Nonhlakanipho Sithembile Motha
Midrand
Summary
Strategic and solutions-driven finance professional with over a decade of experience in budgeting, forecasting, tax compliance, and financial management within a higher learning institution environment. Proven track record of leading high-impact financial initiatives, managing multi-entity audits, and driving operational efficiency through process improvement. Adept at business partnering with executive leadership to support strategic decisions and ensure financial sustainability. Strategic Finance Professional with a strong background in budgeting, forecasting, and financial management within higher education. Led high-impact financial initiatives, drove compliance, and enhanced operational processes through effective governance. Partnered with executive leadership to support strategic decisions, ensuring robust financial sustainability.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Management Accountant
University of Johannesburg
01.2024 - Current
- Led the preparation, compilation, and presentation of the annual budget to MANCO, aligning financial plans with institutional goals.
- Monitored and approved expenses, ensuring strict adherence to budgets and internal cost controls.
- Oversaw the procurement plan, aligning purchasing activities with budgetary constraints and compliance policies.
- Compiled and submitted monthly management accounts to the Director and Executive Director; presented insights to MANCO and various board committees.
- Reviewed and approved reconciliations for all cost centre accounts, including accounts receivable, accounts payable, accruals, and fixed assets.
- Captured and authorized payments via the banking system, ensuring timely and accurate disbursements.
- Submitted Annual Returns via CIPC and maintained an up-to-date board of directors' structure across entities.
- Prepared VAT and Provisional Tax schedules; responded to and resolved SARS audit queries.
- Developed and institutionalized standard operating procedures (SOPs) to strengthen governance in commercial operations.
- Monitored and mitigated operational risks across entities, supporting the maintenance of the Risk Register.
- Ensured legal and regulatory compliance in statutory audit processes and external reporting.
- Resolved recurring internal audit findings, improving audit outcomes and internal controls.
- Cleared control accounts within the operating environment to maintain financial integrity.
- Facilitated on-time completion of statutory audits across all commercial entities.
- Managed tender and contract processes in line with governance frameworks.
- Prepared and packaged financial reports and presentations for submission to: Management Executive Committee, Financial Sustainability Committee of Council, Audit and Risk Committee, UJ Properties Board, UJInvnt Board, A Million Up Board.
- Reviewed reconciliations related to suppliers, payables, receivables, bank, asset, and employee accounts; authorized depreciation schedules.
- Coordinated director payments following board meetings in line with governance protocols.
- Updated service level agreements (SLAs) between the parent institution (UJ) and its subsidiaries.
- Managed accruals to ensure accurate financial reporting and compliance.
- Oversaw board administration processes: reviewed board minutes and action items; prepared and distributed board packs to members and invitees.
Financial Business Partner
University of Johannesburg
10.2016 - 12.2023
- Advised Department Heads and Executive Deans on financial matters to support informed and strategic decision-making.
- Led the coordination and development of faculty budgets, providing strategic and technical guidance throughout the process.
- Presented draft budgets to the Director and Executive Director of Finance, aligning faculty plans with institutional priorities.
- Monitored and interpreted expenditure trends, proactively recommending corrective actions to manage variances and maintain budget discipline.
- Reviewed and approved allocation of expenditures within approved funding frameworks, including external and third-stream income.
- Reported on faculty financial performance through monthly reports to the Dean and quarterly updates to the faculty committee.
- Prepared and generated monthly financial reports and dashboards for internal stakeholders.
- Analysed budget vs. actual spend, identifying discrepancies and initiating resolution strategies to improve financial accuracy.
- Cleared control accounts and ensured accurate account reconciliation within the assigned financial environment.
- Approved financial transactions in collaboration with HODs, Directors, and Executive Deans.
- Investigated and resolved expenditure-related discrepancies in line with institutional policies.
- Identified financial risks and contributed to the maintenance of the Risk Register, recommending mitigation measures.
- Ensured high service standards by resolving all financial queries within faculties and business units.
- Supervised and trained faculty financial officers and secretaries in accounting procedures and system usage.
- Onboarded new Heads of Department on financial policies, budget protocols, and internal systems.
- Championed internal process improvement by proposing and designing tools, including the concept for a UJ Employee App to enable real-time financial statement access, payment tracking, and streamlined academic communication.
Financial Assistant
University of Johannesburg
08.2014 - 09.2016
- Capturing purchase orders, invoices, and journals on PASTEL Evolution.
- Preparing journals. Reconciling accounts receivable, accounts payable, and project accounts.
- Creating Oracle procurement requisitions for projects. Assisting with the year-end audit and SARS audit.
- Training new staff on Pastel.
- Assisting in the preparation of project budgets and cash flow. Reporting on projects' financial status and monthly movements.
- Reconciling, capturing, and analyzing employee monthly salaries for projects.
- Gathered banking transactions and recorded activity in Excel format to maintain consistent documentation.
Financial Controller
Angor Property Specialist
01.2014 - 07.2014
- Receipting all debtors' accounts.
- Billing all debtors.
- Loading and updating recurring levy and special levy batches.
- Loading and updating all electricity, water, and gas batches as appropriate.
- Creating new tenant accounts. Reconciliation of all current accounts as stated in the financials.
- Completion of the statement is run by sending. Generate monthly financial reports from the system.
- Verifying the completeness and accuracy of clients’ statements and financials. Calculating monthly body corporate accruals.
- Verifying, allocating, and posting details of all business transactions to the appropriate journals.
- Addressing queries and corrections/ adjustments from the Portfolio Specialist prior to sending reports.
- Assisting in sending monthly financial reports by the deadline. Assisting the cell with any queries on systems and processes on the monthly statements. Ensuring all cashbooks balance.
Financial Officer
University of Johannesburg
08.2013 - 12.2013
Education
Post Graduate Diploma - Taxation
WITS
12.2021
Computational Intelligence - for Industry
UJ
12.2020
B.Com Honours - Financial Management
UJ
12.2016
B.Com - Accounting
UJ
12.2012
Matric -
Norkem Park High
12.2008
MCom - Taxation
UJ
04.2026
Skills
- Financial Strategy & Management
- Leadership & Governance
- Tax & Compliance
- Systems & Tools
- Soft Skills
- Budgetary planning
- Cash flow analysis
- Financial reporting
- Risk management
- Regulatory compliance
- Financial forecasting
- Team leadership
- Stakeholder engagement
- Process improvement
- Internal controls
- Audit facilitation
- Expense management
- Budget and cashflow
- Budget analysis
- Forecasting income and expenditures
- Accounting team management
- Inter-company accounts
- Internal control assessment
- Sage Accounting
- Advanced bookkeeping skills
- VAT return preparation
- Tax preparation
- Tax accounting specialisation
- Budgetary oversight
Languages
English
Proficient
C2
Zulu
Advanced
C1
Xhosa
Upper Intermediate
B2
Sotho
Intermediate
B1
References
- Charles Maseko, Senior Manager Management Accounting, 082 410 1557
- Simphiwe Mathenjwa, Senior Manager Financial Business Partner, 083 209 1106
Certification
- Chartered Management Accountant - 4099003CCGF
Timeline
Management Accountant
University of Johannesburg
01.2024 - Current
Financial Business Partner
University of Johannesburg
10.2016 - 12.2023
Financial Assistant
University of Johannesburg
08.2014 - 09.2016
Financial Controller
Angor Property Specialist
01.2014 - 07.2014
Financial Officer
University of Johannesburg
08.2013 - 12.2013
Post Graduate Diploma - Taxation
WITS
Computational Intelligence - for Industry
UJ
B.Com Honours - Financial Management
UJ
B.Com - Accounting
UJ
Matric -
Norkem Park High
MCom - Taxation
UJ