Manager: Finance Operate & Transformation

Role Summary

As a Manager within Finance Operate, you will be responsible for leading the delivery of high-quality, technology-enabled finance and managed services solutions to clients. The role requires a strong combination of financial and business acumen, analytical capability, client service, people leadership and an active interest in the implementation and deployment of technology.

The Manager will work closely with clients and internal stakeholders to understand business challenges, analyse financial and operational information, and design practical solutions that improve efficiency, quality, control and decision-making. The role will place particular emphasis on the effective use of artificial intelligence, automation, data analytics and digital tools within finance operations.

The successful candidate must be a self-starter who can work independently, challenge traditional ways of working and translate ideas into practical, implementable solutions. The Manager will also be responsible for managing delivery teams, developing junior team members and ensuring that client commitments are delivered to the required quality and within agreed timelines.

Key Responsibilities

Finance Managed Services & Delivery

▪  Manage the delivery of finance managed services engagements across multiple clients and workstreams.

▪  Oversee month-end, quarter-end and year-end finance activities, ensuring delivery commitments and service levels are met.

▪  Monitor operational performance, service delivery metrics and key business outcomes.

▪  Ensure delivery quality, consistency and adherence to EY methodologies and governance requirements.

▪  Act as the primary escalation point for operational issues, risks and stakeholder concerns.

▪  Support the transition and mobilisation of new managed services engagements where required.

Client & Stakeholder Management

▪  Act as a trusted advisor and primary day-to-day contact for client stakeholders.

▪  Build and maintain strong relationships with client finance teams and business leaders.

▪  Facilitate discussions with clients to understand challenges, opportunities and evolving business requirements.

▪  Present reporting, insights, recommendations and project updates to management and leadership teams.

▪  Manage stakeholder expectations and drive resolution of delivery issues and risks.

▪  Identify opportunities to enhance service delivery and strengthen client relationships.

Reporting, Analytics & Business Insights

▪  Oversee the preparation and review of management reporting, operational dashboards and executive presentations.

▪  Analyse financial and operational information to identify trends, root causes, risks and improvement opportunities.

▪  Translate data into actionable business insights and recommendations.

▪  Leverage reporting and visualisation tools such as Power BI and ERP reporting solutions to improve decision-making.

▪  Support the development of meaningful KPI frameworks and performance reporting solutions.

Process Improvement, Automation & Transformation

▪  Identify and implement opportunities to improve efficiency, effectiveness and control within finance processes.

▪  Lead continuous improvement initiatives across client engagements and internal operations.

▪  Drive the adoption of automation, artificial intelligence and digital solutions to optimise finance activities.

▪  Work with technology, development and operational teams to define requirements and implement solutions.

▪  Support process redesign, standardisation and operating model improvements.

▪  Monitor and track benefits realised from transformation initiatives.

Technology & Innovation

▪  Champion the use of emerging technologies within finance operations.

▪  Evaluate opportunities to leverage AI, workflow automation, analytics and digital platforms.

▪  Participate in solution design, testing, deployment and post-implementation reviews.

▪  Collaborate with technology teams to ensure solutions meet business requirements and operational objectives.

▪  Promote innovation and continuous enhancement across the Finance Operate portfolio.

Engagement Management

▪  Manage end-to-end execution of client engagements, including planning, delivery tracking and issue resolution.

▪  Coordinate timelines, deliverables, resources and stakeholder requirements.

▪  Monitor performance against agreed milestones, budgets and objectives.

▪  Support resource planning, utilisation management and capacity forecasting.

▪  Ensure engagements are delivered efficiently while maintaining quality standards.

People Leadership & Teaming

▪  Lead, coach and develop junior team members.

▪  Provide ongoing mentoring, performance feedback and career development support.

▪  Allocate work effectively and monitor delivery performance across teams.

▪  Foster a collaborative, inclusive and high-performing team culture.

▪  Support recruitment, onboarding and capability development initiatives.

Risk, Quality & Governance

▪  Ensure all deliverables comply with EY quality standards, governance requirements and client expectations.

▪  Identify and proactively manage delivery, operational and project risks.

▪  Maintain strong review and quality assurance processes across engagements.

▪  Support compliance with EY policies relating to quality, independence and risk management.

▪  Promote a culture of accountability, ownership and continuous improvement.

Skills and Attributes

▪  Strong financial and commercial acumen.

▪  Strong analytical and problem-solving capability.

▪  Ability to manage multiple engagements, stakeholders and competing priorities.

▪  Strong communication, presentation and stakeholder management skills.

▪  Experience leading teams in a client-facing environment.

▪  Ability to identify and implement practical process improvements.

▪  Strong project and delivery management capability.

▪  Interest in and understanding of AI, automation and digital technologies.

▪  Ability to influence and drive change across teams and organisations.

▪  Quality-focused with strong accountability for delivery and outcomes.

Qualifications and Experience

▪  CA(SA), ACCA, CIMA or equivalent professional qualification preferred.

▪  Approximately 3–5 years of experience in finance, managed services, finance transformation, consulting or related fields.

▪  Experience managing client engagements and leading delivery teams.

▪  Experience in finance operations, management reporting or business performance analysis.

▪  Experience driving process improvement, automation or transformation initiatives.

▪  Strong stakeholder management and client relationship experience.

▪  Experience working with ERP systems such as SAP or similar platforms.

▪  Exposure to reporting and analytics tools such as Power BI.

▪  Experience working with AI, workflow automation or digital transformation initiatives would be advantageous.

▪  Experience within a professional services or consulting environment preferred.

Preferred Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a commercially minded finance professional who combines strong financial knowledge with a passion for technology, process improvement and operational excellence. They will have proven experience managing client relationships, leading teams and delivering complex finance and transformation initiatives within a fast-paced environment.

The candidate should be comfortable engaging with senior stakeholders, translating business challenges into practical solutions and leveraging technology to improve finance operations. They should demonstrate strong leadership, sound judgement, a continuous improvement mindset and the ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on delivery.