Senior Specialist: PPB Planning at Absa South Africa

Job Summary

• Personal and Private Banking (PPB) Financial Decision Support (FDS) supports decision making within PPB through the provision of relevant financial information and analysis at a PPB level.
• PPB FDS aim is to deliver strategic insights into PPB based on historic trends as well as forward-looking ambitions. The strategic value of robust financial analysis cannot be overstated.
• By offering a clear picture of the organisation’s financial health and performance, FDS enables PPB ExCo and Group most senior leadership to identify strengths, weaknesses and growth opportunities.
• This analysis extends beyond simple financial metrics, incorporating broader market trends and competitive dynamics to provide a holistic view of the business landscape.
• This role is a specialist role within the Planning team within wider PPB FDS team.

The Planning team is responsible for:

• The overall financial planning across PPB (preparation and review of forecasts and short- and medium-term budgets that inform the Integrated Plan including restatements and rebase of plan where required).
• Preparation of key financial reports including commentary for use by, PPB ExCo and the Absa Group Exco and Board.
• Analysis of competitors, trends, revenues, new products/businesses etc.
• Ad hoc analysis and research, often related to presentations to Exco and other senior management.

Job Description

Key Accountabilities

• Accountability: Manage and execute the following deliverables to Exco and other members of senior management in collaboration with teammates, wider FDS team and with the support of business unit financial decision support teams, risk colleagues and treasury colleagues:
• Project management and analysis of key planning deliverables throughout the year: revised annual forecasts (RAF), outlooks, short-term and medium-term plans (STP and MTP), stress testing and integrated plan outputs
• Monthly and quarterly key financial reports on financial performance
• Competitor analysis
• Research projects - gathering financial data and creating insightful, decision useful analysis and thought pieces
• Other ad hoc projects and presentations
• Financial scenario analysis and stress testing
• Consolidating financial information for senior management
• Attend meetings to assist executives to understand and complete their tasks to achieve team goals

Accountability: RAF and STP review packs

• Assess the attainability and reasonability of the various budgets and forecasts put forward by comparing them to market expectations, past performance and management expectations. Reliance is not simply placed on the numbers themselves but utilisation of various key metrics (return on regulatory capital, return on equity, cost-to-income, JAWS, etc.) is essential. 
• Compile review packs for submission to Exco and any other relevant committee. The pack together with commentary is necessary to provide a sounds basis on which the budget is approved.
• Interact with other departments such as Treasury, Risk and Group Tax may be necessary to provide comfort and assurance that the more technical aspects of submissions (e.g. funding plan impacts, risk-weighted assets and leverage) have been scrutinized and appear reasonable given the Groups economic outlook.undefined

Accountability: Ad-hoc requirements/submissions

• Execute ad-hoc queries that are dependent on external and internal requirements and vary considerably throughout the year.
• Attend various committee meetings in which one will use their understanding of e.g. margins, impairment trends or economic understanding to provide a valuable contribution. In some instances, the contribution will be on a discussion basis and in others a submission to the committee is required.
• Provide other departments (Productivity Office, Office of the CE’s, Treasury, etc.) with a range of information (analysis, forecasts and actual financial data etc) to perform their respective tasks. The information supplied may need to be package in a different format to make it relevant for their respective needs. An understanding of the roll-up structures within the Absa business and good financial understanding is vital in this instance to avoid misrepresenting information.
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• Accountability: Interim and year-end reporting (twice a year)
• Compile competitor analysis which compares the Group’s performance to peers.
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• Accountability: Cluster Relationship Manager (CRM) roles
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•  Perform all other duties as reasonably assigned
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• People Investment Accountabilities
• Peer responsibility: Coach, inspire, engage, mentor and develop finance and business savvy leaders.
• Play to our A-Game culture of inclusivity, diversity, entrepreneurship, and ownership.
• Network with finance colleagues across Group Finance and create awareness of challenges, opportunities and issues and encourage collaboration
• Focus on finance skills evolution and remaining relevant.
• Maintaining and strengthening relationships with key stakeholders across the organisation, e.g. Group and BU Financial Resource Management, Group and BU Risk, Group Treasury Finance, Finance Business Partners and Financial Decision Support Heads.
• Peer responsibility: Coach, inspire, engage, mentor and develop finance and business savvy leaders.
• Play to our A-Game culture of inclusivity, diversity, entrepreneurship, and ownership.
• Network with finance colleagues across Group Finance and create awareness of challenges, opportunities and issues and encourage collaboration
• Focus on finance skills evolution and remaining relevant.
• Maintaining and strengthening relationships with key stakeholders across the organisation, e.g. Group and BU Financial Resource Management, Group and BU Risk, Group Treasury Finance, Finance Business Partners and Financial Decision Support Heads.

​​​​​​​Role / Person Specification

Qualifications and experience:

• B Com degree with Honours of Masters (major in Accounting, Financial Management or Economics)
• CA SA / CIMA (5-8 years post qualifying)
• Non-CA SA / CIMA (7-10 years’ experience in Financial Services organisation)
• Able to work effectively across a multi-service Financial Services organisation
• Previous exposure to financial management reporting in a financial services organisation

Knowledge and skills:

• Financial Accounting
• Report writing
• Analytical skills
• Self-driven and good interpersonal skills
• Attention to detail
• Deadline driven
• Advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills
• Experience in handling big data and landing process efficiency projects
• Some knowledge of dashboards and PowerBI
• Knowledge of financial markets
• Knowledge of economics

Competencies:

• Deciding and initiating action
• Learning and researching
• Entrepreneurial and commercial thinking
• Relating and networking
• Adapting and responding to change
• Persuading and influencing
• Creating and innovating

Education

• Postgraduate Degrees and Professional Qualifications: Financial Sciences (Required)

End Date: October 24, 2025