Finance Lead

Job Purpose

The Finance Lead is a critical member of the business operations team, responsible for leading and executing on all finance-related functions. This includes accounts receivable and payable, financial systems, month-end close, client onboarding, and external financial communications. The Finance Lead ensures financial data integrity, timely reporting, and alignment with strategic business goals.

Key Responsibilities

1. Accounts Receivable Lead

• Oversee timely and accurate client invoicing based on signed cost estimates (CEs) and POs received.


• Match payments received to invoices in Xero.


• Manage credit notes and invoice corrections.


• Reconcile bank receipts from clients weekly.


• Debt collection and ensuring open relationships with clients.


• Build strong relationships and collaborate with Business Unit Directors and clients in a bespoke and complex environment.

2. Finance Systems Custodian

• Maintain, optimize, and troubleshoot Xero accounting software and Zoho CRM.


• Clean and structure financial data and ensure consistency across systems.


• Create and maintain custom dashboards and reports in Zoho CRM.


• Train and onboard new staff on Zoho CRM processes.
  

3. Client Onboarding (Finance Focus)

• Provide clients with accurate vendor onboarding documentation (banking, tax, and company details).


• Ensure EVG and EVG Publishing are onboarded as suppliers on client systems.
  

4. Financial Reporting & Compliance

• Allocate invoices and POs accurately in Zoho for reporting and revenue tracking.


• Prepare and send monthly debtor statements to clients.


• Liaise with clients for AP confirmations and reconciliations.


• Support internal and external audit requests.
  
  

5. Month-End Close & Year-end Financial Support

• Prepare the month-end close for the CFO to TB level. 


• Ensure accuracy of monthly revenue recognition and retainer reporting.


• Clear bank accounts


• Reconcile revenue-related accounts for month-end reporting.


• Reconcile fixed assets, tax, Intercompany loans, and other accounts.


• Respond to queries from the CFO.


• Liaise with internal teams (External Bookkeeper, Client Services, CGO) to support completeness of financial data.


• Monthly VAT calculations and returns submission.\


• Bi-annually assist CFO with Provisional tax estimates and manage the revenue estimates with Business Unit Directors.

7. Ad Hoc & Strategic Support

• Prepare revenue and debtor analyses for leadership.


• Support due diligence processes across the business with different department heads.


• Respond to ad hoc queries from CFO, CGO, and BUDs (Business Unit Directors).


• Assist in strategic business decisions with financial insights.


• Run internal process to accurately forecast Revenue at February year end for Provisional tax purposes.

Key Relationships

• Internal: CGO, Client Service Team, Bookkeeper, OCFO, Departmental Heads.


• External: Clients (Finance/AP Teams), Vendors, Financial Service Providers.
  
  

Skills & Competencies

• Strong financial acumen and attention to detail.


• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.


• Proficient in Xero and Zoho CRM 


• Process-oriented with the ability to handle high volumes.


• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.


• Strong analytical and reporting skills.


• Ability to work in a fast-paced and changing environment.
  

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance


• CIMA or SAIPA qualification is preferred.


• 3+ years experience in a financial operations or finance lead role


• Experience with cloud-based finance tools (Xero, Zoho, Dext) preferred


• Understanding of financial reporting, tax, and compliance in South Africa


• Experience in the media industry is preferable.