Business Manager

ROLE PURPOSE

• The Business Manager acts as a trusted extension of the CEO, enhancing the CEO's effectiveness by driving agenda management, decision quality, enterprise coordination, and execution follow-through. The role exists to increase the time, focus, and agility of the CEO, ensuring that strategic priorities are translated into disciplined execution across the organization.
• The Business Manager operates with delegated authority from the CEO, working across functions to ensure alignment, clarity, and delivery, without holding direct line accountability for functional operations.

ROLE REQUIREMENT CEO Agenda, Decision & Follow-Through Management:

• Shape, prioritize, and protect the CEO's agenda to ensure focus on high-impact strategic and operational matters.
• Act as liaison between the CEO and internal and external stakeholders as delegated.
• Ensure CEO, Exco, and Board decisions are clearly articulated, documented, and communicated.
• Track execution of agreed actions, owners, milestones, and outcomes, escalating risks and delays to the CEO with recommended options.

Enterprise Operating Cadence & Coordination:

• Design, coordinate, and support the CEO and Exco operating rhythm, including Exco meetings, monthly reviews, and strategic forums.
• Facilitate the effective dissemination and receipt of key information between the CEO, Exco, and their leadership teams.
• Act as gatekeeper for issues escalated to the CEO, ensuring readiness, clarity, and decision quality.
• Monitor progress against assigned strategic initiatives and enterprise deliverables

Strategy Translation & Alignment:

• Translate the CEO's vision, priorities, and Board directives into clear strategic themes and execution plans.
• Support Exco in cascading strategy into aligned functional plans, budgets, and resource allocation.
• Define success metrics linked to strategic objectives, track progress, identify risks, and recommend corrective actions.

Enterprise Performance Insight & Financial Oversight:

• Work closely with Finance to analyze and interpret financial and operational performance at an enterprise level.
• Provide consolidated insight on budgets, forecasts, cost saving initiatives, and performance trends.
• Ensure financial and operational information presented to the CEO and Exco is accurate, prioritized, and decision relevant.
• Track benefits realization for strategic and efficiency initiatives.

Compliance, Governance & Reporting

• Ensure adherence to legal requirements, company policies, and approved governance frameworks.
• Coordinate and drive monthly and ad hoc reporting required by the CEO, Exco, and Board.
• Prepare executive level documentation and presentations by researching, validating, and synthesising information to support sound decision making.
• Ensure business decisions are implemented within agreed governance, risk, and compliance parameters.

CEO Office Team Leadership:

• Build and lead a small, high impact CEO Office team focused on reporting, execution tracking, and decision support.
• Set clear priorities, standards, and ways of working for the team.
• Ensure professionalism, confidentiality, and executive level delivery at all times.

DECISIONS RIGHTS & AUTHORITY

• Acts as a delegated representative of the CEO on agreed matters
• May convene and facilitate cross functional forums to drive alignment and execution.
• Has authority to challenge execution gaps and request corrective action on behalf of the CEO.
• Does not hold line accountability for functional P&L or daily operations.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Role requires executive level flexibility aligned to the CEO's schedule and business priorities.

• Strong understanding of the business, industry, and operating environment required.
• High levels of trust, confidentiality, and professionalism are non negotiable

TECHNICAL / PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES

• Enterprise governance, compliance, and risk management.
• Strategic planning and execution tracking.
• Executive level reporting and performance management.
• Project and change management.
• Stakeholder and relationship management at Executive level.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Matric / Grade 12 essential
• Minimum of 3-year relevant Degree/ National Diploma or is essential
• Business related courses completed is essential.
• A business related MBA is preferred
• Minimum of 8 years relevant experience in business management, strategy, consulting, or senior enterprise roles.
• Proven exposure to executive leadership teams and Board level environments.

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS

• Persuading and influencing.
• Planning and organizing.
• Deciding and initiating action.
• Delivering results and meeting expectations.
• Working effectively with senior stakeholders and teams.