Chief Financial Officer at The Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA)

(Ref 2024/02) 

KEY PURPOSE 

• The main purpose of the Chief Financial Officer position is to manage the USAASA and USAF finances, ensure that they are utilised and reported according to policy, the PFMA and other applicable statutory requirements. 

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS 

• Participate in developing an approved strategy aligned with both the USAASA and USAF mandates by preparing and collating relevant inputs from senior managers and other stakeholders. Align with the national development plan and submit for final approval by the agreed deadline. 
• Manage the development and approval of the strategically aligned departmental Annual Performance Plan by the agreed deadline. Develop a plan that delivers the strategic objectives, aligning organisational resources with planned deliverables by the agreed deadlines. 
• Ensure that the department is resourced and fully capacitated by managing the employment and implementation of skilled resources and systems that deliver the required efficiencies and effectiveness annually. 
• Communicate the strategy with employees and stakeholders by designing and implementing a strategy communication approach and implementing it by the agreed deadline. 
• Manage USAASA and USAF in a financially sound and risk-mitigating manner by developing, implementing, reporting on, and complying with appropriate processes, procedures, and systems as per agreed deadlines. 
• Resolve challenges hindering or threatening the successful achievement of the strategy by monitoring organisational financial performance, identifying areas of risk and/or challenges, and addressing these within agreed challenge-resolution timelines. 
• Develop and implement the budget policy and process, incorporating and complying with required legislation and good practice guidelines on an annual basis. 
• Develop the annual USAASA and USAF budget through the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) process in accordance with National Treasury guidelines. Review the collated departmental budgets, manage alignment of the budgets to the financial strategy and objectives of USAASA and the USAF, and submit to the CEO for approval by the annual deadlines. 
• Manage statutory compliance of USAASA and USAF by overseeing the submission of all statutory returns and reports by the required deadlines (Monthly, Bi – Monthly, Bi – Annually, and Annually). 
• Process payments by reviewing captured payment batches and releasing payments as the second authorisation on a weekly basis. 
• Manage cash flow by reviewing cash forecasts (assets, liabilities, and commitments) and implementing corrective action if required on a monthly basis. 
• Assess the operating and project financial results of USAASA and the USAF, identify potential additional funding sources and opportunities (e.g., Public-Private Partnerships) by reviewing project and organizational costs, budgets, operating policies, and financial trends on a monthly basis. 
• Review and maintain effective financial processes and procedures by reviewing internal operational business processes, researching business good practices, and implementing corrective action on a monthly basis. 

Business Strategy Leadership 

• Secure Board approval of the budget by incorporating any MTEF submission changes, communicating adjustments to USAASA departments, presenting the final budget to the Board on an annual basis. 
• Monitor and report on utilisation of the USAASA and USAF budgets through gathering required performance and expenditure reports and reporting to the CEO, Board and the Departments on a monthly basis. 
• Manage that the delegations of authority for budget spending are implemented according to the policy by communicating the policy to the organisation and monitoring progress through internal audits and risk management process on an annual basis. 

Financial Management 

• Identify and manage the implementation of up-to-date and compliant accounting standards within USAASA and USAF by researching and receiving updates of adjustments or changes to accounting standards from relevant accounting and auditing authorities when necessary. 
• Review and implement accounting policies in line with the financial strategy, MTEF, and legislative guidelines by the agreed deadlines. 

External Audit 

• Complete the annual external audit process by preparing for the external audit, addressing any queries rising out of the audit and engaging with the external auditors on an annual basis 
• Address identified actions arising from the audit and build business compliance and resilience to facilitate an unqualified audit annually. 

Supply Chain Management 

• Draft legal documents and contracts for relevant organizational transactions by participating in USAASA and USAF contract negotiations, gathering all required information, drafting the document, checking for legal completeness and compliance, and distributing for approval. 
• Make recommendations on contract renewal/extension/termination by reviewing the contract, identifying required contract action, developing a contract plan, and implementing it by the agreed deadline. 
• Develop contract templates for standard transactions by identifying required standard templates, developing, and distributing within agreed deadlines. 
• Report on contracts by gathering all required information, collating, and reporting according to the agreed standards quarterly. 

Stakeholder Management and Reporting: 

• Maintain relationships with key stakeholders (including but not limited to National Treasury, the Department of Communications, Telecommunications and Postal Services and Audit Committee) by submitting required and relevant reports and maintaining open channels of communication on an as when required basis. 
• Submit financial reports including but not limited to the financial management reports, budget variance reports and MTEF expenditure reports by collecting data and reports from the financial team, verifying compliance with National Treasury guidelines and USAASA and the USAF financial policies and strategy, collating and submitting final reports to required authorities on a monthly basis.
• Submit SCM progress reports to the relevant authorities by reviewing and collating the SCM departmental reports on a quarterly basis. 
• Submit Board and Board Sub-Committee financial reports by reviewing and collating USAASA and USAF financial reports on a quarterly basis. 

Staff Management: 

• To build capacity within the team through developing skills and competencies, addressing development needs and providing coaching and mentoring support on an ongoing basis and in monthly individual performance discussions. 
• Monitor, evaluate and manage the team performance through implementing the HR policy, implementing performance process and, when required, instituting compliant disciplinary action within the approved SLA and on an ongoing basis. 
• Recruit quality team members to support the team and organisation and the achievement of its objectives and strategy through defining the role requirements, identifying critical competencies, testing for these competencies and appointing within the HR and EE policy guidelines as and when required. 
• Build a cohesive, high performing team through motivating, guiding, coaching, mentoring and leading in a fair and consistent manner to deliver on the organisational performance and strategic requirements. 

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS 
Qualifications/Knowledge (including most relevant field of study) 

• A qualified Chartered Accountant and accredited by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) or equivalent qualification. 
• 8 - 10 years of Financial Management experience is required. 
• 5 years knowledge of PFMA / applicable regulations and other government related prescripts and standards is required. 
• 5 to 10 years senior management or executive experience is essential within the Public or Private sector environments. 
• 5 years Board interaction experience. 3.2 Competencies 
• Financial Management 
• Financial Accounting and Tax 
• Financial Administration 
• Financial Analysis 
• Procurement
• Asset management 
• Planning, Organising and Control.