Head, Expense & SOP Management at AMO Farm Sieberer Hatchery Limited

Job Purpose

• Responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of expense control strategies to optimise financial performance while maintaining operational efficiency by performing insightful analysis on each expense category and providing timely information to executive management to enable them to make strategic decisions.
• Oversee the creation, maintenance, and implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure efficient and consistent operations within the organisation.

Roles and Responsibilities
Expense Analysis and Reporting:

• Lead the expense analysis and reporting activities at the Amo Group. These activities include analysis, planning, forecasting, testing for reasonability, and reporting of plan vs actual on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis; determining ratios (including productivity and operating leverage ratios); and defining the allocation methodology.
• Conduct a thorough analysis of expenses across various departments and business units.
• Prepare detailed expense reports and presentations for senior management, highlighting key trends, variances, and areas for improvement.
• Provide actionable insights and recommendations based on expense analysis to drive cost-saving initiatives.
• Analyse expense data and metrics to provide insights and recommendations for cost reduction and efficiency enhancement

Budgeting and Forecasting:

• Subject matter expert partnering across the business line and Finance teams to help make informed decisions about budget planning, forecasting, and potential cost reduction activities, as well as the ongoing management of their business operations which have a budget impact.
• Collaborate with Finance teams to develop annual budgets and forecasts.
• Monitor actual expenses against budgeted targets and identify areas of overspending or cost overruns.
• Work closely with departmental heads to develop realistic expense forecasts and track performance against targets regularly.

Expense Control Strategies:

• Develop and implement expense control strategies to optimize cost efficiency while maintaining quality and operational effectiveness.
• Establish and enforce expense policies and procedures to control costs and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Review and approve expenditures, including purchase orders, invoices, and expense reports.
• Implement cost-saving measures and identify areas of improvement to optimize expenses.
• Identify opportunities for process improvements and automation to streamline expense management processes.
• Establish policies and procedures to enforce expense control measures across the organization.
• Review and process expense reports, verify costs against receipts and ensure company expense policy adherence.
• Streamline expense-related procedures to increase efficiency and accuracy.ure efficient and consistent operations within the organisation.
• Establishes control over employee spending to maintain accurate financial records and make data-driven business decisions in the future.
• Conduct insightful and value-added analysis on the organization’s expenses to understand and challenge allocations and spending to embed increased transparency.

Organization Process Management:

• Oversee and manage the company's processes to ensure efficiency, productivity, and quality.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, subject matter experts, and leadership to develop and document detailed and standardized SOPs for various projects, processes, and tasks. that align with industry best practices and regulatory standards.
• Create, review, and update SOPs to reflect current processes, technological advancements, and industry trends on a need basis.
• Collaborate with all department leaders/members to analyse existing workflows and identify opportunities for process optimization.
• Establish and manage a repository of process documentation systems and maintain the same with version control.
• Ensure that SOPs are kept updated with industry standards, company/ department requirements, and relevant regulations while conducting regular audits to assess the effectiveness and compliance of SOPs.
• Collaborate with training teams to develop training materials and resources based on SOPs to educate employees on new or updated procedures.
• Communicate changes in SOPs to relevant stakeholders, ensuring a smooth transition and understanding of updated procedures regularly.
• Collect feedback from various teams and stakeholders to identify areas for improvement in existing SOPs and drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational effectiveness.

Vendor Management:

• Collaborate with the Procurement unit to negotiate contracts with vendors to secure favorable terms and pricing agreements.
• Monitor vendor performance and evaluate opportunities for cost reduction or optimization.
• Conduct periodic evaluations of Vendors' contracts and performance to ensure compliance with SLA provisions and identify potential savings opportunities.

Risk Management:

• Assess and mitigate financial risks associated with expenses, such as fraud, waste, and overspending.
• Implement internal controls and monitoring mechanisms to prevent and detect financial irregularities.
• Collaborate with Internal Audit and Compliance teams to ensure adherence to financial regulations and policies.

Reporting and Communication:

• Prepare and present financial reports, including expense analysis, to senior management and other stakeholders.
• Communicate financial performance, variances, and recommendations effectively to support decision-making processes.
• Provide financial guidance and advice to other departments on expense management matters.

Financial Strategy:

• Collaborate with senior management and key stakeholders to develop financial strategies that support profit generation and growth and follow through for the implementation.
• Align financial goals with overall business objectives and contribute to the development of long-term financial plans.

Profitability Analysis:

• Identify opportunities to optimize profitability by analyzing pricing strategies, product/service profitability, and cost reduction initiatives.
• Provide in-depth analysis of direct expenses, major support, and allocated expenses to identify opportunities for cost savings and operational improvement.
• Provide benchmarking of expense-related key performance indicators to identify opportunities for cost savings and more effective deployment of our resources.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including finance, operations, and procurement, to align expense control efforts with organizational objectives.
• Provide guidance and support to departmental heads on expense management best practices.
• Foster a culture of cost consciousness and accountability throughout the organization.

Qualifications

• B.Sc. Degree or HND in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related field. Master's Degree or professional certification ACA / ACCA / CIMA is required
• Proven experience in financial analysis, budgeting, and expense management with at least 8 years of experience.
• Financial Management, Internal control, or audit experience is required.Strong analytical skills and proficiency in financial modelling and data analysis tools.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex financial information to diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrate leadership abilities with a track record of driving change and achieving results.
• Familiar with document management systems and tools, and knowledge of industry standards and regulations.
• Possess Project management skills to oversee the development and maintenance of multiple SOPs.
• Ability to convey critical financial information to both Finance and non-Finance Executives.
• Strategic mindset with the ability to identify opportunities for cost optimization and operational improvement.
• Proficiency in ERP systems and advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Experience in the Agric sector is a plus.

Required Skills and Competencies:

• Financial, Data Analysis and Reporting.
• Budgeting and Forecasting Expense Management.
• Strategic Thinking, Leadership and Communication.
• Vendor Management.
• Compliance and Risk Management.
• Possess advanced Microsoft Excel; Word; Power Point skills.

Expected Behavioral Competencies:

• Analytical thinking and attention to detail.
• Strategic Problem-Solving and Resilience Orientation
• Initiative, adaptability with strong collaboration and Team Spirit
• Leadership and Influence
• Communication Skills
• Ethical Conduct.