Candidate location: South Africa, Gauteng
Home & other languages: English, Afrikaans
Designation: Chief Financial Officer
Highest qualification type: Chartered Accountant
University: University of the Witwatersrand
Discipline: CA
Years of experience: More than 10 years
Cost to company: R1.35 mil – R1.5 mil
Company size: 501 – 1000
Division: Financial Management
Seniority level: Director / VP / CXO
Introduction:
The days of business as usual are long gone. The business environment is becoming increasingly dynamic with the rapid technology changes and companies have to constantly seek to improve efficiency in all aspects of their business and not just in costs.
I can play a key role in this area which will measurably help in maintaining or creating a competitive advantage.
The “routine” finance/commercial department stuff is not complicated and can easily be managed with motivated and skilled teams which I have built many times in the past.
Constant improvement is my mantra.
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Caucasian/White
Nationality: South African
Highest Formal Qualification: (BCom, CA(SA)),
What is your current/ most recent job title?
CFO
What is the primary purpose of this position?
To participate in the strategic and operational management of the business while ensuring that the financial structure, objectives and controls are aligned with the strategic objectives.
Also – no surprises
What are the core elements or functions that must operate effectively in order for you to achieve your primary purpose?
There must be a practical overall strategic framework for the business.
I need to understand the key drivers of the business in the areas of funding, working capital, revenue and expenditure.
I need to have or to build quickly, a good team of people.
I need to ensure that good systems and procedures are in place.
One needs to be adaptable and to effectively harness new technologies
What are some of your greatest achievements (When and how have you saved your employers time, money and resources)?
Direct contribution to the turnaround of businesses.
Restructuring and partial refinancing of a business.
Quickly restoring financial controls and implementing proper processes and procedures.
Restoring working capital controls thereby significantly improving debtors, inventory and creditors
Overseeing the specifying, selection and implementation of erp systems and upgrades.
Developing good teams of people in both finance and procurement
See CV for details
If you were to illuminate your skills and abilities along with your greater purpose and passions in life, how would you describe yourself?
A strong, strategically minded CFO with plenty of general business and commercial experience across a diverse range of manufacturing and production industries. Self-motivated and challenge driven seeking an opportunity in an enterprise undergoing change where he can add significant value, while ensuring stability within the organisation
What is the business title of your ideal position?
CFO/Finance Director of a diversified medium sized business that is undergoing or in need of significant change.
What are the key responsibilities and accountabilities of your ideal position?
Actively participate in the development/refinement of the strategic plan
Identify key drivers, then develop effective measurement and reporting
Ensure that decision makers have the necessary financial and commercial information to make effective decisions.
Ensure there is a good team around me that can continue to develop .
Good commercial & financial processes and procedures are essential.
Strong working capital management is essential.
Accurate and on-time reporting is essential – No surprises
I would also like to have overall responsibility for Procurement, IT and general admin.
What are the manufacturing processes/ technologies that you have experience in relevant to your ideal position/ next career steps?
Experienced in strategic planning and budgeting
Experienced at working capital management
Experienced at cost management and control
Experienced at risk management and mitigation processes
Reporting – Financial, management and high level flash reporting
Costing – Absorption, process, project and marginal costing. BOM
Good working knowledge of mid-range ERP packages
Good working knowledge of procurement practices including NEC contracts.
Reasonable exposure to HR and IR issues
Reasonably functional tax knowledge
Reasonably functional general IT knowledge
Describe your career in years of experience per sector/industry/commodity serviced:
Finance Director/CFO
– Power generation, 7 years
– Manufacture & distribution of electrical accessories, 10 years
– Manufacturer & distributor of chemically based products. 2 years
– Printing, 3 years
– Manufacture engineering components, 2 years
– Jobbing manufacture for light industry, 3 years
M&A – 2 yrs for an industrial group
Auditing – 6 yrs including time as manager for listed coal & gold mines.
Describe the kind of company you would like to work for including the culture and values it should possess:
People orientated company with an open management style.
Honesty and fairness to all stakeholders are essential.
Employees should be able to take pride in their work and the company.
There should be a general culture of constant improvement and the acceptance of appropriate change which may result.
There should be a culture of continuous growth for the company and its individual employees.
What do you absolutely love doing?
1st prize – Being involved in the turnaround of an enterprise.
2nd prize – Identifying, evaluating & defining challenges/problems significant to a business and to then develop and implement or oversee the implementation of strategies/plans which add value in overcoming them.
Location Preference: I am specifically interested in opportunities in Africa.