial finance community based on the requirements from Group.
• Interact with the stakeholders to agree minimum quality standards, as well as an agreed method of communicating and resolving any identified quality deficiencies in the reporting process.
• Act in line with the correct governance and control frameworks across the Finance team, as well as for proactively addressing any deficiencies and exceptions.
• Ensure that the Senior Specialist is appraised of key financial issues that need to be raised with executive leadership to enable integrity and timely management the BU.
• Know BU financial ambitions and balance sheet aspirations of Everyday Banking Financial in performance reporting.
• Focus on information-driven performance improvement and formulate data into easy access standardised views.
• Maintain stewardship and excellence which drives performance and sustainable growth through preservation of financial integrity.
• Control Environment
• GL Structure clean-up which includes “removing” of un-used cost centres, PLUS ownership of GL Structure in terms of changes (new cost centres, etc.).
• Liaison and cooperation with other Finance Business Partners

Education

• Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Financial Sciences (Required)