Job Openings at BP International

Job Description:

• The Advisor will support the Senior ARC Manager who will work closely with Vice Presidents (and Senior Vice Presidents) of Accounting Reporting and Control to drive the central finance strategy and policy and be a trusted advisor to the Finance and Business Leadership teams. The Advisor will work closely with the local finance and business team to craft and deploy our finance strategy and policies.
• Accounting, Reporting and Compliance impacts compliance and control environment across all bp functions and business areas, ensuring that bp maintains its license to operate by remaining compliant

About bp

• Our purpose is to deliver energy to the world, today and tomorrow. For over 100 years, bp has focused on discovering, developing, and producing oil and gas in the nations where we operate. We are one of the few companies globally that can provide governments and customers with an integrated energy offering. Delivering our strategy sustainably is fundamental to achieving our ambition to be a net zero company by 2050 or sooner.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Support the team in developing finance-wide strategies, guidelines, and policies to ensure compliance with our Internal Control over Financial Reporting framework. 
• Work closely with relevant finance teams and lead delivery on control deliverables for the bpSA leadership team and Board. 
• Provide context and mentorship to other finance teams, including supporting interpretation of policy requirements and ad hoc requests.
• Work closely with business and finance teams to understand risks and provide mentorship and direction for mitigating risks in accordance with Group Risk framework. 
• Support the Senior ARC Manager in leading the transformation of ARC in alignment with the new operating model 
• Process experience across Accounting, Reporting and Control processes 
• Breadth of knowledge across key finance and business processes   
• Aware of key internal policies and external standards (existing and emerging) across the role scope 
• Deep technical accounting knowledge and the application thereof
• Experience with business strategy execution finance functional support
• Deep understanding of the principles of continuous improvement & process excellence 
• Experience within the relevant business model, understanding of the key business drivers and emerging external landscape. Able to support the strategic direction of the segment and influence key internal and external stakeholders within this context  
• Business /commercial acumen across core bp businesses and understanding of the coordinated value chains within, including understanding the key regional dynamics  
• Strong level of awareness of the local regulatory frameworks in which the business teams operate
• Have the vital skills and ability to build capability, coach a diverse group of team members and drive performance without direct team accountability.    
• A passion for working with cross culture teams, inspiring and motivating people to deliver results without direct team accountability. Support Senior Advisor in developing future talent pools both within embedded and FBT teams  
• Support a one-team culture across key Finance teams, building collaborative relationship with FBT teams.
• Working closely with each function understanding strategic context and support required. Setting the ARC focus areas based on the partnership with business 
• Clear and concise communicator – both verbal communication and also ability to prepare presentations to frame purposeful discussions
• Promotes a continuous improvement culture – eliminating interfaces and duplications where possible, simplifying activities, embracing digital automation, and applying new digital skills to enable faster, more focused decision making 
• Allocation of resources, working with a longer-term view to achieve company strategic objectives, strong decision making abilities and able to balance competing priorities 

Job Requirements and Qualifications

• Minimum Education: Degree level or equivalent 
• 8+ years of relevant financial reporting, commercial performance or internal control experience
• Strong technical accounting skills.
• Adaptable, ability to network and build effective relationships with proven integration skills across Finance and non-Finance teams
• Required Licenses/Certifications: CPA / CA / CIMA or equivalent accounting qualification
• We support our people to learn and grow in a diverse and challenging environment. We believe that our team is strengthened by diversity. We are committed to crafting an inclusive environment in which everyone is respected and treated fairly. 
• There are many aspects of our employees’ lives that are meaningful, so we offer benefits to enable your work to fit with your life. These benefits can include flexible working options, collaboration spaces in a modern office environment, and many others benefits! We operate a hybrid model with 60% from the office and 40% from home with flexibility as agreed with line management.

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Job Description:

• This role is responsible for the financial operations for Sales & Marketing for Africa and is accountable for the end-to-end performance management process for Africa. The role supports the Senior Finance manager Africa and the Heads of Business for each region to drive business performance, in economic and strategic terms, and is responsible for leading interventions where required to ensure strategic objectives are met. Supports the business strategy and help deliver the financial roadmap for Africa.

About bp

• Our purpose is to deliver energy to the world, today and tomorrow. For over 100 years, bp has focused on discovering, developing, and producing oil and gas in the nations where we operate. We are one of the few companies globally that can provide governments and customers with an integrated energy offering. Delivering our strategy sustainably is fundamental to achieving our ambition to be a net zero company by 2050 or sooner.

About Castrol

• Castrol Africa is a manufacturer and supplier of premium lubricants within the Africa market. The business footprint covers 52 countries in Africa via a direct and indirect model. The Africa organization is structured into clusters – Southern Africa and North, West, East Africa, and reports into the Middle East Turkey Africa (META) region.  

Key Roles & Responsibilities

• Support the development and execution of the financial strategy underpinning the growth objectives of the respective clusters and region
• Ensure the silent running of a robust MI process and analysis of performance to enable proactive and timely decision making for recommending business interventions, whilst providing relevant insights to support decision-making at
• Executive and board level.
• Provide in-depth financial analysis on cost control initiatives, and investment strategies
• Provide oversight in the financial accounting and reporting process
• Own the financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting processes to optimize financial performance.
• Optimise capital allocation, cash flow management, and financial risk assessment optimise business sustainability
• Drive business growth strategies by identifying and assessing financial risks and opportunities.
• Identify, document and implement financial process improvements and system enhancements
• Work closely with Supply Chain Finance to improve financial efficiency and profitability
• Lead and support continuous development of a high-performing finance team across the region.
• Strong cross functional collaboration and partnering with Operations, Commercial, Supply Chain, JV’s, FBT and Corporate HQ to drive business objectives.
• Engage with investors, financial institutions, and key stakeholders as required to strengthen financial positioning.
• Represent Castrol on any governance forums required by the legal entity/partnership/ JV structure and own the financial input process as the need arises.
• Lead all aspects of financial risk management, currency risks and financial exposure across multiple African markets.
• Develop risk mitigation strategies to protect the company's financial stability.
• Implement and maintain robust internal controls to safeguard the company’s assets and mitigate financial risks

Education and Skills

• Chartered Accountant or equivalent license (SAIPA, CIMA, ACCA, CPA completion) with relevant 10-15 years post qualification business, accounting, finance, and economics experience.
• Strong understand of macro environment (continent, region, country specific), drivers of growth and business models
• Strong commercial acumen, technical financial accounting (IFRS) and deep understanding of the principles of continuous improvement & process perfection

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Job Description:

• Accountable for commercial finance performance management of the Southern Africa business(Full Trial balance accountability), ensuring accurate information is provided to all relevant parties, and embedding a performance management culture with Business Partner.

About bp

• Our purpose is to deliver energy to the world, today and tomorrow. For over 100 years, bp has focused on discovering, developing, and producing oil and gas in the nations where we operate. We are one of the few companies globally that can provide governments and customers with an integrated energy offering. Delivering our strategy sustainably is fundamental to achieving our ambition to be a net zero company by 2050 or sooner.

About Castrol

• It's more than just oil. It's liquid engineering. Castrol provides all the oils, fluids and lubricants the world needs, for every driver, every rider and every industry. 
• Castrol is here to serve every driver, every motorcyclist and every industry on earth. We do this through Liquid Engineering. That means crafting high performance oils, lubricants, fluids and greases for every application you can conceptualise. We also know that you need every part of your world to run efficiently, so we lubricate every part of the car or motorcycle you own, the escalators at your local shopping mall, the elevator at your office, and even the production line that made your refrigerator. 
• We are here for you in the world's mines and quarries, its cruise ships and airliners, its wind farms and wheat fields. Whatever you need, we help make it happen. 

Key Accountabilities

Responsibility and Accountability for the commercial finance activity for the Southern Africa business, driving performance interventions within the business to ensure delivery of the in-year and 5-year plan. (Full Trial Balance Accountability)

• With support from the Senior Finance Manager for Africa, and in conjunction with Business Partners, develop ongoing business planning, forecasting & budgeting (Actual vs. Plan analysis, commentaries, bridges)
• Producing quality Management Information (MI) in a consistent and fit for purpose format
• Compile/consolidate quarterly and annual bottom-up GFO and business plans for submission and loading into SAC.
• Monthly performance reporting of Castrol KPI’s (including non-financial measures) and financial results to meet local and segment deadlines.
• Provide detailed variance analysis and insights on the actuals result in context of commercial environment and make recommendations to business partners and sales teams for improvements.
• Mange the performance improvement process for SA & SADC.
•  Build increased awareness of, and alignment around, commercial performance opportunities, including supporting business with financial evaluations. 
• Ongoing development of effective performance metrics.
• Management of rebates and any other models to support business growth.
• Develop and maintain close working relationships with Business Partners, CLT, Function heads, META and Global stakeholders where appropriate.  
• Participate/Manage/Lead on ad-hoc activities where relevant.

Education

• Qualified CA (SA) or CPA or CIMA
• 8 years post article experience

Essential experience

• Proven experience in extracting, interpreting and reporting Management Information and balancing financial and business needs to deliver business performance.
• Strong Finance, Accounting and Commercial background, preferably in FMCG industry.
• Experience in working in a functional matrix organisation and within the Castrol organisation is a plus

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Job Description:

• Lead the META (Middle East, Türkiye and Africa) technology deployment team (4 direct reports geographically distributed across Turkey, Egypt and South Africa) to provide technical expertise to the META lubricants business, help plan their future Automotive and Industrial product requirements, deploy new formulations, support new product launches and support existing technology. Assist with the generation of new business in existing markets and growth into new markets. Work with supply chain to drive down product cost of goods (COGS) whilst striving to optimize complexity without impacting overall product integrity. Support implementation of the global product quality assurance and compliance agenda in META.

About bp Castrol: 

• It's more than just oil. It's liquid engineering. Castrol provides all the oils, fluids and lubricants the world needs, for every driver, every rider and every industry. 
• Castrol is here to serve every driver, every motorcyclist and every industry on earth. We do this through Liquid Engineering. That means creating high performance oils, lubricants, fluids and greases for every application you can imagine. We also know that you need every part of your world to run smoothly, so we lubricate every part of the car or motorcycle you own, the escalators at your local shopping mall, the elevator at your office, and even the production line that made your refrigerator. 
• We are here for you in the world's mines and quarries, its cruise ships and airliners, its wind farms and wheat fields. Whatever you need, we help make it happen. 

Key accountabilities

• Recruit, establish and lead the new META technology deployment team, embed team into organisation and build capabilities.
• As a member of the META Leadership Team the role holder has a responsibility to contribute to the safe delivery of financial and volume performance targets of the PU.
• Ensure that the META specific technology requirements are understood and prioritized to deliver maximum value.
• Co-create with the marketing function a cost effective and fit for purpose portfolio for today and a pipeline for the future based on customer needs and technical trends ensuring new development opportunities are considered in the OD&I planning process.
• Lead the META Technology Deployment Team to support PU/in country marketing and supply chain teams with all aspects of new product implementations (new raw material planning, product mapping and formulation mapping, initiating streamlines) to manage specification/performance changes and deploy compliant and cost-effective formulations with meaningful performance claims.
• Approve (or delegate approval of) plant formulations for new products and modified formulations.
• Provide effective communications and training on new products, technologies, value propositions and future trends.
• Advise and approve the technical accuracy, integrity and approval of external communications, materials used at media events, customer events, product introduction, data sheets and labels.
• Demonstrate Technology leadership at large scale or specialised customer engagements, sales conferences, distributor events, trade shows, technical conferences, OEM meetings, industry conferences.
• Seek and drive opportunities for lower cost raw materials/formulations according to PU/market supply context and PU/market specific product portfolio needs.
• Lead the activities to ensure technical and quality assurance requirements are met when the PU sets up new manufacturing partners/ suppliers including 3P manufacturer Castrol formulas and 3P finished goods resale.  
• Lead the META Technology Deployment Team to provide effective and timely technical expert advice and support liaising with technical services/sales/customer services and global supply chain as appropriate.
• Lead the technical mitigation and response to quality incidents, quality waivers and raw material shortages.
• Lead the technical input required to support new business, product innovations (including portfolio sustainability initiatives), tenders and RFQs to defend and support growth of the business.
• Responsibility for Quality Assurance assessments at blending plants and re-fillers as agreed with the business. Conduct investigations in response to severe incidents, ensure actions from assessments and investigations are tracked and implemented, and that lessons learned are transferred and embedded.  

Essential Criteria & Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent in a technical subject
• > 10 years’ experience in a technical role, advanced technical knowledge of lubricants, formulations and applications
• Strong technical presentation and communication skills
• Deep understanding and knowledge of external competitive environment
• Ability to translate business strategy and technology trends into compelling actions to maximise value
• Ability and track record of engaging at all levels of the organisation and with key stakeholders, effectively building trust, support, commitment and motivation.
• Experience of leading a team