Head of Finance (JHB North) at Kagiso Media

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

 Finance Leadership & Finance Function Build

• Lead the finance function, ensuring financial integrity, sustainability and scalability.
• Establish the finance operating model, including structure, responsibilities, resources and outsourced versus internal activities.
• Develop and maintain finance policies, procedures, delegations of authority and financial governance frameworks.
• Establish efficient month-end, reporting, budgeting, forecasting and financial review processes.
• Continuously assess the effectiveness and scalability of the finance function and implement improvements.

Financial Planning, Performance & Commercial Finance

• Lead annual budgeting, forecasting, long-term financial planning and scenario analysis.
• Develop meaningful financial and commercial KPIs for management and the Board.
• Analyse revenue, margins, costs, profitability, cash flow and business performance.
• Develop financial models and business cases for strategic, operational and commercial initiatives.
• Partner with the CEO and commercial leadership to evaluate growth opportunities, pricing, investment and cost decisions.
• Identify opportunities to improve revenue, margins, productivity, cash generation and cost efficiency.
• Translate financial information into clear commercial insights and actions.
• Establish reporting timetables, ownership and escalation protocols for management and regulatory reporting.
• Ensure timely, accurate and consistent financial reporting to the CEO, leadership team, Board and relevant stakeholders.

Systems, Data & Finance Technology

• Assess the existing technology environment and identify finance and business-process gaps.
• Define requirements for accounting, billing, collections, payments, procurement, expense management, payroll and management reporting systems.
• Lead the evaluation, selection, implementation and optimisation of appropriate financial and business systems.
• Ensure systems are secure, controlled, appropriately integrated and capable of supporting increased transaction volumes, reporting complexity and regulatory obligations as the company scales.
• Establish appropriate financial data structures, reporting and management information.
• Reduce reliance on manual processes and uncontrolled spreadsheets through appropriate automation and systemisation.
• Work with technology and operational teams to ensure financial requirements are appropriately reflected in system design and configuration.

Financial Controls, Policies, Processes & Risk Management

• Design and implement a comprehensive financial control framework appropriate for the business.
• Develop and maintain policies and procedures covering key financial and operational processes.
• Establish appropriate approval, authorisation, segregation-of-duties and access controls.
• Implement effective reconciliations, exception reporting and financial monitoring.
• Identify and mitigate financial, operational, fraud and process risks.
• Establish fraud prevention and detection measures to safeguard company assets.
• Periodically assess whether the overall control framework remains proportionate, effective and aligned with the scale and complexity of the business.
• Review affected process flows and controls whenever products, systems, regulatory requirements or the operating model change.
• Test the effectiveness of implemented controls, track deficiencies and drive remediation to closure.
• Work with business owners to embed controls into day-to-day operations and ensure clear ownership and accountability.
• Maintain process narratives, flowcharts, control matrices and standard operating procedures that clearly record process ownership, control objectives, evidence requirements and escalation paths.
• Configure preventive and detective controls within systems and operational workflows for identified high-risk processes.
• Identify key control points, risks, control gaps, dependencies and opportunities for process improvement across the business.
• Map, document and continuously improve end-to-end business and financial processes, including their inputs, outputs, responsibilities, systems, decision points, risks and key controls.

Accounting, Tax, Regulatory & Governance

• Assume responsibility for accurate and timely accounting and financial reporting.
• Ensure compliance with applicable accounting, tax, insurance, corporate governance and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain appropriate regulatory and compliance reporting calendars and evidence.
• Ensure appropriate accounting treatment and documentation for material and complex transactions.
• Provide financial input into governance, risk and regulatory matters.
• Maintain appropriate financial records, audit trails and supporting documentation.

Cash Flow & Working Capital Management

• Establish robust cash-flow forecasting and cash-management processes.
• Manage working capital and collections performance.
• Monitor liquidity, cash conversion and funding requirements, and maintain contingency plans for identified shortfalls.
• Establish appropriate controls over payments and cash disbursements.
• Provide early warning of forecast liquidity shortfalls and recommend appropriate funding, collection or expenditure actions.

Audit & Financial Reporting

• Oversee the annual external audit process and ensure timely resolution of audit matters.
• Prepare and present accurate financial statements and management reports to the CEO, Board and relevant stakeholders.
• Present key financial metrics, insights, risks and performance indicators to management and governance structures.
• Ensure financial reporting is accurate, timely, relevant and decision-useful.

Business Partnering & Executive Advisory

• Act as a trusted financial advisor to the CEO and leadership team.
• Challenge assumptions and provide independent financial and commercial insight.
• Evaluate the financial implications of strategic and operational decisions.
• Identify emerging financial and commercial risks and recommend appropriate actions.
• Build strong relationships across the business and embed financial discipline into decision-making.

Stakeholder and Relationship Management

• Coordinate cross-functional stakeholders to drive implementation of finance, systems, control and process initiatives.
• Manage expectations, resolve issues proactively and ensure stakeholders receive accurate and timely information.
• Communicate financial, commercial, risk and regulatory matters clearly to stakeholders with different levels of financial expertise.
• Act as a credible and trusted finance representative of the business in internal and external engagements.
• Manage relationships with external stakeholders, including shareholders, regulators, auditors, professional advisers, insurers, brokers, banking partners and technology providers, ensuring that finance-related commitments, information requirements and issues are addressed accurately and promptly.

Finance Team & Capability

• Build and develop a fit-for-purpose finance team as the business scales.
• Establish appropriate performance expectations, accountability and development plans.
• Determine the appropriate mix of internal capability, technology and external service providers.
• Build a culture of financial discipline, commercial thinking, ownership and continuous improvement.

Requirements

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• A CA(SA), CIMA/CGMA, or equivalent recognised professional accounting qualification is preferred. A qualified actuary (AMASSA or FASSA) may also be considered where the candidate has demonstrated finance leadership, financial reporting, commercial finance and control experience. An additional qualification or substantive experience in insurance, financial services, risk or actuarial environments will be advantageous.
• At least five years of relevant post-qualification experience in a finance management or senior finance role, preferably within financial services, insurance or a similarly regulated environment. Candidates who completed accounting articles should have at least five years of post-articles experience.

 SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Demonstrated experience leading or building a finance function in a start-up, growth or transformation environment.
• Strong financial accounting, management accounting, FP&A and cash-flow management capability.
• Strong commercial acumen and ability to partner with executive and commercial teams.
• Experience designing and implementing finance policies, processes, controls and governance frameworks.
• Experience implementing, integrating and optimising finance and operational systems in a comparable business, including systems for financial accounting and reporting, together with systems supporting revenue, billing and collections, procurement, payments, expense management, payroll and other operational processes.
• Working knowledge of the insurance regulatory environment, applicable reporting requirements and relevant industry practices, with the ability to obtain specialist input where required.
• Strong understanding of accounting principles, financial reporting, tax and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Strong stakeholder management, interpersonal, communication, influencing and presentation skills.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end finance and business systems architecture, including interfaces, master data, automated workflows, access controls and reconciliations across accounting, revenue, procurement and operational platforms, with the ability to translate business requirements into scalable system solutions.
• Demonstrated experience managing, developing and holding finance team members and external service providers accountable for agreed deliverables.
• A hands-on, entrepreneurial and solutions-oriented approach.