Finance Business Partner- Support Functions job at Absa Bank

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With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

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Job Summary

The Job holder works directly with Business and Function Heads on cost reporting to attain ownership of reported costs while challenging the cost allocation to drive value for money.

Job Description

Business Partnering

• Manage reporting of operating and capital costs to support the achievement of financial targets.
• Analyse functional costs, including actual performance against STP and RAF targets, and provide actionable insights.
• Review and update cost allocation drivers at segment and branch levels to ensure accurate reflection of support provided.
• Support the review and challenge of Group recharges to ensure value-for-money services.
• Support preparation of segmental reports in conjunction with Finance Business Partners.
• Contribute analytical inputs to RAF, MTP, and STP processes, including cost drivers and performance metrics.
• Prepare functional cost-related inputs for ALCO, Board, MBR, and CMC reporting.
• Coordinate with Group Finance to provide monthly analysis of Bank costs against STP targets at functional levels.
• Conduct monthly Revenue Assurance to monitor and prevent income leakage across assigned business income channels.
• Recommend improvement initiatives to enhance cost efficiency and overall financial performance
• Provide business functions with financial insights and commentary to support strategic decision-making, including cost-saving initiatives.

Stakeholder Management

• Foster effective communication and strong working relationships with colleagues across the department, the Bank, Group, and external auditors.
• Attend meetings and engage with Senior Managers and staff to facilitate clear understanding of cost performance and financial insights.
• Manage and respond to queries from external stakeholders regarding costs, ensuring timely and accurate information is provided.

Risk Management control and Compliance

• Identify, assess, and manage risks and risk events (incidents) in alignment with the Group Risk and Control Framework
• Conduct proactive independent oversight of risk performance, including monitoring the effectiveness of controls and principal risk management.
• Maintain procedures to monitor ongoing compliance with policies and controls, ensuring accountability and transparency in all processes.
• Communicate required practices and controls to relevant colleagues to ensure consistent application.

Team Leadership & Contribution

• Provide honest, direct and constructive feedback to fellow team members.
• Share knowledge experience and best practice with team members and other Finance colleagues
• Manage the provision of training and support to the finance team and other areas of the bank to build knowledge and capacity around accounting standards and practices.
• Proactive engage members of the bank’s senior leadership team committed to achieving success and providing support for colleagues.
• Pursue your own personal development to increase job effectiveness

Preferred Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance or a related field from an accredited University
• Full Professional qualification in accounting such as ACCA or CPA.

Preferred Experience

• 3 years working experience in a similar role preferably in a financial institution.

Knowledge

• In depth understanding of short-, medium- and long-term strategies, goals and objectives
• Detailed knowledge of Management Accounting
• Detailed understanding of Managing for Value reporting
• Financial Management Control and Analysis
• Comprehensive understanding of product set and services of Corporate, Retail, Business Banking, Markets, and Treasury portfolios
• An appreciation of the external economic, political, legal and regulatory environment and their impact to the business.
• Up to date knowledge of all applicable tax laws and some considerable understanding of accounting technical issues (International Accounting Standards/IFRS, etc)

Skills

• Excellent comprehension skills to understand and interpret financial data and economic trends.
• Highly numeric/strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong Computer skills and other Analytical tools – Excel, TM1, SAP
• Very strong communication skills, both verbal and written
• Excellent planning & organization skills
• Strong ability t

• Manage reporting of operating and capital costs to support the achievement of financial targets.
• Analyse functional costs, including actual performance against STP and RAF targets, and provide actionable insights.
• Review and update cost allocation drivers at segment and branch levels to ensure accurate reflection of support provided.
• Support the review and challenge of Group recharges to ensure value-for-money services.
• Support preparation of segmental reports in conjunction with Finance Business Partners.
• Contribute analytical inputs to RAF, MTP, and STP processes, including cost drivers and performance metrics.
• Prepare functional cost-related inputs for ALCO, Board, MBR, and CMC reporting.
• Coordinate with Group Finance to provide monthly analysis of Bank costs against STP targets at functional levels.
• Conduct monthly Revenue Assurance to monitor and prevent income leakage across assigned business income channels.
• Recommend improvement initiatives to enhance cost efficiency and overall financial performance.
• Provide business functions with financial insights and commentary to support strategic decision-making, including cost-saving initiatives.
• Foster effective communication and strong working relationships with colleagues across the department, the Bank, Group, and external auditors.
• Attend meetings and engage with Senior Managers and staff to facilitate clear understanding of cost performance and financial insights
• Manage and respond to queries from external stakeholders regarding costs, ensuring timely and accurate information is provided.
• Identify, assess, and manage risks and risk events (incidents) in alignment with the Group Risk and Control Framework.
• Conduct proactive independent oversight of risk performance, including monitoring the effectiveness of controls and principal risk management.
• Maintain procedures to monitor ongoing compliance with policies and controls, ensuring accountability and transparency in all processes
• Communicate required practices and controls to relevant colleagues to ensure consistent application.
• Provide honest, direct and constructive feedback to fellow team members.
• Share knowledge experience and best practice with team members and other Finance colleagues
• Manage the provision of training and support to the finance team and other areas of the bank to build knowledge and capacity around accounting standards and practices.
• Proactive engage members of the bank’s senior leadership team committed to achieving success and providing support for colleagues.
• Pursue your own personal development to increase job effectiveness

• Excellent comprehension skills to understand and interpret financial data and economic trends.
• Highly numeric/strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong Computer skills and other Analytical tools – Excel, TM1, SAP
• Very strong communication skills, both verbal and written
• Excellent planning & organization skills
• Strong ability t

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance or a related field from an accredited University
• Full Professional qualification in accounting such as ACCA or CPA.