Financial Manager: Finance Operations: JG: 12: SLS: Finance: Bellville

Who are we?

Sanlam Life and Savings (SLS) is focused on serving our retail and corporate clients in South Africa and further developing our strategic advantages in the South African market. Sanlam Life and Savings consists of three clusters - Sanlam Corporate, Sanlam Retail Mass and Sanlam Retail Affluent. The Sanlam Life and Savings Office provides strategic direction, coordination and support to the three clusters, as well as performing governance oversight that includes assurance provided by second line of defense functions in SLS, to enable us to meet our business objectives.

What will you do?

This role is responsible for the financial support to Business Transformation and Shared Services (BTSS) and certain overheads departments. Main purpose of the role is to support the head of Business Shared Services (BSS) to make sound financial decisions in a risk-controlled environment. It includes budgeting & forecasting, financial reporting & analysis and the management of certain control & reconciliation accounts.

Key result areas / Role outputs:

• Supporting and development of accounting solutions and standards in BSS.
• Ensuring effective controls and procedures are in place.
• Effective cost management (including budget outputs) for BSS, BTSS overheads and Finance Operations.
• Approval of international payments and large claims.
• Liaising with all internal and external stakeholders e.g. Actuarial, Business Shared Services, Sanlam Group Technologies and auditors (internal and external).
• Pro-active management and control of reconciliation accounts.
• Solving financial enquiries and problems on time and in an effective manner.
• Review of internal controls in policy environment (Legacy and Epsilon) and proposal for improvements.
• Proposals towards continued improvement of current processes.
• Advise Business partners on handling accounting entries and queries.
• Complete and accurate reporting on specific items in general ledger at month end and year-end.
• Sign off on Trial Balances for all profit centres in our area of responsibility at month-end.
• Co-ordinate interim and annual year-end audits with external auditors to ensure a clear understanding of what will be audited as well as timelines.
• Ongoing liaison with other business partners and auditors on operational matters.
• Administration, Planning and Organizing of work to ensure successful and on time delivery.
• Optimise and influence accounting efficiencies.
• Understanding Business Shared Services processes.
• Create provisions for transactions not yet processed.
• Support business with SAP 4 Hana and IA.
• Build relationships with Business Shared Services Management.
• Obtain information timeously from business to meet deadlines.
• Create awareness of the effect of open items on reconciliation and control accounts.
• BSS TCF reporting.
• Management of and direct support to people needed to support this role.
• Coordinating and delivering certain working papers to external auditors.
• Interaction with SGT to enable the management of reported IT expenses.

Role Requirements:

Qualifications:

• Honours degree in Financial Management/accounting.
• Registered member of a professional accountant’s body would be beneficial.

Knowledge & Experience:

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in life insurance industry.
• 3 – 5 years’ experience in financial reporting environment.
• Sound knowledge of Sanlam’s financial reporting systems (SAP & A4O).
• Strong financial accounting knowledge and abilities.
• Good and proven business acumen.
• Epsilon/Legacy knowledge will be an advantage.
• Reconciliation module and Insurance Analyser knowledge will be an advantage.
• MS Office with strong Excel skills.

Competencies:

• Balances stakeholders.
• Communicates effectively.
• Ensures accountability.
• Financial acumen.
• Plans and aligns.
• Action Oriented.
• Optimized Work Processes.

Sanlam Core Competencies:

• Cultivates innovation - Contributing through others.
• Customer focus - Contributing through others.
• Drives results - Contributing through others.
• Collaborates - Contributing through others.
• Being resilient - Contributing through others.

Build a successful career with us

We’re all about building strong, lasting relationships with our employees. We know that you have hopes for your future – your career, your personal development and of achieving great things. We pride ourselves in helping our employees to realise their worth. Through its five business clusters – Sanlam Fintech, Sanlam Life and Savings, Sanlam Investment Group, Sanlam Allianz, Santam, as well as MiWay and the Group Office – the group provides many opportunities for growth and development.

Turnaround time

The shortlisting process will only start once the application due date has been reached. The time taken to complete this process will depend on how far you progress and the availability of managers.

Closing date: 19 November 2024

Our commitment to transformation

The Sanlam Group is committed to achieving transformation and embraces diversity. This commitment is what drives us to achieve a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace as we believe that these are key components to ensuring a thriving and sustainable business in South Africa. The Group's Employment Equity plan and targets will be considered as part of the selection process.