Chief Finance and Enablement Officer
Purpose
To provide strategic financial leadership and organisational stewardship that enables SmartStart to deliver its strategy, strengthen its sustainability and increase its impact.
Working closely with the CEO, Board and executive leadership team, the Chief Finance and Enablement Officer will shape and execute SmartStart’s financial strategy; provide trusted insight to inform strategic choices; safeguard the organisation through strong governance, risk management and controls; and ensure that resources are directed towards the areas of greatest strategic value and impact.
Beyond safeguarding financial health, the role will help build the systems, disciplines and enabling infrastructure required for SmartStart’s next phase; strengthening organisational effectiveness, supporting innovation and growth, and ensuring that SmartStart remains financially resilient and equipped to play its evolving role as an ecosystem enabler.
Ultimately, the Chief Finance and Enablement Officer will help ensure that SmartStart’s ambition is matched by the financial strength, organisational capability and disciplined stewardship required to achieve it.
What You Will Help Us Achieve
As part of SmartStart’s executive leadership team, you will:
- Shape financial strategy for impact and sustainability - ensuring that SmartStart’s resources, investments and financial model support both organisational resilience and our long-term strategic ambition.
- Enable better strategic decisions - translating financial information, evidence and organisational performance into insight that helps the CEO, Board and executive leadership make bold, informed choices.
- Strengthen organisational stewardship - ensuring strong governance, risk management, controls and accountability while protecting the organisation’s assets, reputation and long-term sustainability.
- Build the infrastructure for our next phase - strengthening and modernising financial systems, processes and digital tools so that they enable agility, efficiency, transparency and real-time decision-making.
- Partner across the organisation - helping leaders understand the financial implications of their choices and creating greater shared accountability for organisational resources and performance.
- Strengthen confidence among funders and partners - building trusted relationships and ensuring SmartStart demonstrates the financial stewardship, transparency and institutional strength required to sustain and grow its impact.
- Lead and develop high-performing teams - creating an environment of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement and strong leadership across the functions within the portfolio.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Finance & Organisational Stewardship
- Determine and compile the annual budget in collaboration with the CEO, and implement, control and manage resources within approved budget guidelines
- Exercise appropriate financial approval authority over financial commitments, expenditure and departmental budget requirements, within delegated authority.
- Provide leadership in the development and continuous evaluation of short- and long-term strategic financial objectives
- Interpret and execute management's strategy into a departmental plan with specific objectives and targets, communicating this to the team
- Assist in formulating management's future direction and supporting tactical initiatives, and monitor and direct the implementation of strategic business plans
- Develop financial and tax strategies, and manage the capital request and budgeting processes
- Develop and monitor financial performance measures that support organisational strategy, accountability and decision-making.
- Provide executive management with advice on the financial implications of business activities
Governance, Risk & Institutional Resilience
- Enforce company policies, departmental procedures, structure, reporting lines, and business ethics and values
- Oversee that the management team complies with all legislative requirements
- Develop financial policies to ensure operational efficiencies, and maintain confidentiality and non-disclosure of confidential information at all times
- Perform risk management by analysing the organisation's liabilities and investments, and understand and mitigate key elements of the company's risk profile, cybersecurity, data privacy and information governance risks
- Oversee that a fraud prevention plan is implemented and operational, and construct and monitor reliable control systems
- Responsible for the integrity of financial information and financial systems
Financial Performance & Operational Enablement
- Oversee and present budget reports regarding expenditure to keep the Audit Committee appropriately informed of the department's budget position
- Oversee the preparation of all financial statements, invoices and proposals, and review financial paperwork and procedures, making appropriate changes where necessary
- Review periodic financial analysis to identify and resolve issues, gaps or variances
- Decide on investment strategies by considering cash and liquidity risks, and oversee that cash flow is appropriate for the organisation's operations
- Oversee that all payroll-related requirements are effectively managed
- Direct and oversee all aspects of the Finance function, providing timely and accurate analysis of budgets, financial trends and forecasts
- Supervise acquisition due diligence and negotiate acquisitions where required
- Oversee employee benefit plans, with particular emphasis on approving cost-effective benefit enhancements
- Lead the continuous improvement and optimisation of finance systems, processes and digital tools to improve reporting accuracy, efficiency and real-time decision-making.
Executive Partnership, Stakeholders & People Leadership
- Represent management at public functions, events or external meetings, and maintain strong, trusting relationships with funders, senior executives, vendors and other stakeholders.
- Oversee key vendor relationships and support strategic vendor management, ensuring value, accountability and alignment with organisational requirements.
- Review and present financial reports and results at management meetings.
- Communicate financial decisions and their organisational implications clearly to relevant stakeholders and teams.
- Oversee the recruitment of department resources in collaboration with People and Talent.
- Responsible for the development, training, talent management and succession planning of direct reports
- Ensure sound and productive employee relations, good morale, and a productive work culture across departments
- Provide oversight to functional budget management
Qualifications & Experience
- Senior certificate (NQF4) or equivalent, and a BCom in Accounting, Finance or a related field
- Admission to the board as a Chartered Accountant [CA(SA), CIMA, SAICA, or equivalent]
- An MBA will be advantageous
- Minimum of 15 years' experience in Accounting, including at least 5 years in senior management
- Demonstrated experience partnering with an executive team
- South African citizen, or valid work permit for South Africa
Specific Knowledge
- In-depth knowledge of relevant financial legislation, governance and risk management practices
- Strong understanding of financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and reporting
- Strong understanding of financial controls, cash-flow and liquidity management
- Excellent knowledge of data analysis and financial management systems
- Proficiency in MS Office and financial management software
- Understanding of organisational governance, policy conceptualisation, analysis and implementation
- Knowledge of strategic planning and organisational performance management
- Knowledge of transformation and change management principles
- Strong understanding of financial risk, compliance and internal control environments
Skills and Competencies
- Strong strategic financial leadership and business acumen
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with an ability to translate financial information into actionable insight
- Strong decision-making and judgement
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Strong leadership, organisational and planning skills
- Ability to build collaborative relationships and effectively partner with executive leadership and stakeholders
- Ability to lead and develop high-performing teams
- Ability to identify opportunities for innovation, process improvement and cost-effective solutions
- High level of integrity, dependability and accountability
- Strong sense of urgency and results orientation
- Ability to work effectively in a diverse, agile and collaborative environment under significant time pressure
- Strong attention to detail and ability to manage competing priorities
Employment Equity
SmartStart is committed to employment equity, diversity and inclusion. Preference may be given to suitably qualified candidates from designated groups, in line with SmartStart's Employment Equity commitments and applicable legislation.
Child Safeguarding Policy
Any and all applicants must adhere with the SmartStart Child Safeguarding Policy which has been developed in line with the International Standards for Child Safeguarding which provide a benchmark for organisations working with children.
In terms of this Policy, SmartStart will not employ anyone whose name is on the National Child Protection Register or who has been convicted of a criminal offence involving a child.
