Financial Manager | Bramley, Johannesburg | Permanent

Lead the finance function of a growing food business where your commercial insight can directly influence profitability, cash flow and business performance. This is a hands-on financial leadership opportunity for an experienced finance professional who enjoys working closely with the wider business.

Our client is looking for a commercially minded Financial Manager to take ownership of the finance function and provide reliable financial leadership to the business. Reporting directly to the Managing Director, you will oversee financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, working capital, controls and compliance, while providing meaningful commercial analysis to support informed decision-making.

The role offers the opportunity to strengthen financial processes, improve reporting and controls, and play an active role in managing margins, costs, inventory and profitability. You will lead a finance team while remaining close to the detail and ensuring the finance function delivers accurate, timely and commercially relevant information.

Our client is an established food-focused business based in Johannesburg, operating in a commercially driven environment where effective cost management, operational efficiency and strong financial discipline are important to continued growth. The culture suits a practical finance leader who is comfortable taking ownership, engaging with operational stakeholders and turning financial information into clear business actions.

What You'll Do

• Lead and manage the finance function and finance team.

• Prepare accurate monthly management accounts and financial reports.

• Lead the annual budgeting process and ongoing financial forecasting.

• Monitor budgets, costs, margins and overall profitability.

• Manage cash flow, working capital and collections.

• Oversee reconciliations, financial controls and month-end processes.

• Manage audit, tax, VAT and statutory compliance requirements.

• Analyse financial performance and provide meaningful variance commentary.

• Partner with the Managing Director and wider business on strategic and commercial decisions.

• Identify opportunities to improve finance processes, systems and reporting.

• Manage inventory, cost control and gross-margin performance.

• Provide strong financial leadership and practical commercial insight to the business.

What You Bring

• BCom Accounting, Finance or an equivalent qualification.

• 7–10+ years of relevant finance experience, including senior financial management responsibility.

• Proven experience leading and developing a finance team.

• Strong management accounting and financial reporting experience.

• Demonstrated expertise in budgeting and forecasting.

• Strong cash-flow and working-capital management capability.

• Experience with financial controls, audit and SARS compliance.

• Strong Pastel Evolution experience is essential.

• Advanced Excel capability.

• Strong commercial, analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Experience in FMCG, food, retail, hospitality, manufacturing or distribution would be advantageous.

• CA(SA) qualification would be advantageous but is not essential.

What Success Looks Like

• Accurate and timely monthly financial reporting.

• Improved visibility of business performance, costs, margins and profitability.

• Effective cash-flow and working-capital management.

• Strong financial controls and reliable month-end processes.

• Consistent compliance across tax, VAT, audit and statutory requirements.

• Improved finance processes, reporting and systems.

• Clear financial insights that support better commercial decisions.

• Effective leadership and development of the finance team.

• Stronger control of inventory, costs and gross-margin performance.