About the position
A large, complex, and systemically important organisation is seeking an experienced General Manager: Shared Services to lead a multi-functional shared services operation covering Finance, HR, Payroll, Travel Management, and Master Data Management.
This is an N-1 executive role reporting directly to the Group CFO. The function services approximately 43,000 employees, 5,000 active vendors, and operates under strict regulatory and governance frameworks (PFMA / King IV / SOX equivalent).
Requirements:
- 10+ years in shared services at management level, including running a large-scale, multi-functional shared services operation
- B Degree / B Tech / Advanced Diploma in HR, Finance, Business Management, or Business Administration (NQF7, 360 credits)
- Postgraduate qualification advantageous
- Demonstrated success in:
- Payroll for large employee populations
- Accounts payable & vendor management at scale
- Travel management (executive-facing)
- HR shared services (records, medical aid, pension interface)
- SLA governance & customer relationship management
- Driving technology transformation (digitalisation/AI)
- Building leadership teams & succession planning
Key Responsibilities:
- End-to-end service delivery across Finance, HR, Payroll, Travel, and Master Data Management
- Service Level Agreement (SLA) design, negotiation, and governance with internal business units
- Driving digitalisation and AI adoption to improve efficiency without compromising service quality
- Managing a team of ±225 staff; addressing senior management succession risk
- Leading through organisational change and unbundling scenarios
- Ensuring zero-disruption payroll, accurate accounts payable, and clean vendor master data
Desired Skills:
- Business Acumen
- Commercial Acumen
- Customer Relations
- Labour Relations
- Operational Planning
- Project Management
- Risk Assessments
