Chief Financial Officer

Our client, a leading property management company specialising in student accommodation, is seeking a commercially astute and operationally strong Chief Financial Officer (CA(SA)) to join its Executive Leadership Team in Johannesburg North.

This executive opportunity is ideal for a seasoned Real Estate CFO, Property Management CFO, or Financial Director with deep experience in operational, asset‑heavy, multi‑site environments.

The CFO will drive financial strategy, operational finance performance, governance, risk management, treasury oversight, ESG reporting, and digital transformation, ensuring scalable growth and sustainable value creation across a national student accommodation portfolio.

Reporting to the CFIO, the CFO will provide executive oversight across:

• Finance & Treasury
• Human Resources
• Information Technology
• Legal, Risk & Compliance

• Partner with the CEO and Executive Team to execute business strategy across student accommodation development, commercial property operations, and multi‑site portfolio management.
• Translate corporate strategy into measurable financial KPIs including occupancy rates, rental yield, rent collections, EBITDA performance, cost control, and margin optimisation.
• Provide executive‑level financial modelling, scenario planning, and feasibility analysis.
• Drive operational finance performance across assets to maximise revenue optimisation and operational efficiency.

• Lead budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, treasury, and capital allocation.
• Oversee balance sheet management, investment property valuations, insurance, and hedging.
• Ensure compliance with IFRS, Companies Act, Tax legislation, and statutory reporting requirements.
• Strengthen internal controls, financial governance frameworks, and audit processes.
• Support development finance, construction funding, and capital raising initiatives.
• Lead sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) reporting aligned to regulatory standards.
• Optimise working capital and oversee liquidity management in a high‑growth property portfolio.

• Align workforce planning, headcount control, and people costs with financial strategy.
• Oversee performance management, leadership development, succession planning, and retention strategies.
• Ensure compliance with LRA, BCEA, EEA, Employment Equity legislation, and labour law frameworks.
• Promote transformation, diversity, and performance accountability.

• Oversee property management systems, ERP platforms, and digital reporting tools.
• Lead cybersecurity governance, data integrity, and business continuity planning.
• Champion automation, analytics, and technology‑enabled decision‑making.
• Align IT investment with operational scalability and efficiency.

• Maintain and review the Group Risk Register.
• Ensure compliance with FICA, AML regulations, POPIA, Property Practitioners Act, Consumer Protection Act, BBBEE, Companies Act, and related statutory frameworks.
• Oversee legal risk across leases, development agreements, funding transactions, and corporate actions.
• Support Board governance, risk mitigation, and regulatory reporting.

• CA(SA) or equivalent professional accounting qualification
• Employment Equity candidate (mandatory)
• 15+ years’ experience in senior financial leadership
• Proven CFO/FD‑level experience in operational real estate, student accommodation, hospitality, or multi‑site asset management
• Demonstrated expertise in portfolio finance, occupancy management, rent roll performance, cost control, utilities management, and operational asset optimisation
• Executive oversight of Finance plus at least two of HR, IT, or Legal functions

• Financial modelling & scenario analysis
• Property development finance
• Multi‑site portfolio reporting
• Treasury & capital management
• IFRS & statutory compliance
• Governance & risk frameworks
• ESG & sustainability reporting
• Operational performance benchmarking
• Strategic business partnering

JHB North, Gauteng

This is a rare opportunity for a high‑calibre CFO with real estate and student accommodation expertise to lead financial and operational strategy within a growing, performance‑driven property management environment.