Chief Financial Officer at South African Airways (SAA)

Job Purpose    

• The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is the airline’s strategic financial leader, supporting senior management and the board responsible for financial sustainability and growth. 
• At the highest level, the CFO is accountable for financial and fiscal management of the company taking into account the business strategy and operational requirements.

Principal Accountabilities    
Formulate the Financial Strategy

• Support the CEO and Board in major capital allocation, raising capital fleet financing, business case analysis, investment decisions and M&A opportunities and capital market reporting
• Support of the business profitability goals and corporate strategy throughout the Group

Financial Management and Reporting

• Maintain a deep understanding and leadership of the Group’s revenue and cost performance, capital structure, and competitive financial performance
• Validate and monitor departmental capital, forecasting, financial modelling and operating budgets throughout the Group
• Conduct ongoing analysis and optimisation of the capital structure requirements
• Ensure the accountability of each department within the Finance function in the running of the organisation

Treasury Funding and Reporting

• Ensure that SAA has an efficient and effective Treasury function
• Oversee commercial banking relationships, managing liquidity, working capital and management of foreign currency exposure

Corporate Cash Management

• Have an understanding of hedging instruments and their risk ratings
• Structure and negotiate debt financing and leasing transactions involving commercial aircraft including aircraft acquisition and sale–leaseback transactions
• Manage the overall organisation’s assets, investments and liabilities as well any other liquidity related decisions that may arise in conjunction with the business strategy

Compliance Risk and Governance

• Ensure continuously improved audit outcomes
• Translate the Financial Strategy for stakeholders (shareholder, parliament, employees, and lenders) to develop an understanding of the financial future of the organisation
• Ensure compliance to all policies, standards and regulations such as IFRS and PFMA
• Adherence to IATA BSP/ARC accounting, aviation tax, and aviation accounting standards

People Management

• Plan and understand the future requirements in the Finance function especially related to changes in skills requirements 
• Develop and lead high performing teams
• Ensure the integration and successful embedment of the culture themes into the current initiatives that will drive the culture evolution
• Lead and drive talent management, performance management, training and development of staff in Finance Division

Oversee the Supply Chain function through:

• Ensuring that the strategy developed will ensure the organisation achieves cost optimisation and regulatory compliance including adherence to PFMA prescripts 
• Ensure the management of irregular expenditure and eliminating fruitless and wasteful expenditure
• Ensure efficient contract management of all service providers 
• Partner with the Chief Commercial Officer on network, pricing, and revenue optimization decisions to ensure overall revenue performance of the company

Oversee the Corporate Real Estate and Services function through:

• Ensure that there are proper strategies and plans to manage the facilities
• All physical assets are optimised from a revenue and usage perspective
• Optimise space usage including extracting financial value from SAA properties 
• Adherence to all legal requirements in terms of facilities management

Qualifications & Experience    

• CA (SA) required
• Master’s degree or MBA preferable
• At least 10 - 15 years’ experience in a financial role of a large organisation of which at least 7 years’ is in progressively responsible financial leadership roles at an executive level
• Experience in financial strategy formulation and execution
• Funding and/or Treasury experience will be an advantage
• Experience in SOE’s and related industries will be an advantage
• Aviation Sector or other related industry experience preferred including international experience
• Leadership proven ability to lead large finance teams (>100 staff), influence at board level, and manage investor relations
• Experience implementing ERP and airline financial systems (SAP, Oracle etc)

Knowledge and Skills    

• Industry knowledge
• Financial acumen
• Expertise in finance, accounting, budgeting and cost control principles
• Experience in financial strategy formulation and execution
• Knowledge of digital technologies and trends in Finance
• Negotiation skills
• Strategic aviation, logistics, asset heavy industry knowledge
• In-depth African market knowledge
• Capital marker skills
• Data analytics and technical skills
• Leadership skills
• Cross industry and global business acumen

Attributes    

• Leadership
• Analytic and Data led
• Communication skills (written and verbal in English)
• Presentation skills
• People development skills
• Service orientated (internal and external)
• Detail orientated
• Integrity
• Stakeholder Management
• Transparent
• Assertive/ decisive
• Strategic Thinker
• Commercially Astute
• Resilient and Ethical
• Collaborative Leader
• Change leader
• Technical Proficiency
• Industry Leader

Deadline:19th December,2025