Chief Financial Officer REF NO: PWI 26/04 at Free State Department: Public Works and Infrastructure

REQUIREMENTS :

• Applicants must be in possession of an appropriate Bachelor’s Degree or Advance Diploma (NQF Level 7) in Accounting, Financial Management, Commerce, Economics or an equivalent related qualification as recognised by SAQA. A postgraduate qualification and professional registration will be advantageous.
• Applicants must have a minimum of ten (10) years’ relevant experience in financial management, budgeting and public sector financial administration, of which at least five (5) years must be at senior managerial level. 

DUTIES :

The successful candidate will report directly to the Head of Department and will be responsible for the following:

• Strategic Financial Management: Provide strategic leadership and direction on all financial management matters of the Department. Ensure that the Department’s financial strategies, plans, and systems support the overall mandate of the institution and are aligned to government priorities, service delivery imperatives, infrastructure development plans, and applicable legislative requirements.
• Budget Planning and Expenditure Management: Manage and oversee the preparation, coordination, and implementation of the Department’s budget, including MTEF processes, cash flow projections, in-year monitoring, expenditure reporting, and budget performance reviews. Ensure optimal allocation and utilisation of resources and institute control measures to prevent under-expenditure, over-expenditure, unauthorised expenditure, and fiscal instability.
• Financial Accounting and Reporting: Oversee the preparation of accurate, complete, and timely financial reports, including monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements, in accordance with GRAP, PFMA, Treasury prescripts, and other reporting frameworks. Ensure proper management of financial transactions, reconciliations, commitments, accruals, payables, receivables, suspense accounts, and disclosure requirements.
• Supply Chain and Financial Governance: Provide executive oversight over the financial governance aspects of supply chain management, demand planning, acquisition management, logistics, contract management, and compliance monitoring. Ensure that procurement processes are consistent with the constitutional principles of fairness, equity, transparency, competitiveness, and cost-effectiveness, and that all procurement-related financial risks are properly managed.
• Asset and Infrastructure Financial Oversight: Lead the financial management of departmental movable and immovable assets and provide oversight on infrastructure-related expenditure, maintenance budgets, lease commitments, accommodation costs, capital planning, asset verification, impairment, disposal, and related financial reporting obligations. Ensure that the financial dimensions of custodianship, user asset management planning, and infrastructure investment are properly governed. Internal Controls,
• Compliance and Risk Management: Establish, strengthen, and monitor internal financial control systems to ensure full compliance with the PFMA, Treasury Regulations, audit requirements, and internal policies. Ensure effective management of irregular, fruitless and wasteful, and unauthorised expenditure, including reporting, investigation support, corrective action, and consequence management processes.
• Audit Coordination and Governance Support: Support the Accounting Officer in discharging statutory financial governance responsibilities. Coordinate responses to Internal Audit, Audit Committee, and Auditor-General findings. Drive the implementation of audit action plans and ensure the institution is audit-ready at all times. Promote sound governance practices and a strong control environment aimed at achieving and sustaining clean audit outcomes.
• Organisational Leadership and Capacity Building: Lead and manage the Finance Branch, including the functions of budgeting, financial accounting, revenue management, expenditure management, supply chain financial oversight, asset management, and internal control. Build institutional capability through effective leadership, performance management, mentoring, succession planning, and accountability.