Financial Manager - Manufacturing Finance | Cost Accounting | Commercial Leadership

About the Opportunity

An exciting opportunity exists for an experienced Financial Manager to join a fast-growing food manufacturing business with ambitious growth plans both locally and internationally.

Reporting directly to the Founding Team and Shareholders, this is a strategic finance leadership role where you will serve as the financial authority within the business, providing commercial insight, financial governance, and operational support to a dynamic entrepreneurial leadership team.

This role will suit a hands-on finance professional who enjoys building systems, creating structure, implementing controls, and partnering closely with decision-makers in a high-growth manufacturing environment.

Importantly, this is not a role where you will inherit a mature finance structure. The successful candidate must be comfortable helping establish and improve financial systems, reporting frameworks, controls, and processes as the business continues to scale.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing Finance

• Manage manufacturing cost accounting and product costing
• Maintain and improve Bill of Materials (BOM) costing structures
• Conduct standard vs actual variance analysis
• Oversee inventory management and stock reconciliations
• Monitor production yields, wastage and operational efficiencies
• Provide meaningful financial insights to support operational decision-making

Commercial & Strategic Finance

• Partner with the Founders on pricing, margin analysis and profitability modelling
• Support route-to-market financial modelling and strategic growth initiatives
• Prepare shareholder and investor reporting packs
• Assist with budgeting, forecasting and capital allocation decisions
• Manage cash flow forecasting and working capital requirements

Governance & Controls

• Build and implement financial controls and reporting frameworks
• Develop scalable finance processes suitable for a growing manufacturing business
• Ensure financial governance and compliance standards are maintained
• Support the development and implementation of suitable financial systems and processes

Outsourced Finance Oversight

• Manage and oversee outsourced accounting providers
• Review monthly financial outputs and reporting
• Ensure compliance with VAT, PAYE, tax and audit requirements
• Maintain data integrity between operations and the outsourced finance function
• Act as final release authority on company payments

Minimum Requirements

• CA(SA) or CIMA qualification
• 7–15 years' relevant finance experience
• Strong manufacturing finance and cost accounting experience
• Proven experience with product costing, BOM management and variance analysis
• Experience overseeing outsourced accounting functions
• Strong commercial and operational finance capability
• Advanced Excel skills
• Experience within food manufacturing, FMCG, beverage, pharmaceutical or related manufacturing environments will be advantageous

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a builder rather than a maintainer.

The successful candidate will be:

• Commercially minded and business-focused
• Comfortable working closely with founders and shareholders
• Confident operating within an entrepreneurial environment
• Strong enough to challenge and influence decision-making when required
• Passionate about creating structure, controls and scalable processes
• Equally comfortable on the factory floor and in the boardroom

Location Requirement

This role is based in Heidelberg, Gauteng.

Only candidates residing in Heidelberg or surrounding areas, or those with a realistic daily commute to Heidelberg, will be considered.

Package on Offer

• R42,000 – R50,000 CTC per month
• Performance incentives linked to business growth and profitability
• Direct exposure to Founders and Shareholders
• Opportunity to play a key role in building and scaling a purpose-driven manufacturing business

Interested?

If you meet the above requirements and are excited by the opportunity to help build and shape a growing manufacturing business, we'd love to hear from you.

Please email your CV to

***email_hidden***

Subject Line: Financial Manager – Heidelberg

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.