Commercial Finance Manager (Bellville ) at Econo Foods

ROLE PURPOSE

• The Commercial Financial Manager will act as a strategic finance partner to the Merchandise function (the heart of the business) and Food Services (B2B) business units.
• This role is critical in driving sales volume growth, margin per kilogram improvement, and margin rands growth across both Retail and B2B channels. The successful candidate will provide deep financial insights, leveraging internal and external data to influence decision-making and optimize performance in a highly competitive and challenging trade environment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

FINANCIAL PLANNING and ANALYSIS

• Develop and manage budgeting, forecasting, and performance tracking for Merchandise and B2B
• Provide scenario analysis and margin optimization strategies to support pricing, promotions, and assortment decisions.
• Monitor sales volume, margin per kilogram, and margin rands against plan and identify corrective actions.

BUSINESS PARTNERING

• Work closely with the Merchandise Executive, and B2B Head of Sales to align financial goals with commercial strategies.
• Support category managers and B2B sales managers with actionable insights to drive growth.
• Act as a trusted advisor, challenging assumptions and influencing decisions with data-driven recommendations.

INSIGHT AND ANALYTICS

• Deliver detailed margin analysis, including supplier funding, rebates, and cost-to-serve metrics.

Identify and manage key levers to balance:

• Sales Volume Growth (e.g., pricing, promotions, assortment depth)
• Margin per Kilogram (e.g., mix management, supplier negotiations, shrink control)
• Margin Rands Growth (e.g., upselling, cross-selling, optimizing high-margin categories)
• Rebate Management (e.g., ensuring growth hurdles are met and the Sally’s and Tally’s get recorded timely and correctly)

Provide granular insights across The Sales Teams locations in South Africa, analysing:

• Customer segmentation (e.g., Foods Services vs Wholesale)
• Product mix (e.g., per Product category)
• Regional performance trends (across Sales Teams) and opportunities for margin improvement.
• Work with the Data team building dashboards and reporting tools for real-time visibility of these KPIs.

EXPENSE MANAGEMENT

• Manage salary budgets and traveling costs within Merchandise and Food Services functions.
• Ensure cost efficiency while supporting operational effectiveness.
• Track and report variances against budget, recommending corrective actions where necessary.

RISK AND COMPLIANCE

• Ensure adherence to financial controls, company policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Manage risk assessments related to pricing, supplier agreements, and credit exposure in B2B.

LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION

• Foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain, Operations, and Commercial teams to ensure alignment on financial objectives.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• B.Comm in Finance/Accounting; CA(SA) or CIMA equivalent professional qualification preferred.
• Minimum 5–7 years’ experience in financial management, ideally within retail, wholesale, or FMCG.
• Strong understanding of merchandise finance, margin management, and B2B commercial models.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, financial modelling, and BI tools (Power BI, QLIK).
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive commercial outcomes.

COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

• Commercial Acumen: Deep understanding of retail and food service economics will be helpful.
• Analytical Thinking: Ability to interpret complex data and translate into actionable insights.
• Influencing Skills: Confident in challenging and guiding business decisions.
• Resilience: Thrives in a fast-paced, tough trading environment.
• Collaboration: Works effectively across multiple functions and levels. Building and maintaining relationships with strong interpersonal skills - living out the company values and unique HO HOLA culture.
• Detail-oriented with ability to connect strategic vision and operational detail.

PEOPLE AND CULTURE

• Champion the Ho Hola culture of transparency, accountability, and execution.
• Drive performance management processes aligned to Merchandise and B2B objectives.

CLOSING DATE               

• 04 JANUARY 2026