Finance Business Analyst

Introduction

Job Purpose: The Finance Business Analyst acts as a critical bridge between Finance, Operations, and IT within a manufacturing environment, driving data-led decision-making, system optimisation, and financial performance insight.

The role is responsible for analysing financial and operational data, developing robust reporting tools and dashboards, and ensuring the integrity and automation of financial systems (including JDE and integrated reporting platforms). The incumbent supports budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, and profitability tracking while identifying opportunities to improve processes, controls, and system efficiencies.

In addition, the role ensures that financial data is accurate, timely, and aligned to both management reporting and statutory requirements, while enabling business units to make informed strategic and operational decisions.

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for the position of Finance Business Analyst   that has arisen in Systems Department at BBF Safety Group in Pinetown, KZN.  The Finance Business Analyst will report to the Head of Systems and will have amongst others, the following duties and responsibilities:

Duties, Responsibilities & Key Performance Indicators

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Financial Analysis & Reporting

• Produce detailed financial reports and dashboards, analyze KPIs, profitability, cost management, and variance explanations to support leadership decision-making.

• Develop and maintain financial models, forecasts, and simulations for budgeting, planning, and long-term financial strategy.

2. System & Process Enhancement

• Identify and implement improvements in financial systems and processes; collaborate with IT to automate tools and integrate reporting solutions.

• Manage system development, testing, automation of reconciliations, and the continuous optimization of reporting systems (e.g., JDE, BW, BPC)

• Able to generate interlinks between JDE and Qliksense

3. Requirements Gathering & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as a liaison between finance and IT or business units to define business requirements, functional specs, and system enhancements.

• Conduct stakeholder engagement through workshops, interviews, and meetings to gather inputs and ensure solution alignment

4. Testing, Implementation & Documentation

• Support or lead testing phases—Unit Testing, Integration Testing, and UAT—and document test plans, cases, and outcomes.

• Maintain thorough documentation for business requirements, process flows, system configurations, and user guides

5. Compliance & Regulatory Alignment

• Ensure financial systems comply with internal controls, audit processes, tax standards, and regulatory requirements.

• Support statutory reporting processes with integrity, reconciling differences between management and statutory platforms.

6. Business Performance & Advisory

• Investigate performance variances, support ad-hoc analyses, dashboard improvements, and drive data-led decision-making within the finance function

• Provide commercial insights, feasibility assessments, and financial advisory support to influence strategic choice.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

• Accuracy and timeliness of financial and operational reporting

• Forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis accuracy

• System uptime, stability, and integration performance (JDE / QlikSense)

• Reduction in manual reporting through automation and process improvement

• Resolution time for system and reporting issues within agreed SLAs

• Quality and impact of dashboards, reports, and financial models used for decision-making

• Data integrity, compliance with IFRS/SARS, and audit readiness

• Contribution to cost savings, margin improvement, and business insights

Desired Experience & Qualification

• Diploma or Degree in Management Accounting, Finance or equivalent

• At least 5 years’ experience in a similar role in a multinational company.

• Business partnering and analysis

• Strong JDE knowledge and understanding

• Business Information Systems

• Proficiency in MS Office, Oracle & Excel

• Good communication

• Excel, figure oriented and ability to work independently

• Ambitious and able to communicate on all levels

• Reliable and disciplined

• Advantageous: Knowledge of data structures and SQL databases.

• Advantageous: Familiarity with programming languages such as C#, C++, and SQL.

Skills & Competencies

• Ability to map, analyze, and optimize financial business processes (e.g., procure-to-pay, order-to-cash)

• Proficiency in gathering and documenting financial and business requirements from stakeholders using techniques like interviews, workshops, and process flows.

• Ability to collaborate with finance teams, IT, auditors, and senior leadership, while managing expectations effectively.

• Support financial transformation initiatives, including system upgrades (e.g., JDE, Oracle), automation, or compliance shifts.

• Solid understanding of financial accounting, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting.

• Familiarity with IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards)

• Proficiency in Excel and financial modelling techniques for variance analysis, ROI, and scenario planning

• Ability to assess financial impact of business decisions or system changes.

• Awareness of South African Revenue Service (SARS) requirements and local financial regulations.

• Experience with JDE, Oracle, SAGE, or Microsoft Dynamics used in South African businesses.

• Ability to dissect complex financial data and provide actionable insights.

• Accuracy in handling large volumes of financial data and ensuring compliance.

• Clear presentation of financial insights to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Innovative approach to financial and process-related challenges.

Interested?

Should you be interested, please submit your application to us via Pnet.

The Company is committed to achieving its Employment Equity objectives. In accordance with the Employment Equity Act and the Company’s Employment Equity Plan, preference may be given to suitably qualified candidates who contribute to the achievement of the Company’s Employment Equity targets.