Responsibilities

The Senior Manager: Forecasting, Planning and Analysis is responsible to achieve the following objectives:

Business Planning and Strategy Execution

• Develop, oversee and ensure strategic management accounting planning, budgets and forecasts, interpreting financial and non-financial results, monitoring cash flow, capital expenditure programmes, management reporting systems development, special investigations/ reports, operating efficiency studies, feasibility studies and investment portfolios for a Group of Companies.
• Ensure effective implementation of sub-departmental strategy by means of providing direction, structure, business plans, oversight and support.
• Provide support to the OPCO to deliver on Strategic Programmes.
• Manage the Group budget and business plan process according to Group and Business Units needs. This includes the setting and managing of targets, Review of and recommendations on Business Unit budgets in conjunction with VP’s, managing the overall process and preparation of core and consolidated budgets.

Operational Delivery

• Accountable for the preparation of management information and its interpretation and making recommendations to management. This includes drafting of CFO and CEO reports for the EXCO and Board level.
• Design, implementation and maintenance of group-wide MIS and supporting operations with more detailed MIS required.
• Manage the quarterly forecast process, including training of operations, analysing the business unit forecasts and making recommendations to the VP’s and producing the consolidated Group quarterly forecast.
• Prepare monthly/quarterly/annual management accounts and standardised KPIs used in the strategic management process. This includes both the production of reports and the setting of targets and benchmarks.
• Provide guidance in setting of performance and bonus targets for operations and measurement of achievements against these targets.
• Support operational units throughout the monthly and annual reporting cycle, either remotely or in-country if necessary, by ensuring that requirements of the Group and business units are reconciled.
• Co-ordinate MTN Group management reporting, analysis and benchmarking of Group and divisions, analysis of results and recommendations
• Manage telecoms costing model e.g. ABC(Activity Based Costing) or LYRIC (Long Incremental Costing) in service or ICT(Information Communication Technology).
• Prepare analysis documents (report or email or presentation) for discussion and be used for decision making by organisation senior leadership.
• Manage ad-hoc financial projects such as special investigations, operating efficiency studies, feasibility studies and investment portfolios
• Preparation of ad-hoc reports and presentations of financial management information for delivery to executive level management.
• Manage Annual Report preparation process, including the collation of data from business units and core areas and drafting of various reports.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with the operational finance units.
• Participate in business planning activities regarding investments/new ventures. This includes but is not limited consolidating potential acquisitions into the Group business plans and the integration of acquired operations to Group management reporting standards.

Continuous Improvement 

• Lead efforts to enhance financial processes and systems (including through automation), ensuring accuracy and efficiency in financial reporting, budgeting, planning and analysis.
• Benchmark operational and financial performance against industry peers and providing recommendations to management.
• Provide insight into global market trends and financial strategies, align operations with global best practice.
• Develop and provide training and guidance to FP&A teams across the Group. Lead professional development and growth as well as provide mentoring and coaching to team members.

Staff and Leadership Management

• Manage team members: providing leadership, mentorship, growth and development paths.
• Set clear objectives and goals for the team and enable the team to deliver and use operating mechanisms to continually assess progress and improve.
• Develop a culture of strong collaboration and effective team working.
• Encourage knowledge transfer through the implementation of a knowledge transfer plans and drive continuous improvement philosophy.
• Promote an ‘MTN centric’ and ‘partnership approach’ to develop strong relationships with other working groups and ensure adherence to Group governance.

Key Deliverables

• Reports: correct, accurate, relevant, complete, and timeous
• Annual report delivered on time and to a high level of quality
• Ensure effective communication within financial functions of various operating units
• Effectively manage own team and contribute positively towards achievement of divisional objectives

Role Dependencies

• Active support from the GM: FP&A
• Integrity of underlying data reported to Group Finance
• On time submission of required inputs by any of the Group’s operations
• Critical skills provision to all operations re business planning and reporting
• Unscheduled reporting requirements e.g. analysts, management
• Fluctuating reporting formats

Qualifications

Education:

• CA (SA), CIMA or Minimum 4-year Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Accounting/Finance or related

Experience:

• 8 years Management Accounting experience post-qualification
• 5 years telecoms experience in a management role
• Input in strategic direction and implementation
• Hyperion and Oracle Financial Analyser experience would be preferable
• Working experience in a Group company environment
• Experience in working with consolidations
• Consultant background
• Assignments with telecommunications
• Proven track record of people management
• Experience in managing activities in a cross-functional business environment

Capabilities:

• Strategy Implementers, Decisive Problem Solver, Best Practice Value Creator
• Culture and Change Champion, Guiding People Manager, Relationship Builder
• Results Achieve, Operationally Astute

Functional Competencies:

• Strategic Business Planning
• Budgeting, Forecasts & Allocation
• Financial Analysis & Market Intelligence
• KPI & Business Performance monitoring
• Business Case Evaluation & CAPEX Valuations

Knowledge and Skills: 

• Accounting for business combinations and foreign exchange effects
• Detailed accounting knowledge (GAAP, IAS, etc)
• Macro-economic understanding
• Financial markets knowledge
• Knowledge of valuation principles
• Business and Financial Acumen
• Project management
• Critical Finance Thinking
• Finance Operation / Process Mindset
• Trusted Business Advisory
• Leverage Financial System Capabilities
• Data Analysis and Visualisation

Behavioural Qualities:

• Influencing and Impact
• Change and Conflict Management
• Building Strategic Relationships / Networking