CD Finance Manager - Traditional Trade

Unilever is currently hiring for a Commercial Finance Business Partner (DBN or JHB)

Function: Finance
Reports to: Commercial Finance Director
Scope: Southern Africa
Location: Durban OR Johannesburg, South Africa
Terms & Conditions: Full time, onsite

At Unilever, everything we do is driven by purpose. This is an opportunity to help shape a better business and a better world through the impact of your work.

We’re looking for a Commercial Finance Business Partner (FMCG) to support and drive performance management within the Customer Development (CD) function. This role plays a critical part in enabling strong commercial decision‑making through robust financial control, insightful analysis, and close partnering with Customer Development teams.

You’ll be part of a team that believes in doing work that truly matters — for people and the planet.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Performance & Decision Support

• Support decision‑making around Customer Development promotions and work closely with CD Operations on accruals
• Ensure the right level of investment across channels, categories, customers, and activities
• Evaluate the feasibility and return on promotional plans
• Support the development and execution of customer investment plans

Performance Management & Forecasting

• Partner with CD account teams to manage performance in a standardised way across all customers and channels
• Support initiatives to close performance gaps, mitigate risks, and realise opportunities
• Communicate and manage account targets, including growth and Trade Terms Spend (TTS)
• Forecast performance by category and customer
• Drive the Trade Terms Spend (TTS) savings agenda

Finance Controlling & Governance

• Support and intervene in CD finance controlling processes including accrual reviews, judgemental TTS postings, and aged deduction management
• Monitor, analyse, control, and forecast contractual spend
• Analyse and present monthly financial results with actionable insights to relevant business partner teams

Order to Cash & Risk Management

• Support debtor management and resolve customer overdue balances
• Help resolve key issues related to claims and aged deductions
• Engage with the Order to Cash team within the Multi‑Country Operation to resolve transactional and balance sheet issues optimally

Insight & Continuous Improvement

• Conduct pre‑ and post‑evaluation of promotional activity, analysing plan vs actual variances
• Apply learnings to improve future promotional effectiveness
• Support Customer Development Operations with day‑to‑day financial expertise as required

Required Qualifications