Finance Manager

One of our clients in the hardware and tools wholesale/distribution business industry, is seeking an experienced, hands-on Finance Manager to own the financial management and reporting function for the Group. This is a high-visibility role reporting directly to the Financial Director, with regular exposure to the Board and the management team, across a multi-branch operation spanning KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and Gauteng.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare comprehensive monthly management accounts and board packs — income statement, balance sheet, and variance commentary — in line with IFRS for SMEs, managing month-end close within 5 business days.
• Prepare annual budgets and conduct monthly reviews of actuals against budget across multiple departments and branches; identify and drive cost-saving opportunities.
• Manage Group cash flow and working capital; book forward exchange contracts (FECs) and process foreign supplier payments.
• Maintain and manage banking facilities (including borrowing base funding and trade finance), liaising directly with the bank on a weekly basis.
• Review and authorise month-end payment runs across branches, ensuring accuracy, proper documentation and authorisation.
• Lead interbranch transaction reconciliations, standardising reporting across differing branch formats.
• Oversee stock/inventory accounting across all branches — valuation, reconciliations, and obsolescence provisions — and coordinate the annual stock take with the procurement team and auditors.
• Manage statutory compliance, including monthly VAT and EMP201 submissions and reconciliations, and the annual VAT reconciliation for external audit.
• Liaise with internal and external auditors and coordinate the annual audit process, delivering clean, unqualified outcomes.
• Manage the full payroll cycle across branches, including EMP journals, payslip administration and leave reconciliations.
• Oversee sales commission calculations and reconciliations for regional representatives.
• Design and implement financial controls, process documentation and reporting templates to improve accuracy and efficiency across the finance function.
• Lead, mentor and develop a finance team across multiple branches.
• Present financial and operational information to the Board and Management Committee (ManCo) to support strategic decision-making.

Requirements

• Relevant BCom or equivalent finance/accounting degree; a postgraduate qualification (e.g. MBA, Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management) advantageous.
• Completed Saica Articles strongly preferred/advantageous, provided the candidate has strong commercial finance experience in a wholesale/distribution/similar environment
• Minimum 5–7 years' progressive finance experience, including at least 2–3 years in a Finance Manager or equivalent leadership role.
• Experience operating across multiple branches or entities, ideally within a wholesale, distribution, retail or similar operational environment.
• Working knowledge of an ERP system (Kerridge K8 or similar) and business intelligence/reporting tools advantageous.
• Solid understanding of IFRS for SMEs, monthly management accounting, budgeting and forecasting.
• Exposure to treasury/banking facilities and foreign exchange (forward exchange contracts) advantageous.
• Sound knowledge of VAT, EMP201 and other statutory tax compliance requirements.
• Advanced Excel skills and strong financial systems literacy.
• Proven ability to lead and develop a finance team.
• High attention to detail, a strong controls mindset, and confident communication skills, with the ability to engage senior stakeholders and the Board.

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