Financial Manager

Financial Manager (Fixed Term Contract)

Chloorkop

Reporting to Head of Finance: Chemicals

Main Purpose of the Job

To provide financial leadership to the Chemicals business by ensuring the effective

application of cost allocation methodologies, management of production cost

recoveries, and optimization of product profitability. The role is accountable for

delivering accurate manufacturing cost information, identifying profitability

improvement opportunities, and providing financial insights that support operational

decision-making, margin enhancement, and sustainable business performance.

Required outputs: Functional

Financial Management

• Lead the annual budgeting and forecasting processes.
• Develop and maintain financial models to support strategic and operational decision-making.

• Conduct variance analysis and provide recommendations to address performance gaps.

• Perform scenario planning and financial impact assessments for business initiatives.

• Prepare and present financial performance reports and management insights.
• Monitor key financial drivers, profitability, and business performance trends.
• Support stakeholders with financial analysis to improve commercial and operational outcomes.

Manufacturing Cost Management

• Develop, maintain, and monitor standard costing models for products and manufacturing processes.
• Conduct detailed cost analysis of materials, labour, and overheads to identify cost drivers and improvement opportunities.
• Monitor manufacturing costs and investigate cost variances against standards and budgets.
• Lead and support cost reduction and efficiency improvement initiatives across operations.
• Perform product profitability analysis to support pricing, portfolio, and investment decisions.
• Provide management with insights and recommendations to optimize production costs and margins.
• Ensure the integrity and accuracy of cost-related data and reporting.

Working Capital Management

• Oversee inventory management to optimize stock levels and minimize working capital investment.
• Monitor and manage debtors to improve collections, reduce overdue balances, and enhance cash conversion.
• Manage creditor obligations to ensure timely payments while optimizing payment terms and cash flow.
• Prepare and maintain short-, medium-, and long-term cash flow forecasts.
• Analyse working capital trends and implement initiatives to improve cash flow performance.
• Collaborate with operational and commercial teams to drive working capital efficiencies.

Inventory Control and Optimisation

• Manage and monitor inventory valuation to ensure accurate financial reporting and stock accounting.
• Perform and review stock reconciliations, investigating and resolving inventory discrepancies.
• Oversee inventory obsolescence and slow-moving stock management, implementing appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Coordinate and monitor cycle count programmes to ensure inventory accuracy and compliance.
• Drive inventory optimization initiatives to balance stock availability, working capital, and operational efficiency.
• Analyse inventory trends and provide recommendations to improve inventory performance and turnover.
• Collaborate with procurement, production, and sales teams to align inventory levels with business demand.

Cash Flow and Treasury Management

• Develop and maintain short-, medium-, and long-term cash flow forecasts to support liquidity planning.
• Manage banking relationships and negotiate banking facilities, services, and terms.
• Monitor and manage foreign exchange exposures to minimize currency-related risks.
• Oversee funding requirements and liquidity management to ensure adequate working capital and operational funding.
• Monitor cash positions and optimize cash utilization across the business.
• Assess and mitigate treasury-related financial risks, including liquidity, interest rate, and currency risks.
• Ensure compliance with treasury policies, banking covenants, and regulatory requirements.
• Provide treasury insights and recommendations to support strategic business decisions.

Risk Management and Compliance

• Develop, implement, and monitor financial risk management frameworks and mitigation strategies.

• Establish and maintain effective internal controls to safeguard assets and ensure the integrity of financial reporting.

• Oversee tax compliance and ensure adherence to all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

• Manage corporate insurance programmes, including policy reviews, claims management, and adequacy of coverage.

• Ensure compliance with corporate governance frameworks, policies, and regulatory obligations.

• Conduct risk assessments and monitor compliance with internal policies and external regulations.

• Support internal and external audits and ensure timely remediation of audit findings.

• Provide guidance to management on emerging risks, compliance requirements, and governance best practices.

Procurement and Purchase Order Governance

• Monitor and enforce purchase order (PO) compliance across the chemicals business.
• Manage supplier payment processes to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and adherence to agreed payment terms.

• Conduct spend analysis to identify cost-saving opportunities, spending trends, and procurement efficiencies.

• Implement and maintain procurement controls to ensure compliance with company policies and delegated authorities.

• Monitor procurement activities to prevent unauthorized expenditure and mitigate financial risk.

• Collaborate with stakeholders to improve procurement processes and supplier performance.

• Produce procurement and spend reports to support decision-making and cost management initiatives

People Management

• Able to meet deadlines with a team in a fast-paced environment.
• Build a strong and cohesive team by recruiting top talent and creating an inclusive and efficient work environment.

• Promote a culture that supports high performance through performance management and employee engagement.

• Mentoring, coaching, and developing of the Chemicals Finance team.
• Create a dynamic environment that promotes and rewards high performance.
• Ensure open communication channels to staff and implement change management interventions where necessary.

• Encourage knowledge transfer through the implementation of a knowledge transfer plan and drive continuous improvement philosophy through the knowledge transfere

Qualifications, Knowledge and Skills Requirements

Qualifications

• Matric
• BCom Degree in financial accounting or CMA

Experience Required

• Minimum 5 to 8 years in Finance-related roles with financial reporting, management, and costing experience in a manufacturing environment.

• Completed articles at a Big 4 audit firm (preferable)

Knowledge

• Understanding of Chemicals and/or manufacturing Industries
• Financial policies, procedures, and processes
• SAP and COGNOS (advantageous)
• Regulatory, statutory and compliance frameworks affecting area of
• responsibility
• Internationally Accepted Accounting Standards (IAAS)
• International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)

Skills

• Management Accounting
• MS Excel
• Numerical and Mathematical
• Report Writing
• Attention to Detail
• Project Management
• Presentation Skills
• Robust Communication Skills
• Business Acumen
• Commercial Ability

Behaviors (Attributes)

• Analysing
• Entrepreneurial & Commercial Thinking
• Adhering to principles and values
• Deciding and initiating actions
• Planning and organising
• Formulating strategies & concepts
• Relating and Networking’s
• Delivering results and meeting customer expectations
• Coping with pressures and setbacks
• Presenting and communicating information

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