Germiston: CFO

PURPOSE Sets out a clarified and amended scope for the CFO role Ensures alignment to the operating reality, the type of CFO required, and the non-negotiable capabilities needed for success Confirms this is not a conventional corporate CFO role Defines an operational, turnaround-oriented mandate focused on stabilisation, rebuild, and execution OPERATING CONTEXT Operates in a low IT maturity environment with weak systems and heavy Excel reliance Fragmented data across four related but different operating units Requires strong reporting capability and a solid grasp of operational KPIs driving performance Mandate to restore confidence in the accuracy of financial results and trading performance Focus on streamlining accurate reporting Linking financial reporting to appropriate operational metrics Tracking turnaround initiatives Operating within a working capital constrained environment THE SIX FACES OF THE CFO RSA CONTEXT Transactional Ensuring accurate, timely execution of core financial processes through direct involvement Journals, accruals, reconciliations, GL clean-ups, Excel-based reporting, fixing errors Dependency: None Current priority: Very High Controllership & Governance Establishing discipline, controls and trust in the numbers Close calendars, balance sheet ownership, audits, SOPs, approval frameworks Dependency: Strong FM Current priority: High Turnaround Specialist Stabilising a stressed business through decisive, hands-on intervention Cash visibility, collections, cost containment, rapid fixes, tough trade-offs Dependency: Logistics experience Current priority: Very High Business Partnering Supporting operations and commercial teams with insight Route, customer and fleet profitability, KPIs, variance analysis Dependency: Logistics experience Current priority: Medium Growth & Strategy Enabling sustainable long-term growth and value creation Capital allocation, pricing strategy, network optimisation Dependency: M&A activities, post-merger integrations Current priority: Low Digital & Transformation Using systems, data and automation to improve efficiency and insight ERP stabilisation, BI, automation, data flow improvement Dependency: Background in system onboarding Current priority: Low NON-NEGOTIABLE REQUIREMENTS Hands-On Transactional Capability Willing and able to personally execute transactional finance work when FM capability is weak Rebuilding management accounts in Excel Reviewing and fixing reconciliations Correcting GL mappings Working outside the ERP Directly stabilising month-end close Rationale Inconsistent FM capability means transactional execution is essential Controllership and governance cannot function without hands-on execution Someone must physically do the work to stabilise the finance engine Failure Indicators Delegates immediately despite weak execution below Has not done transactional work in years Frames execution as temporary admin Focuses only on review, oversight, or governance Month-end issues persist without resolution Turnaround Grit and Tolerance for Discomfort Psychologically and behaviourally suited to operating in a messy, manual, under-developed environment Tolerance for poor data, weak systems, slow progress, repeated re-work Willingness to do work below traditional CFO status for an extended period Rationale First 612 months will be uncomfortable and non-linear Progress will be slow and unglamorous CFOs expecting structure, automation, or quick wins typically disengage or fail Failure Indicators Visible frustration with chaos Premature rush to future-state solutions Loss of energy after initial effort Defensive or disengaged behaviour Discomfort with manual or low-status work SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE PROFILE Logistics experience CA(SA) Proven experience leading turnaround environments Proven experience operating in non-system driven, low process maturity and technology environments Strong reliance on Excel-based processes Demonstrated ability to upskill and develop the finance function CONCLUSION The CFO role is a stabilise-first mandate Requires execution capability and personal grit