Finance Business Partner at Absa Bank Limited

Job Summary

To provide specialist advice and support in business enablement and creation of information to inform decision making.

Job Purpose:

Understand, report, and challenge the performance of the business via highly clear and concise management information. Support key business decisions through providing detailed analysis of the financial implications. To support the business partner community by:

• Providing the senior management team with an insightful knowledge of the bank’s business drivers through robust and challenging analysis.
• Providing a proactive approach to improving quality of management information and analysis.
• Acting as a focal point for communication between Finance and other departments / clusters within ABK and Group Finance, on budget and performance issues.
• Identifying cost drivers and recommending cost control / management initiatives
• Take the lead in Business banking finance support.
• Business liaison - completing ad hoc analysis and answering queries as requested by the business.

Key Accountabilities

Planning– 40%

• To co-ordinate preparation of RBB’s medium term plan and budgets including providing management with analytical support to enable them to prepare and submit quality budgets within agreed time frames.
• To challenge functional budgets thereby ensuring that they are realistic and stretching.
• To ensure capital budgets are adhered to.
• Build a relationship with all budget holders at all levels.
• Ensure functional and Group cross-working in Country and with center teams
• To agree key budget assumptions and to prepare the budget timetable.
• Prepare CMC and Board packs on MTP / STP.

Business Performance Management, Decision Support and Strategy / Planning - 45%

• Challenge plans to commit costs, identifying areas for cost efficiency and managing the delivery of benefits
• Support production of specific technical elements of Management Accounts including Regulatory Reporting, the provision of core ongoing accounting operations, chart of values, etc.
• Carry out “what if” analysis for the business to assess the benefits of new products, investments, or strategies
• Critically review output to ensure that it is a sufficient standard in terms of both presentation and accuracy.  Continuously review processes and deliverables to find more efficient means of production and more effective means of presentation
• Answer technical queries on the production of financials
• To provide an updated annual/half yearly forecast of performance against budget.
• Carry out monthly financial reporting to the regional office in South Africa
• Prepare finance mancom decks to assist the business optimize on its financial performance.

Financial Control- 10%

• Challenge plans to commit costs, identifying areas for cost efficiency and managing the delivery of benefits
• Support production of specific technical elements of Management Accounts including Regulatory Reporting, the provision of core ongoing accounting operations, chart of accounts, etc

Team and Staff Management: 5%

• Take responsibility for personal performance development, training and career development plans and ensure they are relevant and progressed
• Actively contribute to both immediate team and relevant customer contacts.

Preferred Qualification

• Bachelors degree and Professional Qualifications: Financial Sciences (Required).

Preferred Experience

• Knowledge of Absa accounting policies and procedures.
• Good understanding of business strategic objectives.
• Good understanding of business processes and activities and the underlying cost driver
• Part qualified/ newly qualified accountant (those training towards accounting qualifications will be considered)
• Proven experience of working in a financially focused role
• Financial Modelling
• Banking experience (particularly important for RBB Product Profitability role)

Knowledge and Skills

• An ability to acquire skills quickly to interrogate systems e.g., TM1.
• Good communication skills, particularly the ability to summarize large amounts of data and present in a concise and readily understood format.
• Ability to communicate complex financial analysis to non-financial people.