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Supply Chain Finance Production Manager
manager · Corporate Finance
Join us as Supply Chain Finance Production Manager
Function: Finance
Reports to: Supply Chain Finance Director
Scope: South Africa
Location: Johannesburg/ Durban
Terms & Conditions: Full time, Onsite
About the Role
The Supply Chain Finance Production Manager is responsible for partnering with Supply Chain, Procurement, and Category Finance teams to drive financial performance, governance, cost optimization, and strategic decision-making across Unilever South Africa's manufacturing network. This role provides financial leadership across Unilever factories and collaborative manufacturing partners supporting the Nutrition, Home Care, Beauty & Wellbeing, and Personal Care categories.
The role plays a critical part in improving profitability, enhancing operational efficiency, strengthening governance, and delivering sustainable cost savings across the production landscape. You will lead a high-performing finance team while partnering with cross-functional stakeholders to unlock value through productivity initiatives, capital investment management, robust financial controls, and waste reduction programs. You'll be part of a team that believes in doing work that matters — for people and the planet. Because here, we don't just hire for jobs. We invite you to be part of something bigger.
Key Responsibilities
Business Performance Management & Decision Support
• Partner with factory leadership teams to steer business performance through insightful financial analysis and decision support.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning processes across manufacturing and collaborative production sites.
• Provide actionable insights through variance analysis, identifying key performance drivers, risks, opportunities, and corrective actions.
• Support capital investment decisions through robust business cases and evaluation of Capital Expenditure Proposals (CEPs).
• Partner with Supply Chain and Category teams to maximize government incentives and support delivery of key strategic projects.
• Monitor stock losses, material usage variances, and operational performance metrics to support effective decision-making.
Cost Optimisation & Productivity Delivery
• Drive the Cost per Ton agenda through delivery of productivity, efficiency, and cost reduction initiatives across manufacturing operations.
• Challenge and influence factory teams to achieve productivity targets while maintaining quality, service, and safety standards.
• Lead financial governance of waste reduction programmes and identify opportunities to improve manufacturing efficiencies.
• Monitor and evaluate capital expenditure commitments against budgets and expected returns.
• Drive alignment of manufacturing cost benchmarks and productivity improvements across sourcing units and production facilities.
• Partner with Operations teams to reduce production indirect costs and improve overall supply chain competitiveness.
Financial Governance & Controls
• Ensure robust financial controls, governance practices, and compliance standards are implemented and maintained across Supply Chain operations.
• Lead audit engagements and coordinate financial reviews to ensure control effectiveness and compliance with company policies and SOX requirements.
• Maintain the integrity of balance sheet and income statement reporting through strong financial discipline and governance processes.
• Ensure compliance with Unilever's Standard Chart of Accounts and financial reporting requirements.
• Manage journals, provisions, write-offs, and financial adjustments in line with Schedule of Authority requirements.
• Drive timely, accurate, and transparent financial reporting to support operational and strategic decision-making.
Budget Management, Inventory & Working Capital
• Lead annual budgeting processes and standard product costing activities in line with global costing guidelines.
• Ensure accurate financial management of manufacturing and third-party production operations.
• Monitor budget performance and conduct monthly analysis of forecast variances, overspends, and savings opportunities.
• Drive stock governance and inventory management processes, including stock counts, variance reporting, and stock reconciliations.
• Partner with Operations and Planning teams to optimize inventory levels and reduce stock days on hand.
• Support sourcing strategy decisions through financial modelling and development of business cases for alternative sourcing options.
• Drive analysis and reporting of material usage variances and inventory performance across production sites.
UMS & Operational Excellence
• Lead Finance's contribution to the Unilever Manufacturing System (UMS) agenda and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Partner with site leadership teams to drive operational excellence and delivery of key manufacturing performance indicators.
• Support improvements in output reliability, stock record accuracy, customer service levels, and production performance.
• Use operational and financial data to identify opportunities for efficiency improvements and sustainable value creation.
Performance Analytics & Financial Insights
• Develop meaningful performance reporting and dashboards to improve visibility of operational and financial performance.
• Leverage financial and operational data to identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities across manufacturing sites.
• Drive data-based decision-making through insightful analysis of productivity, costs, inventory, waste, and capital investments.
• Support business planning and scenario modelling to improve financial outcomes and operational resilience.
People Leadership & Capability Development
• Lead, coach, and develop a diverse team of 4-8 finance professionals.
• Drive capability building, succession planning, and leadership development across the team.
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and inclusion.
• Build strong engagement and support career progression through structured development and coaching plans.
• Partner with broader Finance and Supply Chain teams to strengthen organizational capability and talent pipelines.
Experience & Qualifications
• Professional accounting qualification required (CA(SA), CIMA, or other finance professional qualification equivalent).
• Minimum 5 years' experience in Factory Supply Chain Finance within a manufacturing environment.
• Minimum 5 years' people leadership and team management experience.
• Experience across both factory and head office finance environments is advantageous.
• Strong knowledge of financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, costing, and financial analysis.
• Minimum 5 years' SAP experience.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Experience with SOX controls, financial governance, and audit processes is advantageous.
• Proven track record of driving business performance within complex operational environments.
• Strong communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills.
• Ability to navigate complexity, challenge constructively, and build strong cross-functional partnerships.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end Supply Chain Finance principles and value creation opportunities.
• Demonstrated experience leading change initiatives and continuous improvement programmes.
Unilever Behaviours
- Focus on what counts: We ruthlessly prioritise what really, really matters and so do fewer things brilliantly. We set clear and stretching goals and recognise maximum performance impact. It is not about reducing ambition or effort or running after the ‘new and shiny’
- Care deeply: We care deeply about how consumers experience our brands every day, everywhere; about our people's growth and development, and our impact on the planet. We care about our performance, to a point where it hurts when we don't win. It is not just about being nice or avoiding honest conversations about performance and opportunity.
- Stay 3 steps ahead: We think boldly and creatively to make breakthroughs in performance. We are always curious and confident - anticipating and staying ahead of consumer needs and external trends to be the competition. It is not taking our eye off the ‘here and now’.
- Deliver with excellence: We deliver everything we do with excellence and pace. We take personal ownership and hold each other to account - always finding a way to do what we said we will do. It is not about analysing the inevitable roadblocks, admiring the problem or tolerating mediocrity
Why Join Unilever?
- Work for one of the world’s most purpose-led and trusted brands.
- Drive meaningful impact on business capability and performance.
- Be part of a supportive, culture‑driven environment that values people and growth.
- Enjoy opportunities for regional exposure and professional development.
Unilever is an equal opportunities employer and committed to diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. We are intentional in employing the best talent that reflects the demographics of our country, and which will help build representation of currently under-represented groups. We therefore invite applications from all candidates representing diversity of age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief. When appointing potential candidates, the South African Employment Equity and Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Legislation will be considered.We are required by law to verify your ability to work lawfully in South Africa. If you are applying as a foreign national, please note that you may be requested to provide supporting documents supporting this.
This is an office - based role in Johannesburg or Durban and requires 100% of time attendance on site.
Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.
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