External Reporting Finance Manager

Empowering Africa's tomorrow, together…one story at a time.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.Job SummaryTo be part of the team that looks after the activities of financial reporting to internal and external stakeholders of the Absa Group and Absa Bank to ensure that financial reporting is performed accurately and timeously and complies with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), JSE Limited listing requirements and the Companies Act as well as specific requirements as communicated by analysts, the Group Audit and Compliance Committee and the Board of Directors for Absa Group Limited and Absa Bank Limited.Job DescriptionKey AccountabilitiesAccountability: Stakeholder engagementAttend to queries from Fitch, Moody's, external auditors, financial analysts and the JSE Limited by requesting information from the relevant team members and reviewing the responses for accuracy and validity.Liaise with auditors regarding the review of financial statements and ensure that comments raised by auditors are being dealt with adequately.
Meet with auditors to discuss audit budgets and possible fee overruns to be presented to the financial controller.Update and/or review the relevant sections of the quarterly communication to business units.Ensure that the activities of the team meets the needs of all key stakeholders.Accountability: Internal reportingCheck the accuracy between the Exco report, GACC report, Board report, Segment report, the financial results booklet as well as the financial statements.Accountability: External reportingEnsure compliance to the Group's accounting policies, the Companies Act and King III.Engage with the chairmen of the relevant sub-committees and ensure that all their queries and concerns are addressed in terms of the reports prepared by the team.Review and sign off external market reports for half year end year-end.Design of reports - meet with graphic designers and discuss ideas for the design of the external reports, discuss with the Financial Controller and Group Marketing, provide feedback to designers and ensure that corrections have been made as requested, send skeleton booklet to typesetters/designers in order to apply the designs and proof-read to confirm consistency throughout the document.Segment Reports - Bank and Group consolidated - review segment report and confirm that all structure changes and other changes are incorporated as instructed, follow up on any queries/issues raised.
e.g.
queries on results where segments do not agree with actuals for the current year or prior year, review disclosures to verify that it is in line with changes in accounting standards, review the restatements file, comparing the prior year/period figures reported and current database figures and analysing and understanding restatements/reclassifications, review ratio calculations per segment, assessing these for reasonability and inclusion in the segment report disclosures for review and signoff by the segments, review the segment disclosures (market and geographical) for inclusion in the booklet and financial statements.Assist in preparing reports to the GACC and the Board with regards to restatements of prior period numbers.Ensure that the Group keeps up to date with content that is presented in external market reports of other South African Banks and/or other leading international players.
Prepare recommendations to the financial controller and the Group Audit and Compliance Committee on how these reports can be better presented based in research conducted, change in regulatory/industry requirements and changes to the business of the Group.Request additional roll up structures in Analyst to meet reporting & disclosure requirements for Absa Group Limited purposes.Review and approve restatements by checking the technical accounting requirements and the accuracy of the numbers and journals.Confirming accuracy of disclosures through analysis and comparison to other reports within the team.
Review all components of external reports to ensure reasonability, validity, accuracy and consistency across all.
Ensure that financial information in other reports (included in the integrated report) agrees to financial information as reported in other external reports.Check for the completeness, accuracy and presentation of external reports and other documentation.
Ensure that the responsible team members take full responsibility of all aspects of their relevant area of responsibility.Accountability: Team leadership and developmentWith the support from HR, interview and recruit direct reports.Motivate employees in the team and ensure that their efforts are recognised.Ensure that poor performance is addressed through the Absa Performance Accelerator Programme and that continued poor performance is adequately dealt with.Approve leave requests for direct reports and ensure that the team manage the leave effectively.Lead a team of financial specialists to achieve accurate and timeous financial reporting through continuous people development and mentoring activities.Ensure the development of a high-performing team through embedding formal Performance Development and informal coaching.Establish and maintain a succession plan for the team members using the formal Talent Management process for identified talent and an informal process for remaining roles.Act as first level escalation point for grievances raised in the team.Manage resource requirements and motivate additional requirements where needed.Address training requirements which includes Microsoft Office, IFRS, soft skills and report writing.Diversity: manage and ensure that every team member is treated with respect in terms of culture and religion.Do quarterly PD health checks with staff and ensure that they are meeting their required level of performance.Allocation of tasks and responsibilities within the team, based on staff's expertise, capacity and knowledge.Accountability: Monitoring, review and controlApproval of general ledger accounts and exco codes to ensure compliance to the Group's accounting policies.Review the mapping changes submitted by business units before working day -5 and assess whether changes/requests are reasonable.Review and approve changes to the Exco master (Analyst).Constantly review and improve processes to limit manual invention, dependence on key staff members and potential for error and misstatement.Assist with the updating of user and working guides.Review note specifications including mapping of notes and challenge team members' understanding of exco codes and processes.Ensure that documentation is retained and filed in terms of the Group's retention policy.Review numbers and ensure that these are supported by numbers in Analyst/Planning - ensure that supporting documentation accompanies the numbers which are not supported by the aforementioned databases.Role/Person SpecificationEducation and Experience Required:NQF Level 7: Honours/Masters DegreeB.
Comm (Accounting Science)Honours in Accounting ScienceCertificate in the Theory of AccountingDiploma in AuditingChartered Accountant CA(SA) or international equivalent3 year articles at an audit firm5 years post-articles experienceKnowledge and Skills:Financial reporting skillsAbility to gather, monitor and document researchProject management & organisational skillsLanguage and grammar skillsDeadline drivenOrganised, detail-orientated and self-motivatedCompetencies:Planning and organisingLearning and researchingCoping with pressure and setbacksCreating and innovatingWriting and reportingRelating and networkingWorking with peopleAdapting and responding to changeEducationPostgraduate Degrees and Professional Qualifications: Financial Sciences (Required)Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer.
In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised.
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