Senior Finance Manager

About the Company

Santam is the market leader in the general insurance industry in Southern Africa. We are a large, diversified, expanding and transforming company and whilst based in South Africa, we are rapidly moving into a number of emerging markets, both in Africa and Asia. 

Our success is rooted in our passion for our clients and everything we do is centered on our delivery of Insurance Good and Proper. We’re about people. People drive our business so it follows that we want to recruit the best people possible whether they work for us permanently or for a short time as temporary employees. 

Job Description

As the Head of Finance – Outsourced Business, you will provide strategic leadership across finance, risk, and operational processes. You will play a critical role in ensuring high quality financial outputs that enhance business understanding, strengthen governance, and support strategic decision making.
You will partner closely with Santam Broker Solutions leadership and Santam Group Finance to deliver accurate reporting, robust controls, and forward-looking financial insights.

Key Responsibilities

• Financial Reporting & Analysis
• Lead monthly financial management reporting.
• Ensure reporting adheres to Santam Group, IFRS, and regulatory requirements.
• Develop effective reporting processes across business units.
• Deliver variance analysis, revenue and expense insights, and financial dashboards.
• Support financial reporting changes driven by business transformation.
• Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, scenario planning, and strategic financial modelling.
• Provide forward looking insights that support business strategy.
• Lead the annual budgeting cycle and monthly forecasting processes.
• Executive & Operational Reporting
• Prepare business review packs and executive reporting for SBS and Group Exco.
• Report on financial performance, including growth, underwriting results, and expense trends.
• Manage statistical data, broker reporting, and business unit expense allocations.
• Strategic & Operational Finance Leadership
• Drive key financial projects such as VAT changes, budget optimisation, and process improvements.
• Oversee data management, expense approvals, fee invoicing, and supplier cost governance.
• Review ledger reconciliations and liaise with internal and external auditors.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high performing finance team.

Qualifications and Experience

• CA or CIMA qualification
• Minimum 7 years of experience in a financial department
• Minimum 5 years of experience in financial analysis/ management reporting
• Experience in setting up financial reporting processes
• Experience in data validation, accuracy and completeness reporting is strongly recommended
• Insurance industry experience is strongly recommended

Skills and Knowledge

• Strong excel skills required
• Excellent analytical skills and logical reasoning required
• Insurance knowledge strongly recommended
• Good reporting and communication skills required
• Strong relationship management skills required
• Ability to work under pressure
• General financial & risk management knowledge
• Relevant experience in terms of managing relationships with business partners
• Leadership or Managerial experience
• Portfolio Administration
• Knowledge and experience of strategy formulation and implementation

Competencies

• Strong resilience and a positive attitude are required
• Self-confidence & assertiveness
• Leading and deciding
• Planning and organising
• Analysing and interpreting
• Creating and conceptualizing
• Applying expertise and technology
• Pro-active and achievement orientation
• Adherence to principles and values
• Work well in diverse and changing environment
• Delivering results and managing customer expectations
• Commercial orientation
• Client focus
• Enabling innovation
• Change leadership
• Continuous learning
• Emotional intelligence
• Integrity
• Team-focused leadership
• Talent enablement
• Driving strategy 

Build a successful career with us

We’re all about building strong, lasting relationships with our employees. We know that you have hopes for your future – your career, your personal development and of achieving great things. We pride ourselves in helping  our employees to realise their worth. Through its five business clusters – Sanlam Fintech, Sanlam Life and Savings, Sanlam Investment Group, Sanlam Allianz, Santam, as well as MiWay and the Group Office – the group provides many opportunities for growth and development.

Turnaround time

The shortlisting process will only start once the application due date has been reached. The time taken to complete this process will depend on how far you progress and the availability of managers. 

Our commitment to transformation

At Santam we are committed to transformation and embracing diversity. This commitment is what drives us to achieve a diverse workplace with employment equity as a key goal to create an inclusive workforce, representative of the demographics of our society. In achieving our employment equity goals we give preference to applicants from the designated groups in alignment with the Divisions Employment Equity targets.