Director of Finance (South Africa)

ABOUT THE ROLE

You'll serve as the analytical and operational backbone of a pod-based delivery model — partnering with a Client CFO and a controllership/bookkeeping team to support multiple consumer and retail brands. You'll own the FP&A execution: three-statement models, rolling forecasts, KPI dashboards, board materials, and the analytical work that turns numbers into decisions.

Today, the CFOs you support spend roughly 70% of their time on reporting, analytics, and model maintenance. That's not the highest use of a CFO's time. You change that. You take ownership of the analytical engine so CFOs can operate at the level their clients deserve — strategic planning, capital allocation, and being a real thought partner to founders.

This role demands the technical depth of an investment banker, the commercial judgment to advise operators directly, and the professional maturity to step into client meetings independently when a CFO isn't available. You should be equally comfortable building a three-statement model from scratch and walking a VP of Supply Chain through the margin implications of a new vendor contract.

The Ideal Candidate

• You build models the way an IB analyst builds models — clean, auditable, dynamic
• You can read a P&L like a story and tell anyone in the room what's actually happening
• You hold your own with founders, operators, and functional heads — finance person or not
• You see recurring work as a systems problem, not a workload problem
• You thrive in lean, high-performance environments where outcomes matter more than tenure

WHAT YOU'LL OWN

Financial Modeling, Forecasting & Reporting

Own the analytical engine.

• Build and maintain dynamic 1/3/5-year financial models (three-statement, scenario analysis, sensitivity tables)
• Own rolling forecasts, annual budgets, and variance analysis across a portfolio of clients
• Develop and manage KPI dashboards, executive reporting packages, and board-ready materials
• Drive margin analysis, demand planning, and unit economics reviews
• Ensure data integrity by partnering with internal accounting and controllership teams on reconciliations and close outputs

CFO Pod Support & Client Coverage

Be the CFO's primary analytical partner.

• Serve as the analytical lead to Client CFOs across multiple engagements
• Prepare materials and analysis for board meetings, investor calls, and strategic planning sessions
• Step into client meetings independently when needed — engaging directly with marketing, supply chain, operations, and other functional leaders
• Provide decision support on commercial questions: pricing, channel mix, inventory planning, vendor negotiations
• Translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insights for non-finance stakeholders

Capital Markets & Strategic Advisory Support

Show up for the deal moments.

• Support fundraising and M&A: investor decks, data rooms, credit packs, due diligence materials
• Assist with debt strategy, capital allocation scenarios, and cash runway planning
• Build and maintain lender and investor reporting packages
• Provide deal-time analytical support: LOI evaluation, term sheet comparison, closing mechanics

Workflow Optimization & Systems Thinking

Make every cycle faster than the last.

• Templatize, automate, and scale recurring analytical workflows across engagements
• Use Excel, Google Sheets, AI platforms (Claude, ChatGPT), and automation tools to deliver faster and smarter
• Document SOPs and contribute to internal playbooks and the firm's knowledge base
• Identify opportunities to improve reporting cadence, data pipelines, and analytical infrastructure

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• 8+ years of progressive experience in finance, FP&A, investment banking, private equity, or corporate finance
• Prior experience in a multi-client or portfolio support role (fractional, consulting, PE operating, or multi-entity environment)
• Investment banking or private equity background strongly preferred
• Deep understanding of consumer business models — DTC, retail, omnichannel, wholesale
• Advanced financial modeling skills: multi-year three-statement models, DCF, LBO, scenario analysis
• Strong working knowledge of accounting principles (accrual vs. cash, revenue recognition, COGS, inventory accounting)
• Experience with accounting platforms (QuickBooks Online, NetSuite, Xero) and BI/reporting tools
• Ability to synthesize complex data into executive-ready insights and communicate with confidence to senior stakeholders
• Comfortable operating independently in client-facing settings with cross-functional leaders
• Confident written and spoken English; client-facing presence

Preferred (nice to have)

• Strong experience with LLMs (Claude, ChatGPT) and automation platforms
• CPA, CFA, or MBA
• Direct exposure to CPG, beauty, or DTC brands