Position Title: Business Performance Executive (BPE) Location: Pietermaritzburg / Midlands, KwaZulu-Natal Reports To: Managing Director Direct Reports: Finance Lead (functional coordination), Systems & Administration Team, and Department Heads (Sales, Operations, Dispatch, Procurement) About the Role: We’re hiring a senior-leadership professional to serve as our Business Performance Executive (BPE) — a pivotal role that will drive strategic alignment, operational discipline, and financial performance across the business. This person will act as the right-hand to the Managing Director, ensuring the company’s growth, efficiency, and governance are not just planned, but executed. This is a hands-on leadership role in a manufacturing environment where commercial acumen meets operational reality. Purpose of the Role: The BPE is accountable for bridging strategy and execution across all departments. This includes leading structured performance-management rhythms, owning financial integrity and resource allocation, and driving ongoing improvement of systems, processes and cross-functional coordination. You’ll wield influence across the business to ensure accountability, clarity and measurable outcomes. Key Responsibilities: -Executive Oversight & Business Leadership -Partner with the Managing Director to convert strategic intent into operational execution. -Oversee the business-performance rhythm: set, monitor and ensure achievement of departmental goals, KPIs and deliverables. -Lead quarterly business-performance reviews: identify strategic risks and opportunities, recommend corrective action. -Challenge senior team members to deliver focus, accountability and measurable results. -Strengthen organisational efficiency: structure, process flows, resource allocation. Strategic Planning & Execution: -Support and co-lead the growth and modernisation strategy. -Drive planning, budgeting and forecasting across units. -Translate financial and operational data into actionable business insights. -Lead special projects focused on profitability, scalability or governance improvement. Systems, Processes & Governance: -Ensure seamless integration and disciplined use of key business systems (e.g., ApparelMagic, DaVinci, Xero). -Oversee internal control design and compliance; ensure accurate, reliable data flows between systems. -Standardise operating procedures for purchasing, inventory control, landed costs, reporting. -Push system utilisation to enable real-time visibility, better decision-making, less manual intervention. Financial & Performance Management: -Review management accounts and challenge underlying assumptions to improve margin control and cost-efficiency. -Lead operational performance analysis: gross margins, cashflow, stock turnover, cost recovery. -Collaborate with Finance and Operations to align financial and non-financial KPIs. -Present business-performance insights and recommendations to the executive team. Leadership, Culture & People: -Foster a culture of accountability, performance and data-driven decision-making. -Coach and mentor middle managers to build leadership and commercial capability. -Strengthen collaboration and alignment across departments. -Lead structured weekly/monthly review meetings focused on performance and execution. Key Outcomes: -Business operating with discipline, efficiency and measurable accountability. -Executive team has clear visibility into performance metrics and business risks. -Consistent improvement in profitability, working capital and system utilisation. -Leadership alignment strengthened, freeing the MD to focus on strategic growth. -Financial results and operational delivery integrated and reinforced. Profile Requirements Experience: -10 years in senior business, operational or financial leadership roles — ideally in manufacturing, FMCG or retail, preferably in a family-owned or entrepreneurial business transitioning to structured governance. Education: -Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, Business Management or Industrial/Financial Management required; MBA preferred. Core Competencies: -Executive-level decision-making and leadership presence. -Strong financial acumen; ability to interpret data strategically. -Proven process-improvement and systems-integration expertise (experience with ApparelMagic, DaVinci, Xero advantageous). -Strong governance, organisational discipline and cross-functional coordination abilities. -Exceptional communication and stakeholder-influence skills. Personal Style: -Strategic thinker, decisive, assertive yet grounded and solutions-driven. -Comfortable bridging operational detail with executive-level oversight. -Able to lead change, hold people accountable and drive results without micromanaging.
