General Manager: Finance Management at South African Airways (SAA)

Job Purpose    

• The General Manager Finance Management is responsible for managing the group accounts for the Airline, its subsidiaries and other entities and to ensure compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as well as the Airline’s Policies, Procedures, Standards and Guidelines. 
• The General Manager Finance Management role will be required to support the optimization of the function providing a fully integrated finance specialist service to organisation and all financial and management reporting.

Principal Accountabilities    

• Contribute to the design of the Finance Strategy and ensure strategies are implemented and integrated within areas of responsibility
• Lead the development and implementation of the Department’s strategy
• Drive the profitability of the Group and the overall contribution of the Division
• Ensure the management and control of the department’s budget
• Ensure cost and headcount containment within area of control
• Sign off invoices against cost centre and actively track against contracts and budgets
• Manage quick win optimisation projects in the organisation where a need has been identified through defining methodologies, resource allocation, driving deliverables and reporting
• Contribute to the optimisation of the finance function through actively participating in improvement projects that will protect against risks in the function and promote continuous improvement
• Design recommendation reports within functional area of expertise in view of best practices and business strategy
• Ensure the efficient and effective management of the department and associated functions
• Optimise technology to enhance internal and external customer expectations
• Ensure all processes implemented to deliver customer value
• Drive customer centricity within all areas of control
• Establish and manage effective internal and external stakeholder relationships through appropriate relationship building and networking
• Ensure that effective Governance and Risk Management policies, processes and systems are in place for the department
• Review policies and procedures and update as necessary to ensure required standards are maintained
• Ensure regular quality assurance exercises or audits are conducted across business units to measure compliance with policies, procedures and standards 
• Minimise the exposure to legislative contravention by implementing policies and procedures in full support of legislative requirements (PFMA; commercial legislation etc)
• Ensure regular and timeous reporting of information to key stakeholders provide recommendations to mitigate risks and optimise the delivery of the procurement function
• Incorporate reporting information into decision making processes to ensure alignment of the methodologies, policies, processes and tools to the requirements of the business
• Complete regular reports, presentations and submissions to the Executive Committee, government bodies etc.
• Share business performance metrics with key internal and external stakeholders to demonstrate the impact that change will bring to the bottom line within the division and the organisation as a whole by adopting optimised approaches
• Conduct benchmarking against other businesses and more specifically against other competitors in the industry in relation to financial practices
• Conduct research into best practices related to area of responsibility and against business requirements/ challenges in order to optimise practices
• Actively track progress against action plans and flag any risks that may impact progress
• Annual Financial Statements (AFS)
• Accountable for the financial year-end audit and producing the AFS
• Liaise with auditors to ensure interim and annual audits are effectively performed
• Ensure compliance with the IFRS, the Public-Finance and Management Act (PFMA) and the Companies Act
• Ensure audit findings are remediated timeously 

Monthly Financial Accounting

• Produce the monthly consolidated results for review
• Develop financial management and accounting mechanisms that minimise financial risk
• Produce accurate financial reports to specific deadlines
• Manage budgets within Finance
• Keep abreast of changes in financial standards and legislation
• Advise on the application of accounting practices, in particular IFRS

Control Environment

• Establish financial controls, systems, processes, policies and procedures within Finance
• Ensure complete and up to date Policy Control Manuals
• Group Accounting Manual to be reviewed annually and updated as required
• Conduct reviews and evaluations for cost-reduction opportunities
• Ensure compliance by all business units to the Group Accounting Manual as well as SAA’s Policies, Procedures, standards and guidelines
• Ensure compliance with all financial and contract reporting requirements and regulatory compliance
• Assist with internal/external queries re Finance i.e. shareholder, media, auditors
• Ensure the effective use of the Accounting software
• Highlight finance awareness throughout the organization
• Involve Internal Audit (IA) to reduce duplication of effort by External Audit (EA) where possible
• Develop and maintain external relationships with relevant stakeholders
• Work with the business unit’s to ensure minimal management letter points from external audit
• Track and manage internal and external audit findings ensuring that all findings are resolved and that there are no repeat findings

SAP

• Shared services centre for all the Airline’s non-core operations to ensure transparency and efficiency within business units
• Map all business processes to ensure compliance to new operating model and SAP standard
• Manage the chart of accounts 

Compliance

• Ensure compliance with the, King III, Companies Act, International Financial Reporting Standards, Public Finance Management Act of 1999 and its relevant applicable amendments
• Form part of PFMA committee to ensure Finance Compliance
• Accounting and tax updates

General

• Assist in Finance and ad hoc projects/queries as required from time to time
• Lead and drive continuous optimisation programmes and initiatives for the department 

Qualifications & Experience    

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or Commerce at NQF level 7 is essential
• Qualified Chartered Accountant CA(SA) qualification is a prerequisite
• 10 - 12 years’ experience in a Financial environment of which at least 8 is at a Senior Management/Executive level

Knowledge and Skills    

• Sound working knowledge of IFRS particularly as it pertains to the airline business
• Sound working knowledge and extensive experience with IT systems such as MS Excel, SAP (FI/GL/CO/SRM)
• Extensive and detailed knowledge of the Airline accounting systems, policies and procedures, including sound knowledge of the Airline chart of accounts, company codes and cost centres structures
• Strategic thinking
• Analytical and problem solving skills
• Business communication skills
• Leadership skills
• Accounting skills
• Time management skills

Attributes    

• Leads with courage
• Leads high performance teams
• Coaches and mentors
• Leads transformation and change
• Drives innovation
• Visionary and inspirational leader
• Cultural and inclusive leader

Additional Information    

• SAA uses an online recruitment tool. Applicants are required to complete an individual 

Deadline:6th October,2026