Financial Planning and Analysis Manager

Financial Planning and Analysis Manager-Job Description 

The Financial Planning and Analysis Manager shall report directly to the Brand CFO. The Financial Planning and Analysis Manager will oversee forecasting activities and debtors within the brand. They will be responsible for developing procedures, creating forecasts, and optimizing financial performance. They also provide analysis and advice in decision-making for financial matters. They will work closely with the school principals and act as a Finance business partner.

 
Key Responsibilities:

• Project manage the full billing/debtor’s management cycle undertaken by Group Shared Services.
• Understand why processes are not working and establish the root causes to identify relevant countermeasures.
• Design new processes where they do not exist or are inefficient.
• Manage conflict with stakeholders.
• Coordinate full reforecast process for the Brand.
• Analyse income and expenditure and provide business insights as to actions required.
• Budget versus actual variance analysis.
• Work with the Financial Manager to ensure principal queries on finance related queries are managed timeously.

Responsibilities include:

1. Billing/Debtor’s process: Manage Group Shared Services operations and enhance key processes:

• Develop a cross functional annual billing calendar to ensure that procedures are correctly implemented by all stakeholders.
• Develop with GSS the KPI measuring the quality of GSS processes, monitor the KPI and drive implementation of solutions and action plans.
• Bring on board and introduce industry best practise in billing and debtors’ management.
• Reconcile billing and discounts monthly.
• Run bursary process end-to-end.
• Ensure effective two-way communication between Brand Finance Function, Group Shared Services and Schools.
• Ensure that all billing processes are performed correctly to ensure 100% accurate statements sent to parents, by coordinating execution of processes and measuring failure rate.

2. Coordinate budget and forecast processes (Revenue, Discounts, Operating Expenditure and Capex):

• Draw up forecasts for the brand according to the strategic plan. Present to Brand CFO for approval.
• Use reforecasting techniques to adjust your projected revenues, expenses and overall anticipated bottom line based on incoming actuals. All with the goal of achieving EBIT target for the brand.

3. Analysing financial results:

• Make financial manager aware of any misallocations/errors in the system.
• Review and post journal entries.
• On a monthly basis, review each school’s performance and compare actual expenses against budget. Obtain explanations for any variances. Discuss with Brand CFO and implement remedial action.
• Assist and meet with Campus Bursars and Principals to unpack the schools’ monthly transactions, income, and expenses.

• Drive principals and bursars to be focused on achieving annual budgeted EBIT.
• Prepare monthly management accounts every other month and analyse the overall results and results at school level.

• Prepare brand financial pack every other month and present to Brand CFO for review before submitting to group.

4. Internal control compliance:

• Ensure that there are effective internal controls to prevent fraud, safeguard assets, and ensure accurate financial records.
• Adhere to finance policies and procedures.

Education: 

• Minimum – B.Com (Accounting).
• Ideal – B.Com (Accounting) & Post Graduate Diploma.

Experience: 

• 3 – 5 years of experience in a medium to large company.
• Experience in team management and upskilling staff.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Experience in setting processes.
• Excellent excel skills.