Group Finance Manager – FP&A (Durban North) at Aspen Pharma Group

JOB PURPOSE:

• To provide Group-level financial planning, oversight and performance analysis across Aspen’s business units and group functions. The role will ensure a partnership between the sites and Group leadership to strengthen financial performance, planning, working capital, costing, investment decisions, reporting accuracy and governance, while driving consistent finance practices across all sites. Provide support to the Senior Group Finance Executive on strategic initiatives, as required.

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS:

Business financial performance management and support

• Monitor and evaluate the financial performance across business units and functions.
• Identify material performance risks, opportunities, trends and corrective actions.
• Provide clear financial insight into revenue, margin, costs, profitability, working capital, operational efficiency and value creation.
• Challenge assumptions and support management decisions through evidence-based analysis and scenario modelling.
• Participate in relevant business performance and strategic decision-making forums.

Planning, forecasting and long-term analysis

• Coordinate and review annual budgets, forecasts and five-year financial plans.
• Ensure that financial plans align with Group objectives and site business strategies.
• Evaluate key assumptions, risks and opportunities.
• Monitor actual performance against approved plans and facilitate corrective action where required.

Reporting and financial oversight

• Review monthly, quarterly, half-year and year-end business performance reporting.
• Ensure that financial information and management commentary are accurate, complete, consistent and reflective of underlying business performance.
• Contribute to Group performance reporting and Board packs ensuring business performance is adequately reflected.
• Review relevant gross margin reconciliations, any adjustments processed and reporting outcomes.
• Act as the Group Finance point of contact for technical and operational finance matters.

Strategic analysis costing, working capital and investment

• Provide financial assessments and support for strategic projects, investments, acquisitions, restructurings and discontinuations, as applicable.
• Evaluate capital expenditure, strategic contracts, business cases and project returns using appropriate financial methodologies.
• Support prioritisation and allocation of capital and operating resources in line with Group strategy and value-creation objectives.
• Track and support the reporting of the financial delivery, benefits and risks of approved investments and strategic initiatives.
• Support initiatives to optimise profitability, cash generation and invested working capital.

Governance, risk and financial control

• Continuously review and monitor the effectiveness of relevant financial controls across business units.
• Ensure compliance with Group financial policies, accounting standards and governance requirements.
• Oversee internal and external financial audits relating to the identified business units.
• Monitor corrective actions and escalate significant control or compliance issues.
• Prepare or support finance-related submissions requiring executive management or Board approval.

Standardisation and continuous improvement

• Identify opportunities to integrate, standardise, simplify and automate FP&A processes, models, systems and reporting.
• Improve the quality, consistency and efficiency of planning, forecasting and management reporting across the Group.
• Develop common definitions, templates, methodologies and performance measures where appropriate.
• Support Tax, Treasury, IT, Group Reporting and other relevant functions on cross-functional initiatives.

Stakeholder management

• Build effective relationships with Group leadership, business unit and regional finance teams, functional leaders and other stakeholders.
• Influence corrective actions and follow through on agreed commitments.
• Communicate complex financial matters clearly to financial and non-financial stakeholders.

Requirements
FORMAL QUALIFICATION:

• Chartered Accountant, CA(SA), or an appropriate equivalent professional finance qualification.
• SAICA member, or an appropriate finance professional body membership
• Post-qualification experience in financial management, financial planning and analysis or operational finance of at least 5-years

SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE:

• Demonstrated experience in budgeting, forecasting, long-term planning, performance management, management reporting and business partnering.
• Experience translating financial and operational data into clear insights, recommendations and actions for senior management.
• Experience in costing, gross margin analysis, working capital, inventory and capital investment evaluation.
• Experience working with senior management and global stakeholders.
• Experience evaluating strategic initiatives, capital investments, business cases and project returns.
• Pharmaceutical or regulated manufacturing experience is preferred.
• Experience supporting governance, audit and control remediation processes.
• Good knowledge of statutory requirements, tax legislation; IFRS and variance analysis.
• Knowledge of underlying commercial and manufacturing business processes.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to break down and simplify the business into manageable components which can be measured and optimised.
• Ability to review business processes and structures with a view to optimise efficiencies and the cost of doing business.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint, with experience using ERP, consolidation, planning and business intelligence systems.
• Ability to operate effectively where information is incomplete or changing.

SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES:

• Strategic thinking combined with strong attention to detail
• Commercial judgement, analytical thinking and structured problem solving
• Constructive challenge and professional attitude
• Clear written, verbal, report-writing and presentation skills
• Ability to influence stakeholders and decisions without direct authority
• Planning, prioritisation and disciplined delivery
• Resilience, adaptability, integrity and accountability
• Collaboration across functions, business units and geographies
• Continuous improvement, standardisation and digital enablement orientation