At Cell C, we are not just a telecommunications company; we are a people-centric and consumer-focused organization committed to delivering exceptional experiences to our customers. In line with our dedication to customer-centricity, we are seeking a Finance Business Partner Manager to join our dynamic team of #Unstoppables.

Purpose of the Job:
The Finance Business Partner Manager acts as a strategic advisor to business units within the Cell C.
Leading the finance business partner team in providing financial insight, analysis, and decision support to drive profitability, efficiency, and growth.
This role bridges the gap between finance, line of business and other functions, ensuring that financial considerations are embedded into business strategy, planning, and execution.

Main Responsibilities:
Strategic Business Partnering and Budgeting

• Lead Cell C budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning processes
• Be the contact point for the department for all escalations
• Ensure that all budgets are consolidated and discussed with line of business or functions
• Translate business goals into financial plans and KPIs, ensuring alignment with corporate strategy
• Provide proactive, data-driven insights to support investment decisions, pricing strategies, and cost optimization
• Lead in the review of outputs and refine costing allocations (across various LOBs using Standard based costing) where necessary
• Ensure that the company’s budget is in line with the approved business plan (Income statement, Cash Flow, Balance Sheet and CAPEX)
• Review the completed budget utilization and provide the necessary analysis for reporting and disclosure
• Review of forecasts based upon historical performance and activity KPI
• Assist and supervise the uploading of budget into the system and updating the system after each reforecast
• Verify that Revenue, OPEX and CAPEX targets are met
• Ensure that the correct procedures and controls are followed in the company
• Ensure expense accruals are correct and accurate
• Ensure financial information, is accurate and reliable and provided within the agreed timeframe to management and/or departmental heads, including monthly variance reports
• Conduct customer / segment profitability, margin, and ROI analysis on products and services at a LOB level
• Use BI tools (e.g., Power BI, SAP Analytics Cloud) to deliver visual, actionable insights
  

Analysis Function

• Ensure ongoing analysis to efficiency to enable the business unit to make sound management decisions
• Review input into the development of performance measures and KPIs at various levels of the business
• Review the development and provision of financial data to business cases developed within units
• Ensure ongoing support and direction on commercial, business and risk issues identified and render guidance into solutions
• Drive compliance towards CAPEX governance processes
• Review and approve insight and recommendations into improving revenue performance across segments
• Supervise effective cost efficiency plans to reduce cost drivers
• Provide early warnings to management as soon as material deviations are detected, identify for the attention of the business and relevant interventions
• Support in the review and approval of business management cases

Finance Operations, and Office Management

• Review and approve monthly journals processed for accruals raised by business partners
• Analyse and approve monthly accruals and ensure that these accruals are in line with the approved budget
• Analyse the monthly cost incurred compared to budget and the prior year and Identify trends and opportunities for cost saving
• Prepare the analysis and report for the budget and forecast process
• Provide input and review the budget before submission
• Support internal and external audit as required

Process Creation / Maintenance

• Create official processes / procedures and policies for the tasks under responsibility for implementation and maintenance
• Assess yearly the adequacy of the written procedures/instructions with the need of the activity and eventually promote the updates on the system and enhanced automation of processes
• Promote the reallocation of work and the improvement of accounting methodologies
• Maintain robust governance and internal control environment
• Work with the finance business partners to identify financial risks and opportunities and recommend appropriate actions

Reporting

• Support recommendations analysis to the function to reduce business risk
• Challenge operational teams to optimize cost-to-serve and improve EBITDA performance
• Identify opportunities for automation or process reengineering
• Develop and present dashboards and financial reports to senior leadership
• Monitor financial performance against budget/forecast and provide variance analysis
• Implement, Update and maintain KPI dashboards and management reports
• Review and submit reports for Senior Manager addressing periodic activity, budget compliance, feedback and key departmental results to facilitate decision making
• Prepare reports on operational performance and detailed reports on specific projects when required

Staff Management

• Manage and develop a team of finance business partners
• Build trusted relationships with internal stakeholders, balancing challenge and support
• Act as the finance representative in cross-functional areas including strategic projects
• Assign and direct work, oversee team developments, identify training needs and maintain staff competence
• Establish with Senior Manager the Key Performance Indicators and evaluate them
• Uphold HR policies and procedures including Labour Relations and all other corporate policies
• Ensure Cell C values are adhered to
• Conduct performance appraisals

Perform any other related duties as requested by Management

• Lead in Ad hoc Projects as advised by CFO and Executives
• Support strategic projects including mergers, partnerships, and outsourcing initiatives
• Ensure meaningful commentary accompanies all reports, explaining financial drivers

Minimum Qualification

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field
• Honours Degree
• CIMA, CA(SA), ACCA, or equivalent professional qualification is an advantage

Experience

• 9 - 10 years of experience in finance, with at least 3 years in a business partnering role
• Experience in the telecommunications, technology, or digital services sectors is an advantage
• Familiarity with IFRS, financial systems (SAP, Oracle, ThinkCell), and data tools (Excel, Power BI, SQL)
• At least 3 years management experience