NO/TEMPCFO/21/04/2026 National Office – Temporary Chief Financial Officer at Legal Aid South Africa

KEY OUTPUTS

• Accountable for leading the Finance agenda within Legal Aid SA in support of the business strategy by providing fiscal leadership to the organisation.
• Oversee a business partnering model, supporting business priorities through the embedding of world-class financial management methodologies and achievement of functional integration where robust financial management is anchored in the DNA of the business.
• Participate as a member of the Executive Management Committee with a specific focus on financial management, governance and how financial resources are best leveraged to deliver the overall business objectives in a financially sustainable manner.
• Provide strategic support to the Accounting Officer, Executive Management and the Accounting Authority (Board) in the implementation of processes in the development of the Legal Aid SA Strategic Plan, MTEF, ENE and annual budgets.
• Develop, reinforce and implement strategies, programmes and systems that will give effect to the sound financial performance of the organisation.
• Lead the embedding and successful execution of common Legal Aid SA Financial Management policies, processes and practices and influence the appropriate application of organisation-wide standards of excellence in compliance with SA Standards of GRAP, the PFMA and other financial reporting standards and best practices.
• Take a leadership role within the organisation and act as a senior Financial Management business partner to the business, providing recommendations to strategically enhance the current and future financial performance of the organisation.
• Advise and support the Accounting Officer and Executive Management on the financial implications of business activities in the execution of their functions in terms of the PFMA and other relevant legislation.
• Build and execute a roadmap for how the Finance Department will continue to improve and provide value to the organisation.
• Develop a meaningful Financial Management Strategy that supports the organisation’s achievement of long-term objectives and manages and mitigates strategic financial risks.
• Raise the Financial Management banner within the organisation, through continuous improvement, functional excellence and business partnership.
• Manage and control expenditure to ensure that the organisation has a sound accounting and payments system to detect and prevent fraud and allow for accurate financial reporting.
• Preparation of the Annual Financial Statements and management of external audits.
• Introduce finance metrics that will guide leadership in measuring and managing organisational performance in relation to sustainable and efficient financial outcomes.
• Oversee the management of Finance Operations (Debtors (Accounts Receivable) and Creditors (Accounts Payable) Management, Fixed Assets Management, Supply Chain Management, Investment Management, Bank & Trust Fund Account Management, Payroll Management, Property Portfolio Management and Corporate Administration).
• Ensure the achievement of efficiencies, legislative compliance (PFMA, GRAP and other relevant legislation) and mitigation of operational risks.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS & COMPETENCIES (SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ATTRIBUTES)

• Postgraduate qualification in Finance or Accounting studies.
• Ten (10) years of financial management experience in the professional services sector, of which at least five (5) years are as the CFO or equivalent.
• A Chartered Accountant (SA), currently registered with SAICA.
• A highly respected senior Finance Manager with broad and deep experience who has taken a leading role in driving world-class financial management processes across a national footprint or within a large, complex organisation.
• Experience within a public-funded entity is essential in assisting the incumbent to drive a good governance approach in compliance with the PFMA.
• King V Code on Corporate Governance.
• Strong knowledge of the core financial management disciplines and how to implement and leverage these within a complex business:
• Budgeting and Financial Reporting, Supply Chain Management, Debtors and Creditors Management, Fixed Assets Management, Cash Flow and Expenditure Management, Investment Management, Trust Fund Administration, Risk Management and Payroll Management.
• Able to create “functional integration” of the financial management function across a national footprint.
• Ability to benchmark operations and work with Senior Management to implement financial management best practices within the organisation.
• Able to partner with the core business to support the achievement of strategic objectives through effective financial management processes.
• Effective working relationship with the Executive Management Committee, Management Committee and Board.
• Ability to provide sound advice on governance and financial management to the Executive Management and Board.
• Excellent organisational and leadership skills and business acumen.
• Ability to deal with ambiguity, meet demanding deadlines and manage projects.
• Experience in building effective working relationships with the National Treasury and the Auditor-General of South Africa.
• Experience in strategic planning and execution is preferred.
• A sophisticated, analytically astute style that can broker collaboration and display judgment.
• Project management experience is essential.
• Business imperative.
• Multiple stakeholders at various levels of government, including the National Treasury and Parliament.
• Complexity in managing across boundaries and a national footprint.
• Managing with various levels of sophistication and decisiveness.
• Management of financial activities across a national matrix.
• Management of difficulties in driving the financial compliance imperatives in a decentralised environment.
• Management of and participation in multiple cross-functional teams.
• Integration across all business units.