Financial Manager

JOB SPEC: FINANCIAL MANAGER — Manufacturing
Location: Durban (office-based) | Reporting to: Directors

Role Overview
A hands-on Financial Manager for a manufacturing concern, responsible for the full accounts function (creditors, debtors, inventory, cash, fixed assets), stores and stock control (R10m stock holding), and health & safety compliance. This is a highly confidential role requiring strong cost/management accounting skills and the emotional intelligence to work closely within a small, tight-knit management team.

Day-to-Day Duties

Accounts & Financial Control

• Manage the full accounts function through to trial balance and balance sheet with in line with SA accounting practice
• Supervise creditors, debtors, cash and petty cash functions
• Reconcile creditors and debtors monthly
• Check and sign off creditor invoices against approved POs and GRVs
• Manage cash book, petty cash, and fixed asset register (incl. monthly depreciation journals)
• Prepare weekly reports (cashflow, sales, DSO, creditors, stock holding, expenses)
• Prepare monthly management reports (income statement, balance sheet), with explanations and recommendations
• Analyse and report on budget deviations and abnormal trends
• Accounting for 3 companies in the group

Stock, Stores & Costing

• Take full ownership of stock control across a R10m stock holding
• Oversee stores function and stock receiving
• Prepare and run stock takes; be personally hands-on during counts
• Investigate and correct stock variances and discrepancies; write off confirmed losses
• Supervise costing of imported and manufactured goods to ensure true cost is reflected
• Open/amend/reactivate stock codes as needed
• Report on stock variances, shrinkage, and valuations

Compliance, H&S & Statutory

• Oversee workplace health & safety compliance
• Handle statutory requirements: Income Tax, VAT, CIPRO
• Manage forex/cross-border transactions, import/export paperwork and permits
• Liaise with auditors, banks, lawyers and insurance brokers
• Support Directors with annual B-BBEE certification

People & Leadership

• Lead and manage a small team 
• Manage performance, development and employee relations within the department
• Act as a trusted, discreet member of the small management team

Requirements

Non-Negotiable

• Relevant financial qualification (accounting/cost & management accounting)
• Proven experience in a manufacturing environment with significant stock holding
• Strong hands-on inventory/stock control and variance investigation experience
• Solid cost accounting background — able to identify and resolve discrepancies
• Experience preparing management accounts to board level
• High level of discretion — this is a confidential role
• Willing and able to be hands-on in stock takes (not purely desk-based)

Nice to Have

• Experience with import/export and forex transactions
• Exposure to B-BBEE certification processes
• Prior experience managing a small accounts/stores team
• ERP/stock management system experience

Personal Attributes

• High emotional intelligence — able to operate closely within a small, high-trust management team
• Discreet, trustworthy, and comfortable with sensitive financial information
• Strong attention to detail and comfortable “getting into the weeds” on stock