Principal Specialist: CBU Finance Business Partner LoB at Vodafone Global Enterprise

Role purpose:

• The core purpose of this role is to support the CBU LoB FBP team to ensure that key business objectives, effective decision making and operational financial planning & insights is met through end to end business partnering for the respective LoB on all commercial initiatives impacting Contribution Margin. 
• The individual will be expected to interact with various stakeholders and business partners including Commercial LoB JDTs, S&D, Marketing, Terminals, FINOPs and VSA FP&A together with the EHOD: CBU LoB FBP.

Your responsibilities will include:

Business Partnering

• Support EHOD & FBP team with end to end business partnering for LoB including business cases and PIRs on all commercial initiatives impacting Contribution Margin of LoB and capital investment, where applicable.

MEC & RF process: 

• Support EHOD & FBP team with the Month-end-close including Early View & Rolling Forecast process (IBRO to PnL CM) for LoB, trend informing insights, review with business partners providing validation, support and alignment 

Budget & LRP: 

• Support EHOD & FBP team with the budget and LRP process (IBRO to PnL CM) for LoB, trend informing KPI/KFI insights, review with business partners providing validation, support and alignment 

Reporting & Insights:  

• Support EHOD & FBP team with End to end LoB specific reporting on Customer Revenue, Direct Costs & A&R for LoB profitability, analysis and insights to support performance narrative and efficiency targets  

Data analytics:

• Support EHOD & FBP team with the building of models to assist with MEC, RF, Budget, LRP, business cases and PIRs with support from D&A and commercial aimed at simplifying reporting capabilities, data accuracy and automated reports/dashboards.

IBRO: 

1. Support EHOD & FBP team with IBRO at LoB level built up from building block KPIs impacting drivers of LoB contribution margin

Teamwork

• Support FBP team and business partner colleagues to ensure team success. Build relationships both internal and external to deliver business results, leveraging and respecting differences.
• Create positive working relations between the CBU finance team, Vodacom SA Finance and key internal business partners & stakeholders such as Commercial LoB JDTs (incl Pricing, Segment and CVM teams), S&D, Marketing, Terminals, FINOPs and VSA FP&A.

Communication

• Communicate with clarity and impact. The ability to effectively manage expectations of key stakeholders
• Written material must be of the highest quality with clear insights and actions
• The ability to prepare and present performance to FBP team, line manager and direct ME

Knowledge and experience

• Develop knowledge of key mobile communication products and devices
• Develop knowledge of key channel and distribution agreements
• Develop understanding of the business drivers and sensitivities

Innovation and change

• Simplify and standardise modelling, reporting and processes wherever possible whilst ensuring that the requirements of the business are delivered
• The ability to use systems tools & technologies to analyse data, such as BI, big data etc.
• Look for new and innovative ways of working to strive for continual improvement

Essence of the role/Key Accountabilities

Business Case and PIR Development    

• Support Business Case (BCA) process and preparation of relevant financial impacts into the BCA, engaging all relevant stakeholders while ensuring BCAs are based on solid business assumptions, the initiatives are in line with company strategy and generate adequate financial return 
• Support Post Implementation Review (PIR) process on all BCAs launched that qualify for a PIR process. Support preparation of relevant financial impacts into the PIR, engaging all relevant stakeholders while ensuring PIRs are based on actual experience.  Measure project results against the BCAs using sound financial and business principles to guide and table recommendations
• On all BCAs & PIRs,
• Perform sensitivity analysis, highlight risk and opportunity, and propose actions to mitigate risks or chase additional opportunity.
• Evaluate the impact of new & existing initiatives along with market developments 
• Support the business to follow the appropriate company process in approving new initiatives with Capex spend through providing structured Business Cases and specifying Capex and OPEX needs. 
• Gather all inputs from commercial & technical  departments and external references
• Provide relevant financial methodology
• Challenge divisions by proposing alternatives to drive value
• Present trade-offs and rank alternatives
• Support senior management to take the appropriate decision
• Identify ways to track actual results 
• Ensure governance policies are followed

Month End Close, Forecasting and Budget Process

• Support the Month-end-close including Early View & Rolling Forecast process (IBRO to PnL CM) for LoB including all KPI/KFI insights to support views
• Support the annual Budgeting and Long-Range Planning (LRP) process for LoB including all KPI/KFI insights to support views
• Provide the trend informing insights & review with business partners providing validation, support and alignment
• Support preperation of P&L up to Contribution Margin level including Customer Revenue (Service, Network & Non Service Revenue), Direct Costs, A&R and KPI/KFI trends to support insights.
• Support  EHOD: FBP LoB & Operational Support in driving clear views into P&L for MEC, RF, Budgeting and LRP process 
• Support  EHOD: FBP LoB & Operational Support in understanding OPEX/CAPEX requirements

Commercial Decision Support    

• Provide insightful, timely and value-added input so that Commercial teams see FBP as a key contributor
• Building commercial insights to support capital investment and advise on prioritisation of capital investment
• Develop credibility with segment management while challenging the business to achieve its objective and generate value for the company. Assist in bringing consistency across all the business units in terms of decision support presentation.
• Enable improved decision making, identify and drive focused corrective actions.
• Provide advice and support to the consumer business unit on all business issues:
• Be an active member of the CBU FBP team and greater finance community
• Challenge the business to drive sustainable value pro-actively through informed and insightful decision making by analysing actual results
• Support Distribution Channel policy setting and reviews
• Define and improve financial processes, continually striving for simplicity and best practice
• Review of market information from IR and BI, and analyse relevance to drive performanc

IBRO, Management Reporting and Insights    

• Provide End to end LoB specific reporting on Customer Revenue, Direct Costs & A&R for LoB profitability, analysis and insights to support performance narrative and efficiency targets  
• Provide Performance tracking of operational Business Unit objectives and commercial initiatives
• Monthly P&L commentary and analysis at a granular IBRO level to support the variance commentary
• Monitoring business unit performance against targets
• Identifying potential issues and carrying out analysis to validate 
• Supporting departments to identify, analyse, validate and implement remedy actions 
• Contribute to Management reporting that lands in Exco and board

Business Intelligence    

• Provide insightful management information with strong focus on anticipating and managing monthly/quarterly results, and on management actions 
• Strategic alignment

Control, Governance & Modelling     

• Maintain an effective operational control environment over financial items, identifying weaknesses and developing solutions especially on enablement solutions and their rollout.
• Ensure business decisions are made within the governance framework
• Build and maintain models to assist with MEC, RF, Budget, LRP, business cases and PIRs with support from D&A and commercial aimed at simplifying reporting capabilities, data accuracy and automated reports/dashboards

Team leadership     

• Provide financial direction and guidance in strategic and commercial issues
• Identify company-wide stakeholders in the new organisation structure and understand requirements
• Maintain a creative and inclusive work environment
• Be a part of team engagement and enablement
• Create a safe and healthy working environment

The ideal candidate for this role will have:

Experience & Qualifications

• At least 5 years financial management experience with Relevant BSc. or BCom. Mathematics, Commerce, Statistics, Econometrics or relevant financial degree
• Good skills in Excel, Word and PowerPoint
• Advanced SQL skills is essential
• Experience in financial and business analysis 
• ICT industry experience an advantage

Competency / Performance Drivers

• Ownership ability 
• Formulating Strategies & Concepts
• Deciding and Initiation action
• Delivering Results and Meeting Customer Expectations
• Relating and Networking
• Persuading and Influencing
• Strong Writing and Reporting
• Adapting and responding to change

Person specification - Technical / Professional / Personal Expertise

• Strong financial management & analytical skills
• Understanding of revenues, costs & profitability
• Good communication & presentation skills
• Strong Commercial Acumen
• Multiple-stakeholder Management Ability
• Develop knowledge of the company and competitive industry preferable