Financial Controller

Financial Controller

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Department: Finance

Reporting to: General Manager and Time Out Market Finance Director

Brand Video: Time Out Market_Brand Video_MAR2022.mp4

Role Purpose

The Financial Controller is responsible for leading the financial management, reporting, governance and operational finance functions of Time Out Market Cape Town.

This role partners closely with the General Manager and senior leadership team to provide accurate financial information, commercial insights and strategic support that enable informed business decisions. The Financial Controller ensures the integrity of the Market's financial records, drives financial performance, maintains strong internal controls and continuously improves financial processes across the business.

Working within a dynamic, multi-unit hospitality environment, the Financial Controller oversees all financial operations, supports concessionaire accounting, manages reporting obligations and ensures compliance with statutory and company requirements while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Key Objectives

• Maintain complete financial integrity across the Market.
• Deliver accurate and timely financial reporting.
• Support commercial decision-making through financial analysis.
• Drive operational efficiencies and process improvements.
• Ensure compliance with statutory, tax and internal governance requirements.
• Provide financial leadership and business partnering to operational teams.
• Maintain strong relationships with concessionaires, suppliers and key stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Management & Reporting

• Manage the month-end and year-end financial close process.
• Prepare accurate monthly management accounts and financial reports.
• Complete full balance sheet reconciliations each month.
• Prepare weekly and monthly financial performance reports for Management and Group Finance.
• Analyse financial performance against budgets and forecasts.
• Produce meaningful variance analysis and recommendations.
• Present financial information clearly to senior management.
• Assist with the preparation of annual financial statements and external audits.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Business Planning

• Coordinate the annual budgeting process.
• Maintain rolling financial forecasts.
• Prepare cash flow forecasts and monitor working capital.
• Support strategic planning through financial modelling and analysis.
• Monitor departmental budgets and identify opportunities to improve profitability.
• Assist operational management in achieving financial objectives.

Operational Finance

• Oversee the Accounts Payable process.
• Review supplier invoices and ensure accurate coding.
• Prepare and manage weekly payment schedules.
• Set up payment batches for bank authorisation.
• Monitor supplier balances and ageing.
• Reconcile banking transactions.
• Monitor Cost of Sales and purchasing trends.
• Work closely with Operations to ensure inventory accuracy.
• Maintain financial integrity across operational systems.

Concessionaire Finance

• Prepare Phase 1 and Phase 2 concessionaire remittances.
• Manage concessionaire reconciliations.
• Process recharge billing including
• Investigate and resolve concessionaire account queries.
• Ensure concessionaire payments are accurate and processed within agreed timelines.

Business Partnering

• Partner with the General Manager and department leaders to improve business performance.
• Provide financial insights that support operational and commercial decision-making.
• Identify business risks and opportunities.
• Assist management in achieving budget and profitability targets.
• Provide recommendations to improve operational efficiency and financial performance.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with IFRS and company accounting policies.
• Maintain effective internal financial controls.
• Ensure VAT and statutory compliance.
• Coordinate audit requirements and provide supporting documentation.
• Maintain compliance with internal approval processes and delegated authorities.
• Ensure financial risks are identified and appropriately managed.

Financial Systems - Maintain the integrity and effective use of:

• Xero Accounting
• Lightspeed POS
• MarketMan
• Tenzo
• Tripleseat
• Yoco
• ABSA Business Banking

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and mentor the Finance Administrator.
• Allocate and review workloads.
• Develop finance procedures and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Promote continuous improvement within the finance function.
• Support training and development of finance team members.
• Foster collaboration across departments.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance or a related field (BCom, BAcc or equivalent).
• Professional qualification such as CA(SA), CIMA, SAIPA or equivalent would be advantageous.

Experience

• Minimum 5–8 years' experience in a Financial Controller or similar role.
• Hospitality, retail or multi-site operational finance experience preferred.
• Strong experience using Xero Accounting.
• Experience working with integrated operational systems.
• Experience managing budgeting, forecasting and cash flow.
• Proven experience leading finance operations and month-end reporting.

Technical Skills

• Advanced Microsoft Excel.
• Financial reporting and analysis.
• Budgeting and forecasting.
• Cash flow management.
• VAT and statutory compliance.
• Management accounting.
• Balance sheet reconciliations.
• Inventory and Cost of Sales management.
• Financial modelling.
• Financial systems administration.
• Strong understanding of integrated accounting environments.

About our culture

At Time Out Group we believe in diversity and equal opportunity for all people. We do not discriminate against external or internal candidates on the basis of age; disability; gender, gender reassignment; race; religion or belief; sexual orientation; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity. We believe that diversity develops creativity and enables personal and professional growth where we all learn from each other. We believe in an open culture where ideas are shared candidly and where there is no fear of failure, but rather an understanding that we must experiment and have the freedom to succeed. We believe that everyone has the right to express themselves as they are as this enriches us all. We believe in an open world, social justice, and the pursuit of happiness, after all, we are in the happiness business.

Recruitment Scam Warning

Time Out is aware of recruitment scams in which individuals falsely claim to represent our company.

Please note that Time Out will never ask candidates to pay fees, transfer money or make purchases at any stage of the recruitment process. We also do not conduct interviews or communicate with candidates via Telegram or WhatsApp.

If you receive a suspicious message, job offer or payment request claiming to be from Time Out, please do not respond or send any money. Instead, contact us at [email protected] so we can investigate.

About Time Out Group

Time Out Group is a global brand that inspires and enables people to experience the best of the city. Time Out launched in London in 1968 to help people discover the best of the city - today it is the only global brand dedicated to city life. Expert journalists curate and create content about the best things to Do, See and Eat across over 350 cities in over 50 countries and across a unique multi-platform model spanning both digital and physical channels. Time Out Market is the world's first editorially curated food and cultural market, bringing a city's best chefs, restaurateurs and unique cultural experiences together under one roof. There are currently Markets in eleven cities including Lisbon, New York and Dubai, with several new locations expected to open in 2026 and beyond, in addition to a pipeline of further locations in 

advanced discussions. Time Out Group PLC, listed on AIM, is headquartered in London (UK).

Time Out Media’s multiple digital and physical channels span websites, mobile, social media, videos and Live Events. Across these channels, Time Out distributes its 

high-quality content – curated and created by a global team of local experts around the best food, culture, art, music, theatre, travel and entertainment in over 350 cities and over 50 countries. The Company is giving international, national and local brands and businesses the opportunity to connect with this global reach and strong traffic from a desirable audience by offering bespoke 360-degree multichannel advertising solutions. Since its launch in 1968, Time Out has become a global brand that advertisers and consumers love and trust.

Time Out Market is the world’s first editorially curated food and cultural market, bringing a city’s best chefs, restaurateurs and cultural experiences together under one roof. From award-winning chefs to much-loved local gems, from cooking classes with top chefs to installations from local artists and live entertainment, Time Out Market captures and celebrates the best of the city. The first Time Out Market opened in 2014 in a historic market hall in Lisbon, quickly turning into one of the most popular destinations in the city. The success of Lisbon brought further expansion, and there are currently twelve Markets in cities including New York, Montreal, Dubai and Cape Town, with several new locations expected to open in 2026 and beyond, in addition to a pipeline of further locations in advanced discussions. 

Time Out is a dynamic, pioneering brand and so is our team. We want to work with the best and brightest talent because we work for the world’s greatest cities, the people enjoying them and the businesses in them. As a truly global team we get to collaborate with the best colleagues from all over the world. It’s our expertise, authenticity and collaboration that make us successful and a unique team.