Finance Business Partner

Job Purpose

• The Finance Business Partner (FBP) serves as a trusted advisor to designated business units, providing commercial insight, financial analysis, and strategic support to drive performance, profitability, and operational excellence.
• The role is responsible for translating financial information into actionable business intelligence and ensuring leaders make data‑driven, financially sound decisions.

Purpose of the Role

• Delivering high‑quality financial insights, forecasting, and business performance analysis.
• Challenging and supporting operational and commercial decisions to optimise cost, margin, and revenue outcomes.
• Strengthening financial controls, governance, and compliance at a business-unit level.
• Partnering with business leaders to co-develop budgets, strategic plans, and improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Business Partnering

• Act as primary finance partner to operations and functional leadership for the assigned portfolio.
• Translate business unit strategies into financial implications, KPIs, and improvement plans.
• Support profitability enhancement through pricing insight, cost optimisation, and margin analysis.
• Participate in strategic planning discussions and provide financial challenge and guidance.
• Identify commercial risks and opportunities to support proactive decision-making.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Financial Planning

• Lead the budgeting and forecasting processes for the designated business area.
• Review and challenge business submissions for accuracy, reasonableness, and alignment to strategy.
• Develop forward‑looking financial models to aid decision-making.
• Support capex and investment decision evaluations (ROI, payback, sensitivity analysis).

Performance Reporting & Insight

• Support compliance with IFRS, tax guidelines, internal policies, and procurement frameworks.
• Strengthen financial controls within business operations.
• Support and engage with internal and external audit requirements.
• Identify and escalate financial risks and ensure mitigation plans are in place.

Stakeholder & Relationship Management

• Build strong relationships with business leaders, operational heads, commercial teams, and shared services.
• Provide clear, concise communication of financial matters to non‑financial stakeholders.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to support strategic and operational initiatives.

Continuous Improvement & Digital Enablement

• Promote best practice in analytics, modelling, and financial reporting.
• Leverage digital tools (BI, dashboards, automation) to improve efficiency and insight quality.
• Share knowledge and contribute to capability building within the FBP team.
• Ensure compliance with stock count procedures. 

Key Relationships

Internal

• Operations managers
• Financial managers
• Commercial and Supply Chain teams
• Extended management teams
• Head of FBPs and central Finance functions

External

• Legal representatives
• Auditors

Qualifications, Skills and Experience Required for the Job

Qualifications and Experience

• BCom (Finance / Accounting) or equivalent
• Professional certification advantageous (CIMA, CA(SA) – optional based on level)
• Minimum 5+ years financial and analytical experience, preferably in a commercial or operational finance role
• Experience in business partnering highly advantageous
• SAP or similar ERP experience beneficial
• Exposure to budgeting, forecasting, and performance management processes

Skills and Competencies

• Advanced Excel and financial modelling
• Analytical and numerical proficiency
• Report writing and presentation
• Business case development and feasibility assessment
• Communication and stakeholder engagement
• Logical problem solving and decision-making
• Ability to interpret complex financial information
• Ability to leverage technology and BI tools
• Financial accounting principles and practices
• Tax, VAT, legislation (working knowledge)
• Budgeting, forecasting and financial planning
• Business operations, commercial processes, and systems
• KPIs, cost drivers, and business levers
• Detail-oriented yet strategic thinker
• Resilient and able to work under pressure
• Proactive, curious, and solution-driven
• Able to influence at all levels
• Strong planning and prioritisation skills
• High level of integrity, diplomacy, and professionalism