General Manager - Finance Operations – Shared Services Finance at MTN

JOB DESCRIPTION

• Highly dynamic and fluctuating Telecommunications industry 
• Highly competitive market with new and established competitors  
• Fast moving industry 
• Legislative requirements 
• Interdependency of systems and the need to understand other systems 
• High focus on customer service – internal customers
• Demanding and continually changing needs of MTN external customers need to be understood 
• Need for continuous change and innovation in delivering shared services in the most affordable and effective method
• Changing and dynamic MTN group requirements requiring service readiness and excellence
• Continuous need for digitising the operations

Key Performance Areas: Core, essential responsibilities / outputs of the position (KPA's)
Summary:

• Develop and execute on the shared services strategy for MTN SA
• Ensure that shared services run efficiently and effectively, and in an agile manner that supports business process and speed of execution
• Design, track and monitor operational KPIs daily, weekly and monthly as per area specific requirements 
• Review and monitor operational KPIs, looking for trends, identifying improvements, isolating areas of concern and implementing corrective actions timeously.
• Review and monitor SLAs with internal customers and external service providers
• Ensure internal controls and internal financial controls are designed appropriately and are effective throughout each financial year, in order to support regulatory reporting such as JSE listing requirements
• Ensure there are processes and tools in place to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of controls, and that these are monitored periodically
• Drive a culture that enables the business and customer focus
• Ensure that there are systems and capabilities in place to enable accurate, complete, authorised and valid transactions, ensuring compliance to MTN SA/ MTN Group policies, and relevant accounting standards and best practices
• Ensure that all finance operational processes, procedures and policies are in place, updated and adhered to the execution of operations
• Ensure effective financial period end close  
• Responsible for managing the external audit process
• Ensure clean external and internal audit findings
• Ensure controls are in place and are effective to minimise fraud
• Ensure the shared services organisation is able to provide services to MTN SA and MTN group in the most cost-efficient manner
• Identify operational risks and proactively develop and manage mitigation plans 

Asset Accounting

• Oversees the asset accounting function – provide strategy, framework and guidance for Inventory management, fixed assets and lease management to ensure real time reporting and adequate controls

Finance Operations (systems, processes, and procedures)

• Provide strategy, guidance and support to ensure financial control procedures are operationalised in all spheres of the business
• Liaise with other areas of the business to discuss system changes to ensure optimal functionality of the system
• Generate proposals for processing improvements and new technologies to suit the needs of the department, improving processing efficiencies and the control framework.
• Ensure process delivery with expected service objectives and quality
• Take ownership for end-to-end process and service delivery
• Solve escalated operational issues and act to prevent it in future
• Bring constructive, challenging ideas to drive Process standardisation and take ownership of the agreed actions
• Identify Business Improvement and Optimisation opportunities that will result in improvement of process performance 
• Ensure that benchmarking is conducted with other companies and organisations within and outside the industry. 
• Oversees the effective functioning of Procure to Pay and Cash book payments, Payroll and Operational Banking 

Sub-Ledger Close and General ledger

• Ensure the audit of all sub-processes is maintained out of the financial operations organisation
• Provide strategy, guidance and framework for the sub-ledger and general ledger

Inter-company transactions (local and international)

• Provide the framework for intercompany transaction to ensure all intercompany transaction are in line with policies, and supported by loan agreements where applicable
• Ensure tax requirements are adhered to for intercompany transactions 
• Drive adherence to OPCO policies in terms of systems, processes and procedures.
• Ensure recovery of intercompany balances owing to MTN SA
• Ensure all strategic projects that involve MTN Group Operating Companies are supported by approved cross charging models and agreements where SA is a counterparty
• Ensure that all intercompany transactions processes, procedures, and policies are in place, updated and adhered to 
•  Partner with the Accounting team to research and respond to commissions inquiries CC

Compliance

• Provide strategy, guidance and framework for internal financial control, governance, risk management and compliance.
• Take responsibility for ensuring that appropriate risk management processes, policies and procedures are in place and are effective, for the broader finance organisation
• Support the CFO in automated reporting to Exco, Audit Committee and Board on the financial control environment and other matters as and when required
• Take responsibility for the JSE attestation on Internal Financial Controls for year end reporting or as and when required
• Take responsibility for ensuring the accuracy of the accounting and control information contained in the organisation’s accounting systems 
• Support the CFO & Executives in developing and delivering the organisation’s financial and business strategy 
• Continuously review financial, control and management information systems and procedures, implementing improvements across the organisation in consultation with the CFO & Executive 
• Update, review and document the organisation’s financial policies and procedures 
• Ensure accuracy of financial and related information held outside the finance systems, such as by HR, membership, or in programme budgeting systems
• Ensure the development of a framework to conduct data quality audits 
• Design and implement overall governance frameworks, definitions, and controls over financial BI environments 
• Ensure controls are in place and are effective to minimise fraud
• Review MTN exposure to operational risk now and in the future, and advise accordingly
• Take accountability for Controls Self Assessments in the broader Finance organisation
• Facilitate the resolution of all internal and external audit points across the business
• Support running and completion of external audits 

Operational effectiveness enhancement Projects - FinOps 

• Determine, document, and review requirements for projects within the scope of the FinOps value stream or impacting processes and systems 
• Develop and ensure  the execution of agreed projects 
• Drive the implementation, tracking, monitoring and compliance of Projects 
• Manage project and initiative risks 
• Perform post implementation review of projects 
• Perform benefit realisation reviews of implemented projects

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build collaborative relationships with key stakeholders to understand their requirements 
• Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders to ensure business performance management and business analysis needs are understood and supported.
• Communicate relevant progress and achievements to stakeholders on a regular basis to manage their expectations. 
• Ensure that all deployed business capabilities are successfully adopted by our stakeholders. 
• Develop comprehensive change management strategies, approaches and plans that are tailored to effectively transition through change.
• Support the financial control teams on issue management, improving controls and understanding on AP and AR processes, discussing, and changing as required to business change

RESPONSIBILITIES
Required Skills & Capabilities e.g. teaching, report writing or specific skills/abilities such as computing or the ability to work without supervision

• Ability to design and implement effective finance operational strategies 
• Ability to drive large scale and complex change
• Entrepreneurial drive, willingness to take responsibility, high ambition, and the ability to achieve goals collaboratively
• Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills to effectively collaborate with internal and external stakeholders
• Effective and excellent report writing skills
• Understanding of Business Process Ownership (BPO)/ERP/System Integration and how to procure these systems
• Adept management of executive teams and encouraging buy in to the shift in focus and culture 
• Experience in working within the Tech, Media, and Telecoms Industry
• Ability to plan, organise and prioritise workload, including co-ordinating with others and ensuring that statutory and other deadlines are met. 
• Work as part of a team and independently to deliver a common goal or objective 
• Ability to deal with difficult situations and make decisions on the best course of action
• Excellent technology skills including ERP, Automation and Cognitive Tools, Reporting Tools, etc.
• Proficiency in relationship building, networking, persuasion, and influential skills. Excellent verbal, written communication, and negotiation skills
• Change Management
• Decisive and can prioritise 
• Able to coach less experienced colleagues to improve their learning curve
• High attention to detail and ability to adapt to change/flexibility
• Experience with Oracle. Ensure that correct systems are available for staff to perform duties 
• Work better and smarter for cost savings 
• Explore innovative ways to automate as much as possible. Cognitive Automation; Automation – RPA (assessment and design); Machine learning
• Find ways to provide a faster and more effective service – initiate special projects 
• Benchmark across the industry as well as and other industries, which will facilitate the input of strategic insights into new developments 
• Establish sound relationships with banks 
• Steward & Operator
• Data Management (incl. big data)
• Understanding big data tools and technology
• Monitoring and visualisation of Drivers & KPIs
• Process assessment and redesign 
• Lean, Business Process Re-engineering

Key Metrics 

• Performance manage framework
• KPIs implemented
• Costs control and efficiency savings 
• Compliance to company procedures and legislative requirements (where applicable) 
• Customer satisfaction (360° evaluation)
• Internal financial controls effective
• Business cash-flow requirements are met 
• Liaising with auditors on all matters as applicable 
• Accurate and timeous payment of staff and suppliers 
• Effective policies and procedures for financial control 
• Ensure that correct systems are available for staff to perform their duties 

QUALIFICATIONS
Education:

• CIMA or CA(SA) – NQF level 7
• MBA/ Masters advantageous
• Membership of an Accounting- or financial regulatory body

Experience:

• Experience in leading finance operations/ shared services (at least 5 years) with last 3 years working with Board/ exco/senior management, in the relevant sector/ industry as per relevant role 
• People leadership experience in a shared services environment
• Experience in leading large transformations
• Experience in creating and executing strategy
• Experience working in a global/multinational enterprise (understanding emerging markets advantageous) 
• Worked across diverse cultures and geographies 
• Obtained varied experience/ experience in different areas of the business
• Excellent people management skills in a high-volume finance processing environment
• Experience of managing and delivering change in operational finance environment, able to operate at pace in a fast-changing complex environment to manage competing priorities effectively
• Expert in Performance management using KPIs, SLAs and how to monitor end-user satisfaction 
• Experience of building and maintaining effective and complex stakeholder relationships and networks, including the ability to quickly build quality relationships with an ability to influence at very senior level
• Inspiring leadership, with the ability to build teams and provide direction harnessing the talents of people and creating an inclusive, ambitious, outward-facing and professional work environment
• Previous experience and proven track record of new process design and system implementation for a centralised finance function, including automation of processes
• Previous experience and proven track record to create and maintain robust controls within centralised finance operations
• Passion for automation and building efficient processes
• Excellent communication and writing skills
• Attention to detail