Principal Specialist: CBU Finance Business Partner LoB

Role purpose:
The core purpose of this role is to support the CBU LoB FBP team to ensure that key business objectives, effective decision making and operational financial planning & insights is met through end to end business partnering for the respective LoB on all commercial initiatives impacting Contribution Margin.

The individual will be expected to interact with various stakeholders and business partners including Commercial LoB JDTs, S&D, Marketing, Terminals, FINOPs and VSA FP&A together with the EHOD: CBU LoB FBP.

Your responsibilities will include:
Business Partnering
Support EHOD & FBP team with end to end business partnering for LoB including business cases and PIRs on all commercial initiatives impacting Contribution Margin of LoB and capital investment, where applicable.

MEC & RF process:
Support EHOD & FBP team with the Month-end-close including Early View & Rolling Forecast process (IBRO to PnL CM) for LoB, trend informing insights, review with business partners providing validation, support and alignment

Budget & LRP:
Support EHOD & FBP team with the budget and LRP process (IBRO to PnL CM) for LoB, trend informing KPI/KFI insights, review with business partners providing validation, support and alignment

Reporting & Insights:
Support EHOD & FBP team with End to end LoB specific reporting on Customer Revenue, Direct Costs & A&R for LoB profitability, analysis and insights to support performance narrative and efficiency targets

Data analytics:
Support EHOD & FBP team with the building of models to assist with MEC, RF, Budget, LRP, business cases and PIRs with support from D&A and commercial aimed at simplifying reporting capabilities, data accuracy and automated reports/dashboards.

IBRO:
Support EHOD & FBP team with IBRO at LoB level built up from building block KPIs impacting drivers of LoB contribution margin

Teamwork
Support FBP team and business partner colleagues to ensure team success. Build relationships both internal and external to deliver business results, leveraging and respecting differences.

Create positive working relations between the CBU finance team, Vodacom SA Finance and key internal business partners & stakeholders such as Commercial LoB JDTs (incl Pricing, Segment and CVM teams), S&D, Marketing, Terminals, FINOPs and VSA FP&A.

Communication
Communicate with clarity and impact. The ability to effectively manage expectations of key stakeholders

Written material must be of the highest quality with clear insights and actions

The ability to prepare and present performance to FBP team, line manager and direct ME

Knowledge And Experience
Develop knowledge of key mobile communication products and devices

Develop knowledge of key channel and distribution agreements

Develop understanding of the business drivers and sensitivities

Innovation and change
Simplify and standardise modelling, reporting and processes wherever possible whilst ensuring that the requirements of the business are delivered

The ability to use systems tools & technologies to analyse data, such as BI, big data etc.

Look for new and innovative ways of working to strive for continual improvement

Essence Of The Role/Key Accountabilities
Business Case and PIR Development
Support Business Case (BCA) process and preparation of relevant financial impacts into the BCA, engaging all relevant stakeholders while ensuring BCAs are based on solid business assumptions, the initiatives are in line with company strategy and generate adequate financial return

Support Post Implementation Review (PIR) process on all BCAs launched that qualify for a PIR process. Support preparation of relevant financial impacts into the PIR, engaging all relevant stakeholders while ensuring PIRs are based on actual experience. Measure project results against the BCAs using sound financial and business principles to guide and table recommendations

On all BCAs & PIRs,

Perform sensitivity analysis, highlight risk and opportunity, and propose actions to mitigate risks or chase additional opportunity.

Evaluate the impact of new & existing initiatives along with market developments

Support the business to follow the appropriate company process in approving new initiatives with Capex spend through providing structured Business Cases and specifying Capex and OPEX needs.

Gather all inputs from commercial & technical departments and external references

Provide relevant financial methodology

Challenge divisions by proposing alternatives to drive value

Present trade-offs and rank alternatives

Support senior management to take the appropriate decision

Identify ways to track actual results

Ensure governance policies are followed

Month End Close, Forecasting and Budget Process
Support the Month-end-close including Early View & Rolling Forecast process (IBRO to PnL CM) for LoB including all KPI/KFI insights to support views

Support the annual Budgeting and Long-Range Planning (LRP) process for LoB including all KPI/KFI insights to support views

Provide the trend informing insights & review with business partners providing validation, support and alignment

Support preperation of P&L up to Contribution Margin level including Customer Revenue (Service, Network & Non Service Revenue), Direct Costs, A&R and KPI/KFI trends to support insights.

Support EHOD: FBP LoB & Operational Support in driving clear views into P&L for MEC, RF, Budgeting and LRP process

Support EHOD: FBP LoB & Operational Support in understanding OPEX/CAPEX requirements

Commercial Decision Support
Provide insightful, timely and value-added input so that Commercial teams see FBP as a key contributor

Building commercial insights to support capital investment and advise on prioritisation of capital investment

Develop credibility with segment management while challenging the business to achieve its objective and generate value for the company. Assist in bringing consistency across all the business units in terms of decision support presentation.

Enable improved decision making, identify and drive focused corrective actions.

Provide advice and support to the consumer business unit on all business issues:

Be an active member of the CBU FBP team and greater finance community

Challenge the business to drive sustainable value pro-actively through informed and insightful decision making by analysing actual results

Support Distribution Channel policy setting and reviews

Define and improve financial processes, continually striving for simplicity and best practice

Review of market information from IR and BI, and analyse relevance to drive performanc

IBRO, Management Reporting and Insights
Provide End to end LoB specific reporting on Customer Revenue, Direct Costs & A&R for LoB profitability, analysis and insights to support performance narrative and efficiency targets

Provide Performance tracking of operational Business Unit objectives and commercial initiatives

Monthly P&L commentary and analysis at a granular IBRO level to support the variance commentary

Monitoring business unit performance against targets

Identifying potential issues and carrying out analysis to validate

Supporting departments to identify, analyse, validate and implement remedy actions

Contribute to Management reporting that lands in Exco and board

Business Intelligence
Provide insightful management information with strong focus on anticipating and managing monthly/quarterly results, and on management actions

Strategic alignment

Control, Governance & Modelling
Maintain an effective operational control environment over financial items, identifying weaknesses and developing solutions especially on enablement solutions and their rollout.

Ensure business decisions are made within the governance framework

Build and maintain models to assist with MEC, RF, Budget, LRP, business cases and PIRs with support from D&A and commercial aimed at simplifying reporting capabilities, data accuracy and automated reports/dashboards

Team leadership
Provide financial direction and guidance in strategic and commercial issues

Identify company-wide stakeholders in the new organisation structure and understand requirements

Maintain a creative and inclusive work environment

Be a part of team engagement and enablement

Create a safe and healthy working environment

The ideal candidate for this role will have:
Experience & Qualifications
A minimum of 8-10 years of financial management experience with Relevant BSc. or BCom. Mathematics, Commerce, Statistics, Econometrics or relevant financial degree

Good skills in Excel, Word and PowerPoint

Advanced SQL Skills Is Essential
Experience in financial and business analysis

ICT industry experience an advantage

Competency / Performance Drivers
Ownership ability

Formulating Strategies & Concepts

Deciding and Initiation action

Delivering Results and Meeting Customer Expectations

Relating and Networking

Persuading and Influencing

Strong Writing and Reporting

Adapting and responding to change

Person specification - Technical / Professional / Personal Expertise
Strong financial management & analytical skills

Understanding of revenues, costs & profitability

Good communication & presentation skills

Strong Commercial Acumen

Multiple-stakeholder Management Ability

Develop knowledge of the company and competitive industry preferable

Closing date for Applications: 21 March 2023.
The base location for this role is, Midrand, Vodacom Campus
The Companys approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply.

Vodacom is committed to an organisational culture that recognises, appreciates and values diversity & inclusion.