GM: Finance Business Partner at MTN

Job description

Role description

The Regional Finance Business Partner will partner with the Vice President of the region, Finance Executive Financial Planning & Analysis, and the operational leadership teams to achieve the strategic and operational goals of the operations in the region. The Regional Finance Business Partner will proactively engage with senior business leaders; enabling and influencing decision making to achieve optimal performance. The incumbent will provide insightful financial and operational input to business initiatives, challenge key forecasting assumptions and deliver expert financial analysis of key risks and sensitivities. The Regional Business Partner will also serve as a liaison between OpCo’s, regional leadership, and shared services teams at Group. This position will help direct and collaborate with the Group Financial Planning and Analysis and Financial Operations teams. In order to improve efficiency and productivity, the Regional Finance Business Partner will steer allocation resources in the right place at the right time, and drive financial efficacy and prudence over costs, revenue and capital allocation, relative to the business

Key Performance Areas:

• Partnering with the Regional VP to support the group strategy in delivering and grow results across the region by interpreting financial analysis / reports and information and report on risks influencing business performance for each OpCo in the region.
• Provide leadership of strategic, tactical and operational aspects of accounting and finance for the region from budgeting and planning through to monthly monitoring and reporting, and active participation in monthly business reviews along with Regional VP and Group Finance.
• In conjunction with Group Finance, oversee quarterly and annual forecasting process, ensuring that targets are balanced for the region.
• Provide strong commercial and risk-based advice to the Regional VP on customer, business development, market development, liquidity or other matters which will impact the success of the region.
• Support the OpCo’s within the region to ensure KPI’s are reported on accurately and any deviations from targets are understood by the respective OpCo leadership teams.
• A key role is providing business intelligence data, budget, forecast and operational performance estimations or actuals back to Group Finance.
• Drive Group initiatives to increases productivity through assisting the Group Systems teams development of automated applications; eliminating duplications; coordinating information requirements.
• Ensure local financial systems and processes are in place, and effective in supporting regional business requirements. This will include ensuring that regional financial information and reports are accurate and timely in helping regional and OpCo leadership teams to address key business issues.
• Drive the standardisation, simplifying, and supporting processes to enable the OpCo’s in the region to turn to a culture of business partners and value-add vs manual and transactional
• Conducts reviews and evaluations for cost-optimisation opportunities.
• Assist the OpCo Finance teams with investment committee applications and pro forma analysis
• Conducts reviews and evaluations for Capex and funding opportunities
• Effective measurement of key cash flow drivers influencing group cash resources
• Establishing a culture of strong financial discipline, with strong internal controls across the region.
• Ensure compliance to Group Governance protocols and policies (committee approvals, DOA, process etc.).
• Ensure each OpCo operates within Local accounting principles, standards and guideline as well as Group financial and accounting guidelines.
• The role includes leadership of projects designed to improve financial governance processes, standards and results for the region.
• Provide leadership support with OpCo teams to drive improvement efforts as needed
• Prepare ad hoc analysis as requested by Regional Vice President and Group
• Provide feedback to the Regional Vice President and Executive FP&A to help manage OpCo’s in the region
• Work closely with Group Finance to ensure that region needs are adequately supported and in implementing functional improvement.
• Provide strong support and development to all finance personnel across the region. A key responsibility is building alignment to ensure OpCos have competent team members within each OpCo.
• Actively participate in the OpCo Boards and in the Audit and Risk Committees

Education:

• Minimum 4 year degree in Finance
• CA (SA) / ACMA (CIMA)
• MBA an advantage

Experience:

• 10-12 years professional experience with focus on emerging markets telecoms sector
• Experience in leading change / transformation in finance
• Significant experience in finance leadership roles
• Proven success with strategic thinking and effective decision making
• Experience in developing peers and teams
• Experience in presenting to large teams with senior members
• Excellent informal and formal communications skills, including presenting to groups of senior leaders
• Ability to effectively manage multiple priority projects and initiatives
• Ability to lead without authority

Demonstrated ability to collaborate across groups of diverse backgrounds and skills

• Experience in continuous improvement through the implementation of best practice
• Extensive experience in financial planning and analysis, P&L, Operational and Cost Management
• Proven success in delivery of high quality analytics
• Experience in contractual agreements and compliance
• High commitment to results (self-starting, opportunity grabber)

Competencies:

Knowledge:

• Centre of excellence (set up) Complex structure
• Best practices and trends Decision making processes
• Entrepreneurial approaches ERP (Oracle preferred) Financial / Numeracy
• GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and IFRS
• Global considerations
• Excellent Literacy skills (written English)
• Operational management
• Organisational considerations
• Pan Africa multi-cultural organizations
• Project management
• Telecommunications industry

Skills:

• Strategic and Analytical Thinking
• Building Strategic Working Relationships
• Ability to Manage Change & Influence Others
• Coaching & Developing Others
• Drive Performance
• Acts Decisively
• Strong Project Management skills
• Conflict management skills
• Continuous improvement
• Presentation skills
• Dealing with ambiguity
• Dealing with complexity
• Decision making Flexible
• Global awareness leadership
• Negotiation skills
• Numerical and literacy (written English)
• People management

Behavioural qualities:

• Adaptable
• Complete candour
• Culturally aware
• Emotional maturity
• Innovation Integrity Leadership
• Collaborates across teams
• Builds networks and relationships with internal and external stakeholders

Responsibility towards:

• Executive: Financial Planning & Analysis
• Regional Vice President
• BU Leadership
• OpCo Leadership