Job Description

Senwes is looking for a Head: Financial and Business Development to optimise financial performance, drive business growth through data driven insights, and enhance operational efficiency by leveraging innovative financial strategies.Financial and Business Optimisation.

• Analyse best practice and conceptual models within Senwes by working closely with the relevant executives or Managing Directors.
• Measure current business models against best practices, identifying gaps and shortcomings.
• Lead cost-saving initiatives, including head office cost investigations, contract optimisations, and systems optimisations.
• Conduct cost benchmarking and evaluate large cost components for potential optimisation.
• Implement change management strategies to ensure successful cost-saving transitions.
• Prepare investment committee reports and recommendations for cost optimisation initiatives.

Data-Driven Insights.

• Collaboratively engage with the relevant executives or Managing Directors (such as Digitalisation), to leverage data analytics to derive valuable insights that facilitate well informed decision-making and drive value generation.
• Identify trends and opportunities to enhance operational efficiency and financial performance.
• Develop strategies based on data-driven insights to drive business growth.

Operational Efficiency.

• Efficiently collaborate with pertinent executives to design new business models and business plans to address identified gaps and shortcomings.
• Create project plans and strategies for implementing new models and structures.
• Lead structuring optimisation efforts to enhance operational effectiveness.
• Conduct post-implementation investigations to evaluate the success of optimisation initiatives.

Capital allocation.

• Analyse Investment Opportunities: Evaluate potential investment projects and opportunities to assess their financial viability and alignment with strategic goals.
• Develop Capital Allocation Strategies: Create frameworks and methodologies for prioritising and allocating capital across various business units and projects.
• Conduct Financial Modelling: Build and analyse financial models to project returns on investment, cash flow, and risk assessment for proposed capital expenditures.
• Monitor Portfolio Performance: Track and evaluate the performance of allocated capital across investments, ensuring alignment with expected financial outcomes.
• Collaborate with Stakeholders: Work closely with finance, operations, and business unit leaders to gather insights and align capital allocation decisions with organisational priorities.
• Risk Management: Identify and assess risks associated with capital investments, developing strategies to mitigate potential downsides.
• Prepare Reports and Presentations: Create comprehensive reports and presentations for senior management and the board, outlining capital allocation recommendations and performance metrics.
• Benchmarking and Analysis: Conduct benchmarking against industry standards to inform capital allocation strategies and optimise resource utilisation.
• Review Capital Expenditure Requests: Evaluate and recommend for approval capital expenditure proposals, ensuring they align with strategic objectives and financial criteria.
• Continuous Improvement: Implement best practices and processes for capital allocation to enhance decision-making and efficiency in resource deployment.

Strategic Planning.

• Conduct Market Research: Analyse industry trends, competitive landscape, and customer insights to inform strategic decisions.
• Define Strategic Objectives: Collaborate with leadership to establish clear, measurable goals that align with the organisations vision and mission.
• Develop Strategic Plans: Create comprehensive strategies that outline initiatives, resource allocation, and timelines to achieve organisational objectives.
• Facilitate Workshops: Lead brainstorming sessions and workshops with cross-functional teams to gather input and foster collaboration on strategic initiatives.
• Monitor Progress: Establish performance metrics and KPIs to track the effectiveness of strategic initiatives and make data-driven adjustments as needed.
• Risk Assessment: Identify potential risks and develop mitigation strategies to ensure the successful implementation of strategic plans.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Communicate strategy effectively to stakeholders at all levels, ensuring alignment and support for strategic initiatives.
• Continuous Improvement: Evaluate the outcomes of strategic initiatives and implement lessons learned to enhance future planning processes.
• Reporting: Prepare and present strategic updates and reports to senior management and the board, highlighting progress and future directions.
• Align business models and strategies with organisational goals and value creation.

Cross-Functional Collaboration.

• Forge strong collaborative partnerships with pertinent Group Executives or Managing Directors, consistently driving goal achievement, fostering innovative initiatives, and ensuring effective implementation across projects.
• Present research, best practice examples, and conceptual models to executive management.
• Persuade stakeholders to accept and support implementation plans.
• Establish interdisciplinary implementation teams and lead them to successful execution.

Change Management.

• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and agility.
• Lead the organisation in collaboration with the executive management team through change management processes to drive successful transformations.

Stakeholder Engagement.

• Engage with internal stakeholders, such as Executive Leadership Team, Strategy Department, Operations Departments, Finance Department, etc.
• Build and enhance relationships to drive mutually beneficial outcomes.

Provide strategic direction for division(s).

• Study economic growth trends and incorporate in strategic plan.
• Create and communicate a vision for the future of the division.
• Working with the relevant stakeholders to formulate strategies and plans.
• Compile the business plan.
• Monitor the implementation of strategy.
• Monitor progress on strategic plan and re-direct where required.

Ensure division(s) performance/growth.

• Identify and assess strategic business growth opportunities.
• Generate, develop and operationalise new business opportunities.
• Maintain the competitive position of the division (s) and balance it with equitable distribution of resources to employees and stockholders.
• Define measurable goals that develop and enhance processes, systems and practices and provide the means and resources needed to accomplish the goals.
• Put in place a business development infrastructure and build capability from within the membership.
• Manage profitability and financial aspects of accounts.

Employee Management.

• Supervise employees.
• Delegate responsibilities and duties.
• Manage performance of employees.
• Provide in-house training and guidance and support to employees.
• Motivate employees and provide constructive feedback on performance.
• Develop and manage succession plan/ personal development plan of employees.
• Follow internal procedures when dealing with disciplinary related issues.

Qualifications: Qualified CA(SA).Requirements (South Africa): A minimum of 3-5 years of progressive leadership in finance, strategic planning, corporate finance and operations within the agriculture or related industry.Closing date: 08 April 2025.

• We are committed to transformation through the appointment of persons from designated groups and potential candidates from these groups will enjoy preference.
• Kindly note that a consumer credit record will be requested in respect of all appointments which involve dealing with cash or finances.
• Should we not have contacted you within six weeks of the closing date, you may assume that your application has been unsuccessful.

Senwes