Head of Finance - Supersonic Enterprise Management at MTN

 Key Performance Areas

Key focus areas:

• Ensure that the supersonic Finance division is run efficiently and effectively and in an agile manner to support business process and speed of execution
• Track and monitor operational and financial KPIs daily, weekly and monthly as per area specific requirements and advise on impacts on financial KPI’s, suggesting corrective action
• Ensure internal financial controls are designed appropriately and are effective for each financial year, in order to support regulatory reporting 
• Ensure there are processes and tools in place to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of monthly income statement reporting, cash flow and working capital statements; and take ownership of the accuracy of these results
• Accurate, detailed and on time monthly, quarterly and annual reporting to key stakeholders 
• Ensure that there are systems and capabilities in place to enable accurate, complete, authorised and valid transactions, ensuring compliance to Supersonics'/ 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

Finance Operations (systems, processes, and procedures)

• Ensure financial control procedures are operationalised in all spheres of the business.
• Ongoing review of internal processes and procedures for improvements and processing efficiency, ensuring the team are processing effectively with the tools provided and that operating issues are escalated and followed through for resolution.
• Take ownership for end-to-end process and service delivery, ensuring complete and up to date process documentation.
• Ensure that benchmarking is conducted with other companies and organisations within and outside the industry. 

Billing and Collections

• Manage the billing and collections process to ensure accuracy and efficiency, using best practise policy and procedures.
• Define a billing process that will ensure billing is consistent, accurate, timely and seamless.
• Ensure automated, accurate credit note creation and approval from correct credit note preparation and processing including reviewing reasons for credit note and eliminating inefficiencies in the billing process.
• Manage and report on any billing exceptions.
• Implement collections and recovery strategies, managing the end-to-end collections and recoveries process as well as write-offs
• Terminate relationships with customers who have defaulted as per policies, evaluating, and changing policies to drive efficiencies and savings.
• Ensure automated clearing of cash against invoice and correct application of unapplied receipts.
• Ensure improved Management Reporting of received payments.
• Manage debt collection agencies in line with SLAs to ensure they obtain settlements and activate payments.

Procurement and payments

• Manage the Accounts Payable area, ensuring the most efficient process is adopted for automated invoice processing, and payments runs are managed in a way that optimises the working capital profile of Supersonic.
• Ensure that staff do accurate and timely payments (rule based) to suppliers.
• Ensure that signatory limits are created and adhered to
• Ensure that all procurement processes, procedures and policies are in place, updated and adhered to. 
• Assure the review of automated recons to ensure that invoices are properly recorded and matched
• Ensure automated aged creditor reports (with real time visibility) and aged debtor reports are regularly reviewed and areas of risk are identified and communicated to Supersonic exco with actions agreed for resolution.

Inventory

• Ensure Real time accurate inventory reporting is available for business owners.
• Ensure Standardised & Automated Inventory Reconciliation and Accounting 
• Ensure stock reporting is accurate and up to date on the balance sheet.

Payroll

• Oversee the staff payroll expenses and track against budget
• Work closely with Senior Manager HR on all payroll and staff matters

Banking

• Develop an appropriate banking operations strategy and operating model that is appropriate for Supersonic and minimises risk.
• Ensure that all banking operational processes, procedures and policies are in place, updated and adhered to.
• Oversee the management of cash, cash flow planning, bank accounts and loans to assure funds to finance the business now and in the future.
• Manage relationships with bankers.
• Ensure that automated reconciliations are prepared for all bank accounts.
• Manage real time Cash management.

Reporting

• Drive the audit of the annual financial statements.
• Ensure the balance sheet is supported by reconciliations.
• Ensure the month end close processes are documented, standardised and effective in support of adherence to Internal financial controls.
• Ensure IFRS expertise exist to ensure that transactions are accounted for in line with accounting standards.
• Ensure the timely income statement report is consolidated and distributed to the relevant budget owners.
• Assure the authorisation and verification of journals.
• Ensure a robust reconciliation and control environment. Identifying risk areas and implementing processes to mitigate.
• Analyse costs (drivers, drawing insights and preparing explanatory narratives). 
• Ensure Accruals and provisions are calculated and appropriately supported 

Commissions Management

• Approve commission calculations and payments to agents, while tracking referral payments and agent deductions.
• Audit commission records in the accounting system
• Collaborate with sales managers and other support teams to offer outstanding support to the dealer channel.

Compliance

• Apply accounting concepts within end-to-end processes.
• Responsible for Supersonic’s internal financial control environment 
• Provide management assurance of the effectiveness of the internal financial control environment.
• Take responsibility for ensuring that appropriate risk management processes, policies and procedures are in place and are effective, for the broader finance function.
• Develop monthly reports for Exco, Audit Committee and Board on the financial control environment and other matters as and when required.
• Take responsibility for ensuring the accuracy of the accounting and control information contained in the organisation’s accounting systems.
• Update, review and document financial policies and procedures 
• Ensure reconciliations are being performed for all the Balance Sheet and income statement line items
• Take responsibility for working with Internal audit and closing out internal audit findings.
• Facilitate the resolution of all internal and external audit points across the business
• Own and complete the running of external audits 

People Leadership and Organisational Capability Building

• Act as an ambassador and role model for Finance by living the brand values and vital behaviours.
• Ensure a culture of continuous evaluation and improvement.
• Drive a culture of high performance, accountability, and consequence management.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build collaborative relationships with key stakeholders 

Supervisory / Leadership / Managerial Complexity: 

• Provide team leadership including providing targets and measures of productivity.  Take responsibility for the performance management of the finance team. 
• Accountable for a customer centric culture 
• Handle underperformance timely and effectively and recognise good performance and reward best people
• Break the communication silos and foster team collaboration.

Required Skills & Capabilities 

• Ability to design and implement and present effective finance strategies.
• 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
• Experience in working within the ISP (preferable), Tech, or Telecoms Industry
• High attention to detail and ability to adapt to change/flexibility
• Experience with Sage advantageous
• Work better and smarter for cost savings  

Key Metrics 

• KPIs implemented
• Costs control and efficiency savings 
• Compliance to company procedures and legislative requirements (where applicable) 
• Timeous, detailed and accurate monthly results, business cash-flow and working capital requirements delivered
• Liaising with auditors on all matters as applicable 
• Accurate and timeous payment suppliers 
• Effective policies and procedures for financial control 

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Minimum of 4-year tertiary qualification Finance 
• CIMA or CA(SA)
• MBA/ Masters advantageous
• Membership of an Accounting- or financial regulatory body

Experience:

• Medium Corporate commercial accounting experience (at least 10 years) with last 3 years working with Board/ exco/senior management, in the relevant sector/ industry as per relevant role.
• People leadership experience
• Obtained experience in different areas of the finance function in a business
• 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.
• Previous experience and proven track record to create and maintain robust controls within a finance function
• Passion for automation and building efficient processes
• Excellent communication and writing skills
• Attention to detail

Control/Risk oriented mindset