Finance Business Partner – Manager (Rio Tinto Exploration Africa) at Rio Tinto

Reporting to the Regional Finance Business Partner – EMEA, you will be responsible for:

• Influencing and partnering: Building and maintaining strong partnerships with senior leaders, including exploration director, country, and project managers. Working closely with stakeholders to increase their focus on financial performance targets. Close collaboration with and support to, commercial and legal teams on commercial deals (existing and new).
• Leading and coaching: Fostering financial acumen and discipline across all teams (management, project and support) in a way that helps teams understand the value of financially sound and informed decisions; coaching and developing direct reports.
• Planning and forecasting: Responsible for co-ordinating the annual plan, including preparation of templates, guiding and supporting stakeholders during the process, ensuring accurate capturing of the plan into the system and reconciliation thereof. Collaborating with exploration director, general managers, project and country managers, and function support team to align annual plans and periodical re-forecasts with planned operational activity. Analysing YTD results and identifying the need for regional re-allocations.
• Reporting, analysis and managing performance: Conduct monthly and ad hoc analysis of the financial results and provide insightful feedback to stakeholders to drive cost discipline and financial awareness; monthly JV reporting. Preparation of ad-hoc analysis and reports as requested by senior management, ensuring accurate and reliable input and relevant information to aid in business decisions and compliance.
• Establishing new processes, continuous business, and process improvement: Designing and implementing processes for new country entries that are in line with Rio Tinto (RT) policies and procedures, local statutory and legal compliance, and are achievable for project expectations. Continuously identifying improvement opportunities, particularly through technological advancements within RT and in the external environment (countries in which we work).
• Managing reports and local finance service providers: Lead direct/ indirect reports and local finance service providers to ensure key deliverables are met. Mentor, lead and coach team, identifying potential areas for growth and development.
• Compliance and other key responsibilities: Overseeing the regional Accounts Payable function for off-box entities to ensure timely and accurate payments to vendors. Preparation of funding, and board, papers and coordinating the approval process. Cash management for all entities, ensuring sufficient working capital to meet commitments.

What you’ll bring:

To succeed in this role, you will have:

• Bachelor and/or professional qualification e.g. MBA, CIMA, ACA, CPA
• A talent for building strong relationships and influencing a diverse range of stakeholders.
• A passion for driving change and business improvement. An ability to find more effective ways of operating.
• Strong passion for leading and coaching
• Strong ability to manage multiple deliverables simultaneously, effectively prioritize, and remain adaptable in a dynamic environment.
• Able to work autonomously with minimal guidance.
• Excellent communication skills
• Anaplan and SAP experience