Finance Manager Operations (Costing) at Smith Garb

Key Focus Areas

Advanced Costing & Operational Finance

• Lead end-to-end product costing across large SKU portfolios and multiple sites
• Manage cost centre and product cost controlling (SAP CO-PC)
• Own standard costing structures including BOMs, routings, and overhead allocations
• Investigate purchase price and production variances through structured root cause analysis
• Drive continuous improvement in costing methodologies and cost transparency

Analytical & Problem-Solving Leadership

• Interpret complex operational data to identify risks, trends, and improvement opportunities
• Conduct deep-dive variance investigations supported by data and costing research
• Operate confidently in fast-moving or ambiguous environments
• Support forecasting and scenario modelling to guide operational decisions

SAP & Technology-Enabled Finance

• Leverage SAP FI/CO or S/4HANA (ACDOCA, CO-PA, CO-PC advantageous) to extract real-time decision-support insights
• Use advanced Excel (large dataset analysis, Power Query, Power Pivot) to build robust financial models
• Maintain integrity of product master data and cost components within ERP systems

Business Partnering in Complex Structures

• Partner across manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, and sales functions
• Operate effectively within multi-regional or matrix environments
• Translate financial complexity into clear, actionable insights for operational leaders
• Challenge assumptions constructively and support strategic pricing and profitability decisions

Financial Modelling & CAPEX

• Build detailed business cases and capital investment models
• Provide structured financial insight to senior leadership and auditors
• Support working capital optimisation initiatives

What We’re Looking For

• BCom Honours in Management Accounting
• CIMA / CA(SA) / ACCA
• 5–8 years’ experience in senior cost or operational finance roles
• Proven experience in complex manufacturing environments with high SKU volumes
• Deep understanding of cost drivers, COGS build-ups, and manufacturing variances
• Advanced Excel capability (large datasets and modelling)
• Strong SAP exposure (FI/CO essential; S/4HANA advantageous)
• Experience operating within regional or global structures