Financial Manager: Investments at Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)

Job Description    

• To manage the financial accounting and reporting of DBSA’s development loan book, equity investments, and project preparation equity options. The role provides financial management support through budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, and compliance with internal policies and external reporting requirements, ensuring accurate and reliable accounting of DBSA’s financial assets and liabilities within the Finance Division’s Financial Assets and Treasury Operations Unit.

Key Responsibilities    
Strategic Financial Support

• Develop and implement financial strategies that align with DBSA’s operating model and long-term objectives, ensuring integration with balance sheet management, funding structure, and overall corporate goals.
• Lead and manage strategic financial projects and initiatives to support investment operations, including providing accounting and tax structuring advice on new transactions.
• Drive robust financial planning and performance management through budgeting, financial modelling, scenario planning, forecasting, and maintaining accurate pricing schedules and loan book analyses.
• Deliver insightful financial analytics and reporting by analysing current and forecasted financial information, key ratios, and investment performance to support data-driven decision-making and proactive strategic planning.
• Foster effective collaboration and governance by engaging cross-functionally within Finance, partnering with thirdparty fund managers, and participating in key committees to monitor development loan and equity investment performance.

Management Reporting, Business Intelligence and Systems

• Provide accurate financial accounting and reporting for development loan assets, equity investments, and project preparation options through timely preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual reports, reconciliations, and IFRScompliant disclosures.
• Manage impairment and valuation processes in accordance with the relevant IFRS standards, including technical accounting reviews and valuation report assessments to ensure accurate asset measurement.
• Maintain robust financial controls and compliance across financial assets, working capital, and risk management processes, ensuring adherence to PFMA, JSE, tax, and other regulatory frameworks.
• Optimise financial systems and processes by aligning policies, procedures, and reporting capabilities with SAP FICO, SAP CML, SAP ECL Module, SAP EIR Module, and OnBase, driving continuous improvement in back-office operations.
• Provide strategic financial insights and analytics through detailed monthly reviews, business intelligence, and datadriven analysis to support Executive decision-making and maintain data integrity and accuracy.

Operational Oversight

• Drive innovation and continuous improvement in business unit operations and processes.
• Coordinate IFRS staging assessments and impairment benchmarking with GRA, LMU, and Country Risk Units.
• Manage disbursements, repayments, and journal entries with accuracy and timeliness.
• Reconcile bank statements, allocate payments, and prepare cash flow and financial statement notes for equity investments.
• Strengthen financial controls, policies, and procedures to enhance efficiency and compliance.
• Monitor payment processes to detect and prevent fraud.
• Maintain segregation of duties and proper documentation for deal amendments as part of internal control monitoring.
• Drive process innovation and cost efficiencies in financial operations.
• Conduct monthly analytical reviews to verify the accuracy of Treasury’s income statement and balance sheet.
• Enhance operational efficiency and innovation by driving continuous improvement, process optimisation, and cost efficiencies across business unit operations and financial processes.
• Maintain accuracy and compliance in financial operations through effective management of disbursements, repayments, reconciliations, journal entries, and preparation of cash flow and financial statement notes for equity investments.
• Strengthen financial governance and internal controls by maintaining segregation of duties, monitoring payment processes to prevent fraud, and ensuring adherence to established policies and procedures.
• Coordinate and monitor risk and audit processes by leading the relevant IFRS staging assessments and impairment benchmarking, overseeing internal and external audit follow-ups, and conducting analytical reviews to verify the accuracy of Treasury’s income statement and balance sheet.

Audit, Compliance and Risk Management

• Coordinate internal and external audit processes for development loans and equity investment portfolios.
• Maintain full compliance with financial, tax, regulatory, and legislative requirements.
• Update and manage the risk register and capital adequacy calculations.
• Act as Risk Champion for loan and equity operations, embedding risk management practices in daily activities.
• Report risk events to the Combined Assurance Committee and oversee remediation actions.

Stakeholder Management and Finance Partnerships

• Foster strategic collaboration by partnering with internal teams and external stakeholders to support DBSA’s
• strategic and operational objectives through the provision of accurate financial data, insights, and analysis.
• Build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships with investors, rating agencies, funders, and banks to enhance
• investor relations, transparency, and confidence in DBSA’s financial performance.
• Ensure effective external reporting and disclosures by preparing and submitting accurate reports to rating agencies
• and investors and drafting compliant JSE SENS and media disclosures in line with Debt Listing Requirements.

Reporting and Analytics

• Deliver accurate and insightful financial and statistical reports to inform Executive decision-making and support organisational performance monitoring.
• Provide comprehensive analytics and data-driven insights by analysing complex financial and operational data, identifying trends, anomalies, and key drivers that influence strategic and operational decisions.
• Present high-quality reports and strategic analyses at Executive Committees such as the Asset and Liability
• Committee (ALCO) and Investment Committee to guide planning and resource allocation.
• Continuously monitor key metrics and performance indicators to assess progress against strategic objectives, drive accountability, and support continuous organisational improvement.

Key Measurement of Output

• Accurate, complete, and timely preparation of quarterly, annual, and management financial reports, fully compliant with IFRS, PFMA, and JSE Debt Listing Requirements.
• Accuracy and reliability of budgets, forecasts, and scenario models, including income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow projections.
• Delivery of high-quality analytics, insights, and presentations to Executive Committees.
• Effectively implement processes with detailed procedural manuals as well as policies and documentation of business processes, which should be reviewed and updated quarterly.
• Management of Client Relationships and key internal and external Stakeholders.

Qualifications

• A Qualified Chartered Accountant (CA(SA)) registered with SAICA.

Experience

• A minimum of 10 years’ experience in investment banking, private equity, or a similar role within a complex banking or financial services environment, including at least 2 years of post-qualification experience in financial reporting, analysis or assurance.
• Experience in investment banking or financial services or secondary market activities or primary markets, and unlisted equity investments, or general business banking experience.
• Valuations and impairment experience.
• Proven experience in the application of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), in particular IFRS 1,7,9,13 &18, among other standards.
• Demonstrated experience in financial instruments, unlisted equity investments valuation, SAVCA valuations guidelines, credit risk, impairment or expected credit loss.
• Demonstrated Microsoft Excel modelling skills and PowerPoint presentation skills.
• Proven knowledge of IFRS, Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and King IV and other applicable regulations and codes of good practice.

Desirable Requirements

• A CFA qualification.
• External audit manager experience in banks.
• Exposure to African and global financial markets.