Campus Finance Analyst: Western Cape and Durban at Pearson

Job Purpose

To provide financial leadership and management and, as a result, ensure the campus finance team deliver a consistent, accurate and professional service to all customers, both internal and external. Drive effectiveness through continuous improvement in systems, processes and procedures to optimise the financial operations at campus level.

Overall Responsibilities

Statutory reporting

• Keep up to date with all financial functions performed at a campus level to ensure the validity, accuracy, timeliness and completeness of all financial transactions. This includes the following:
• Expenditure – Ensure that all expenses are booked in a timely manner by reviewing the expenses against budgets and expectations and following up on outstanding invoices. Ensure accruals are raised where documentation are outstanding.
• Revenue – Ensure completeness of revenue by reviewing the revenue reported against expectations i.e. number of students, average price per course, reviewing number of enrolled students in Salesforce against number of students invoiced in Navision.
• Cash collection – Regular follow up with the Credit Control Supervisor to stay informed on cash collections and potential impact on bad debt.
• Ensure compliance with company’s policies and procedures.
• Assist with bi-annual internal audits for the Group.
• Implement necessary internal controls and process improvements in order to limit business risk and safeguard the company’s assets and reputation.

Finance operations

• Oversee and manage the key operational processes on campus such as enrolment to ensure effectiveness, timeliness and efficiency of the processes.
• Manage any new projects implemented on campus including appropriate user acceptance testing.
• Assist with annual pricing reviews, presenting to the Pricing Committee and the following roll out to Salesforce.
• Regular follow ups with credit control and revenue teams to stay ahead of cash collection and invoicing patterns
• Make recommendations for improvements that will deliver high quality solutions to customers and stakeholders.
• Support the campus with student / sponsor queries in order to maintain customer satisfaction and improve student experience.
• Ensure effective dissemination of relevant information to the finance team.
• Regular review of profitability by qualification.
• Supporting the business with relevant data analytics and the interpretation thereof.

Budgeting / forecasting

• Meet with stakeholders to determine accurate expenditure and capex forecasts.
• Analyse student data and discuss findings and future product pipeline with sales and academics in order to accurately forecast student numbers / revenue.
• Assist with the development of business cases for new products / initiatives.

People Leadership and Culture

• Provide engaging and inspirational leadership on campus so that performance and productivity is optimised.
• Manages FULL finance function for the campus – be the conduit and cement the relationship between finance and the rest of the business.

Financial Management

• Manage financial indicators within agreed parameters.
• Building a strong relationship with the Regional Campus Director, Campus Principals and other internal stakeholders to ensure that the necessary support is given from a finance background. This will include, and not limited to, monthly review of the management accounts with Manco, ensuring that expenditure is tracked against budgets, identifying areas where potential savings could be achieved, keeping the Campus Principals up to date with any finance related matters, etc.
• Lead the monthly revenue management and debt reporting and evaluation.
• Assume Residence financial management.
• Initiate and report general cost saving initiatives on campus.

Experience

• 2 years in leading a small finance team
• High level of communication skills, both verbal and written
• Proven track record of process / system improvements
• Proven track record of meeting tight deadlines on a regular basis
• Proficiency in Excel
• Experience with Navision will be beneficial
• Experience in the Higher Education market will be beneficial

Pearson is committed to the principles of employment equity and in accordance with our Employment Equity goals and plan; preference will be given to suitable applicants from designated groups as defined in the Employment Equity Act and subsequent amendments thereto.

Qualifications

• B.Com in any finance related field