Principal Specialist: Technology Finance Business Partner

Vodafone · Johannesburg

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Role Purpose/Business Unit:

To provide senior, strategic financial leadership and advisory support to Technology executives on decisions with material financial impact. The role partners closely with the Managing Executive: Network Operations; Vodacom Business Technology (VBTS) and associated EHODs to drive cost optimisation, strategic initiatives, and long-term value creation across Technology.

The role supports the Technology CTO directly and requires a high standard of financial accuracy, professional judgement, and executive-level delivery. Accountability includes embedding disciplined cost-efficiency principles, enabling informed decision-making aligned to organisational strategy, and providing expert financial input into Capex governance, project appraisal, and performance management.

Your responsibilities will include:

Weekly/ Monthly Report

Weekly and monthly reporting of:

Tracking and analysing site rollout, upgrades and lease renewals to ensure leases are correctly accounted for.
Support Vodacom Business Technology.
Assessing factors impacting Technology profit and forecasting expected month end close.
Supporting the National Property team on Lease & Electricity accruals and clean-up of accrual books.
Capex tracking and spend management, regular Post Implementation Reviews (PIR’s) to be completed on Capex projects.

Annual Reporting:

Budgeting Process on:

Leases, Rentals & Electricity.
Vodacom Business Technology (VBTS).
Additional Network Operations and VBTS cost management.
Structured and informative reporting (Key deliverable for Regional EHODs).
Capital Allocation Review pack submission to Vodafone.
Quarterly Capex governance submissions (CIRB and QBR).

Capex Governance and Control

Provide end-to-end financial governance over the Technology Capex portfolio, ensuring alignment to approved investment plans, strategic priorities, and affordability thresholds.
Establish and maintain Capex controls, including governance routines, tracking mechanisms, and exception management to ensure disciplined capital deployment.
Monitor and report Capex performance against budget, phasing, and forecast, highlighting risks, variances, and corrective actions to Technology leadership.
Review and challenge investment assumptions, scope changes, and benefits realisation throughout the project lifecycle to protect value and reduce delivery risk.
Ensure appropriate financial sign-off, auditability, and compliance to internal approval frameworks, including documentation standards and decision logs.
Drive post-investment review processes for Capex initiatives, translating learnings into improved future investment evaluation and portfolio optimisation.

Finance Business Partner Decision Support

Perform detailed analysis on financial or commercial and technical considerations and report back on findings and recommendations where appropriate.
Various Ad-hoc requests supporting Network Operations ME, VBTS ME and EHODs.

Business Case Development: Support the business to make the best strategic decisions and trade-offs by providing financial guidance to the Technology team through a comprehensive financial evaluation of business proposals. This comprises of Business case development and use of post implementation review results to inform future decisions.
Business Intelligence: Understanding the BI Tools available and being able to obtain relevant information from the various source systems and using such to optimise reporting and analytics.
Project management: Responsible to independently project manage the timeous delivery and implementation of ad-hoc Technology projects on a tactical and operational level to ensure customer satisfaction and cost efficiency focused to support the overall company cost strategy.

The ideal candidate for this role will have:

Three-year degree/diploma or equivalent in financial management/accounting/business management.
Post-graduate qualification, relevant to the job (If a certificate it should at least be at NQF 5 level or 1year certificate) – advantageous.
Data analytics/ Quantitative sciences qualification – advantageous.
At least 8 years relevant industry experience, preferably gained in a fast-moving multinational environment (experience of supporting a large Technology Customer Operations function would be an advantage).
Financial accounting, reporting/analysis, business support, financial planning and cost modelling, business case modelling and post invest review expertise are all essential for the role (8+ years).
Experience of cost efficiency programs is essential (5+ years).
Experience of working with a range of business managers with differing or competing requirements and consistently exceeding their expectations (5+ years).
Excellent presentation skills, particularly communicating to a non-Finance audience (5+ years).
Engagement and deliverables to Vodacom SA Exco (CTO, CFO and CEO) - highest level of accuracy and timeous execution.
Take initiative and drive new ideas.

Core competencies, knowledge, and experience:

Financial Modelling.
Budgeting and Forecasting.
Cost efficiency programmes.
Automation of unstructured data into reliable reporting to the Regional EHODs.
Working knowledge of Technology Engineering space– advantageous.
Strong analytical and technical accounting skills.
Strong commercial acumen.
Builds strong professional relationships.
Able to resolve conflicts successfully.
Excellent communicator and can deal effectively with non-finance people.
Self-starter with proactive approach to problem solving.
Tenacious and hardworking.
Advanced Microsoft excel, Power Point and Financial Systems skills.

We make an impact by offering:

Enticing incentive programs and competitive benefit packages
Retirement funds, risk benefits, and medical aid benefits
Cell phone and data benefits, advantages fibre connection discounts, and exclusive staff discounts offered in collaboration with partner companies

Closing date for Applications: 06 October 2026.

The base location for this role is Midrand, Vodacom Campus.

The company's approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply.
Vodacom is committed to an organisational culture that recognises, appreciates, and values diversity & inclusion.

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