Specialist: CBU Operational Support at Vodafone Global Enterprise

Role Purpose/Business Unit:

To provide the Consumer Business Unit (CBU) and Vodacom South Africa finance team with regular financial reporting consolidating CBU FBP Prepaid & Contract PnLs to create a single CBU PnL view down to EBITDA level. This includes the creation and management of CBU PnL for MEC, RF, Budgets, and LRP processes through timely coordination of internal stakeholders (CBU FBP LoB, VSA FP&A, and VSA FINOPs). 

• CBU MEC & RF process: lead the Month-end-close for CBU consolidated views including the rolling forecast process (PnL EBITDA) based on FBP LoB inputs and OPEX. Ownership of submissions and timelines.
• CBU Consolidated Reporting: VSA, VF KPI/KFI reports and board pack at CBU level based on FBP LoB input, VSA FP&A, and FINOPs consolidated requirements. Ownership of system submissions & timelines.
• CBU Budgeting & LRP process leadership into VSA FP&A and FBP LoB teams. Ownership of CBU PnL on the back of FBP LoB PnL and KPI/KFIs. Ownership of submissions and timelines.

Teamwork

• Support business partner colleagues to ensure team success. Build relationships both internal and external to CBU, 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 CBU FBP LoB, Terminals, FINOPs, and VSA FP&A.

Communication

• Communicate with clarity and impact using multiple channels to foster open communication throughout the organisation. The ability to effectively manage the expectations of key stakeholders
• Written material must be of the highest quality with clear insights and actions for executive management 
• Facilitates the effective interaction and contribution of team members in forums such as CBU MPR, WD3, 4, 5, 11, and the like.
• The ability to prepare and present performance to commercial, sales, regional, and management teams

Innovation and change

• Simplify and standardise modeling, 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

Your responsibilities will include:

Month-End Close, Forecasting, and Budget Process

• Ownership of consolidated CBU P&L up to EBITDA level including Customer Revenue (Service, Network & Non-Service Revenue), Direct Costs, A&R, OPEX, and KPI/KFI trends to support insights. 
• Lead and own reconciliation of top-down consolidated CBU P&L at VSA FP&A level down to CBU Network only views produced from bottom-up approach
• Lead and own the Month-end-close including the Rolling Forecast process for CBU including all KPI/KFI insights received from FBP LoB areas to support views
• Lead and own the annual Budgeting and Long Range Planning (LRP) process for CBU including all KPI/KFI insights received from FBP LoB areas to support views
• Lead and own management reports into VSA FP&A and VF including system loads on all PnL line items and supporting KPI/KFI requirements
• Review and challenge the trend-informing insights with FBP LoB providing validation, support, and alignment
• Support EHOD: FBP LoB in driving clear views into P&L for MEC, RF, Budgeting, and LRP process 

Financial Decision Support    

• Provide insightful, timely and value-added input so that Financial teams see FBP Operational Support as a key contributor
• Develop credibility with stakeholders and management while challenging the business to achieve its objective and generate value for the company. Assist in bringing consistency across the consumer business unit in terms of financial support presentation.
• Provide advice and support to the consumer business unit on all financial issues:
• Be an active member of the CBU FBP team
• Challenge the FBP to drive sustainable value pro-actively through informed and insightful decision-making by analysing actual results
• Define and improve financial processes, continually striving for simplicity and best practice

Business Intelligence    

• Provide insightful management information with a strong focus on anticipating and managing monthly/quarterly results, and or 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 financial decisions are made within the governance framework
• Build and maintain models to assist with MEC, RF, Budget, and LRP with support from D&A and FBP LoB aimed at simplifying reporting capabilities, data accuracy, and automated reports/dashboards

The ideal candidate for this role will have:

• At least 5 years of financial management experience with Relevant BCom. Accounting or relevant financial degree
• Advanced skills in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Advanced levels of experience in financial and business analysis 
• ICT industry experience is an advantage

Person specification - Technical / Professional / Personal Expertise

• Strong financial management & analytical skills
• In-depth understanding of revenues, costs & profitability
• Excellent communication & presentation skills
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders
• Knowledge of the company and competitive industry is preferable

Competency / Performance Drivers

• Strong 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