Chief Financial Officer

About ButtaNutt

Founded in 2013, ButtaNutt has grown into a team of 175 people, manufacturing a range of plant-based milks, plant-based yoghurts, nut butters, and dry-goods using simple and natural ingredients. The Company has established a reputation for quality and consistency, and demand for its products continues to grow.

The Company has recently expanded its production facility in Paarl and is entering a new phase of growth, characterised by increasing production volumes, an expanding retail and export footprint, and the ongoing professionalisation of the business. This growth underpins the requirement for this position.

Our Culture

ButtaNutt exists to make intentional, healthy living feel familiar, achievable, and enjoyable — the Company is “Nourished for Real Life.” From milks to snacks, ButtaNutt's products are designed to fit naturally into the rhythm of everyday life, supporting real people through real moments.

We believe people do their best work — and live their best lives — when they are properly nourished, supported, and treated with respect. This belief shapes how we build our teams, how we run our business, and how we measure our own success. As a member of the senior leadership team, the Chief Financial Officer is expected not only to understand this belief, but to actively embody and promote it, both within the finance function and across the wider business.

The Opportunity

This is a standalone Chief Financial Officer position, rather than a divisional role within a larger group structure. The successful candidate will assume full ownership of the finance function, report directly to the Chief Executive Officer, and maintain regular, direct engagement with the Board and the Company's shareholders, principally PSG Group. This role therefore carries a material governance dimension in addition to its executive responsibilities, and the successful candidate will play a role in shaping the Company's future direction. Candidates currently operating as one of several finance managers within a large, listed organisation should note the distinction between administering a component of an existing strategy and building one's own.

ButtaNutt has established itself as a market leader in plant-based milks, with a passionate and expanding customer base and a leadership team that has invested in the professionalisation of the business. The Company requires a Chief Financial Officer to establish the financial infrastructure required to support this growth, and to take accountability for its development rather than merely reporting on results.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Financial Leadership

• Act as a strategic partner to the CEO and leadership team, shaping business decisions through a financial and commercial lens.
• Develop and drive the financial strategy behind ButtaNutt's growth — capacity expansion, new product lines, and new market entry.
• Identify and evaluate opportunities for margin improvement, cost efficiency, and capital investment across the business.
• Lead scenario planning and financial modelling to support key strategic and investment decisions.

Financial Management & Reporting

• Own the full finance function: management accounts, statutory reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management.
• Ensure accurate, timely, and insightful financial reporting to the CEO and Board.
• Oversee product costing, margin analysis, and inventory / working capital management appropriate to a food manufacturing environment.
• Own the Company's primary banking relationships, including facility negotiation, covenant compliance, and day-to-day banking operations.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with IFRS, SARS, CIPC, and all relevant statutory and regulatory requirements.
• Serve as the key executive contact for the Finance and Risk Committee, preparing committee materials and leading discussion on financial risk, controls, and compliance matters.
• Maintain a robust internal control environment and lead the annual external audit process, including liaison with auditors and reporting to the Finance and Risk Committee on findings and remediation.
• Manage business risk, including insurance, contracts, and food industry-specific compliance, in partnership with operations and quality teams.

Commercial & Operational Partnership

• Partner closely with Operations, Sales, and Supply Chain to drive commercial decision-making — pricing, customer profitability, and product margin.
• Provide financial rigour and challenge to capital projects, new listings, and expansion plans.
• Support procurement strategy and supplier negotiations, with an eye on input costs and margin protection.
• Build the systems, processes, and reporting that can scale with the business as it grows.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop the finance team, building capability and succession depth.
• Foster a culture of accountability, commercial thinking, and continuous improvement across finance and the wider business.
• Act as a visible culture carrier within the business, embodying ButtaNutt's belief that people do their best work when supported and treated with respect.

Stakeholder & Board Relations

• Maintain regular, direct engagement with the Company's shareholders, principally PSG Group, providing transparent and timely reporting on financial performance, risk, and strategic matters.
• Represent ButtaNutt's financial position and outlook to the Board and the Finance and Risk Committee, including preparation of board packs.
• Build and maintain relationships with auditors, bankers, tax advisors, and other key external stakeholders.

Qualifications and Experience

• CA(SA) — qualified Chartered Accountant.
• 5+ years' post-articles experience in FMCG or food / beverage manufacturing, ideally including exposure to product costing, margin analysis, and factory-level finance.
• A track record as a Financial Manager, Financial Director, or CFO, with real ownership of a finance function or division.
• Able to operate effectively at both strategic and operational levels, with equal facility in detailed costing analysis and strategic discussions.
• Strong technical grounding in IFRS, tax, treasury, and corporate governance.
• Proven leadership experience — able to build, lead, and develop a finance team.
• Based in, or willing to relocate to, Paarl or Wellington in the Western Cape, and comfortable working on-site and being visible in the business as a leader.
• Excellent communication skills, with the confidence to engage credibly with the CEO, Board, and external stakeholders.

Candidate Profile

The Company seeks an individual who brings a fresh perspective, is able to challenge existing practice constructively, and is motivated to help shape ButtaNutt's next phase of growth. The successful candidate should be equally comfortable engaging with the detail of a costing model and with strategic discussions regarding the Company's direction.

Candidates with experience in agri-food or FMCG manufacturing are particularly encouraged to apply, specifically those with an understanding of raw-material procurement (fruit, nut, grain, or otherwise), factory economics, and the practical requirements of translating commercial ambition into an actionable plan.

Beyond technical and commercial credentials, the Company is looking for a personal alignment with ButtaNutt's values, together with the credibility to model and promote this culture as a senior leader within the business.

ButtaNutt is an equal opportunity employer. In alignment with our Employment Equity Plan and our B-BBEE objectives, preference may be given to suitably qualified candidates from designated groups.

Work Location: In person