20 Oct
St Alban's College
Pretoria Central
Introduction
St Alban's College, a prestigious South African boys' high school, seeks a detail-oriented and driven Chief Financial Officer to join our high-performing Finance Department.
Objective:
The St Alban’s College (“the College”) is seeking to appoint a dynamic, decisive, innovative, motivated, qualified and energetic leader of high professional standing as a Chief Financial Officer. The incumbent will have full responsibility over the commercial and financial strategy, growth, sustainability and overall financial health of the College. This includes overseeing all financial operations, managing the financial planning and analysis processes, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements,
overall cost management and developing strategies for, and implementing, revenue generation, commercial activities, and innovation.
The incumbent will collaborate with, and support, the Advancement Director, the College Executive Committee and the College community to support the College's mission, commercial and strategic objectives. He/She will have to advise on, and implement, appropriate financial and administrative policies, procedures, budgets, systems and controls, consistent within the College’s policies and Generally Accepted Accounting practices, where applicable.
Duties & Responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
Finance:
- Develop and implement long-term financial plans to ensure the College's financial sustainability and growth.
- Make strategic financial decisions and manage risks to safeguard the College's financial health.
- Create long-term financial projections and scenario plans to anticipate and prepare for potential challenges and opportunities.
- Regularly review and adjust budgets and forecasts based on changing circumstances and priorities. Communicate financial information, strategies, and decisions to key stakeholders, including the College Council, Foundation, and other relevant parties.
- Formulate and direct financial strategy by planning, directing, and controlling the College’s overall financial and business plans,policies & accounting practices including capital expenditure, cash management and budgeting.
- Translate strategies into operational plans and assimilate financial impact.
- Maintain relationships with lending institutions and the financial community.
- Coordinate initiatives and projects to optimise returns, as well as cash flow delivery, minimise working capital requirements and ensure appropriate financing,
and to secure an appropriate level of risk management over asset and business risk.
- Asset & Investment Management by managing the asset base of the College
- Tax Planning and Financial Compliance, managing and informing tax structures and planning, where applicable. Oversee all statutory accounting processes, to ensure that the College is compliant with local statutory and corporate requirements.
Financial Advice and Management Information and Reporting:
oFacilitate the preparation of financial reports and management information;
oPresent financial reports, management accounts and proposals to stakeholders in a clear and concise manner, ensuring transparency and understanding;
oEnhance relationships and co-operation with the leadership team and other functions within the College;
oMaximize financial controls and provide strong support to other departments.
- Develop and co-ordinate necessary and appropriate accounting and statistical data and procedures for the maintenance offiscal records to sustain a well-defined management control structure.
- Perform any other tasks given by the Headmaster and College Council.
Commercial and revenue generation:
- Develop, secure support and consensus, and execute on a cohesive commercial strategy that is aligned with the College’sobjectives and values.
- Work closely with the Advancement Director to develop and implement strategic fundraising plans, including campaignstargeting parents, alumni, corporations, trusts, and foundations.
- Add value to the College’s growth activities by identifying new commercial opportunities and managing marketing efforts.
- Keep abreast of trends and market conditions to provide strategic advice to the Executive Committee.
- Identify and pursue opportunities for alternative and new revenue generation such as medical facilities, retail spaces, and otherventures that align with the College’s objectives, through effective utilisation of College assets, business model, donations, andpartnerships.
- Support the Advancement Director in his/her fundraising efforts, including preparing funding proposals and supporting documentation.
- Oversee the management of commercial leases, property development projects, and other revenue-generating initiatives.
- Strategically assess and pursue commercial activities that align with the College's objectives, advise the Headmaster and Council on the most effective way to achieve the above commercial goals, including the structuring and funding thereof.
- Conduct research and advise the College on best practice in innovation and commercial activities for schools both internationally and in South Africa.
- Leverage connections within the Independent Schools Association of South Africa (ISASA) community to identify uniquefunding and commercial opportunities and partnerships.
Governance and Administration:
- Serve as Member of the College Executive Committee, providing strategic financial input and commercial direction.
- Act as a voting member of the College Council,
participate as member of the Foundation, Planning (and its IT Sub-Committee), Finance, Remuneration and Investment Committees.
- Ensure compliance with all relevant financial regulations and standards, including IFRS and ISASA specific guidelines.
- Ensure effective use of technology in financial and other functional operations.
Leadership of non-academic staff:
- Manage the effective, efficient and highly motivated performance of the Finance, Procurement, IT, Human Resources andFacilities functions of the College, including their training and retention, and the efficient and optimal use of their expertise.
- Develop relevant department strategies to provide guidance to management and ensure that all functional needs align with business objectives.
- Ensure compliance with employment laws and regulations.
- Handle employment relations and analyse data to report for informed decision-making.
- Enable strategic motivating initiatives through Performance Management and the recognition of exceptional performance.
- Facilitate personal excellence and development of the team through strong inter-personal relations and team work across alldepartments and enable an optimised organisational structure, people development and succession planning.
Desired Experience & Qualification
- Relevant Accounting or Finance degree. CA, CPA, CFA is preferred.
- Must have worked in a highly complex educational environment or organisation.
- Possess extensive and demonstrable executive or senior management experience - minimum 10 years.
- Proven strategic, resource and people management.
- Solid knowledge of financial management, financial accounting standards such as IFRS and ISASA-specific guidelines.
- Sound knowledge of relevant applicable legislation.
- Proven track record in leading the development and delivery of new commercial ventures, growth strategies and innovation.Demonstrating a keen understanding of economic and business matters.
- A dynamic and responsive leader with a well-established and acknowledged success record and high-level administrative skills,along with the ability to develop and maintain good networks.
- A well-respected executive leader who can inspire and motivate.
Skills and Competence:
- An excellent entrepreneurial mindset and great leadership skills.
- A creative strategist with excellent organisational abilities.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a focus on strategic thinking and innovation.
- In-depth understanding of market research methods and analysis.
- Commercial and Financial acumen partnered with experience in implementation.
- Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders and build strong relationships.
- Foresight and ability to anticipate opportunities and threats.
- Outstanding communication and interpersonal abilities.
- Project management abilities.
- High dedication, energy, and enthusiasm.
- Ability to manage complexity and multiple priorities, and to work under pressure
- Proficiency in financial software and technology.
- Strong ethical standards and the ability to maintain confidentiality.
Package & Remuneration
Market Related
Disclaimer
If you have not heard from the College within three weeks of the closing date, please accept that your application was unsuccessful.
St Alban’s College reserves the right to not fill this position.
St Alban’s College, in line with POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act) will attempt to ensure the confidentiality of all applicants for this role. All reasonable measures will be in place to protect personal information but will be used in the recruitment, selection, and reporting process. By submitting your application for this position, you are recognising and accepting this disclaimer.
▶️ Chief Financial Officer
🖊️ St Alban's College
📍 Pretoria Central