MANOJ SINGH
Strategic Projects Lead
Auckland,AUK
Summary
Strategic Commercial/Finance Manager possessing solid knowledge of performance reporting and financial and budgeting processes across multiple industries. Bringing 15-year background developing and implementing commercial strategies, conducting market research and analysis, and coordinating with diverse teams. Confident communicator comfortable managing high volume of work while offering keen financial acumen to lead businesses to profitability in both lean times and periods of growth .
Specialties: Experience to prepare financial models. Thorough knowledge of forecast and budget. Ability to extract and analyze raw data. Exceptional analytical skills supporting contract negotiation and governance. Remarkable communication skills in both oral and written forms. Attentive to detail with experience in coordinating projects, programs and improvements, with the ability to work on multiple projects.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
7
7
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Strategic Projects Lead
Spark New Zealand
Auckland, AUK
10.2019 - Current
- Business case development for new initiatives.
- Coordinated financial aspects of large- and small-scale projects with acute sense of budget constraints.
- Prepared capital expenditure budgets worth over $100m to effectively manage infrastructure investment and long-term operations.
- Reallocated funding when aspects of projects exceeded limits, prioritizing most vital components when necessary.
- Oversaw funding and cashflow with eye for both long- and short-term budget projections.
- Financial modelling and feasibility analysis for new initiatives.
- Commercial Lead for Spark 5G Mobile deployment.
- Responsible for financial controls of 5G RAN deployment.
- Supplier engagement with 5G RAN vendors.
- Governance of all interactions with service companies for Spark Mobile Network.
- Identified and investigated variances to financial plans and forecasts.
- Supported various financial modeling activities, including acquisition analysis, new market investment, pricing and costs for $150m deal analysis.
- Drove operational improvements which resulted in savings and improved profit margins
- Oversaw daily operations to ensure high levels of productivity
- Restructured procedures through coordination with Leadership Squad to create and execute projects
- Conducted thorough reviews of operations to devise and deploy improvement strategies
- Produced detailed and relevant reports for use in making business decisions
- Provide commercial support for procurement leads and Spark subsidiary companies.
Integration Lead
Spark New Zealand
Auckland, AUK
10.2019 - 02.2020
- Manage due diligence process for Joint Venture initiative for Sparks subsidiary.
- Developed change management plan for Newco.
- Conducted financial analysis for both JV partners.
- Identified synergy opportunities.
- Compiled 100 day plan for Newco.
- Reporting to Key Stakeholders within Spark including Spark CEO and CFO.
- Performed supplier risk evaluations and supported regulatory inspections.
- Conducted forecasting to determine possible changes and issues for supply chain business.
- Coordinated all companies, business executives and site leadership teams by interacting effectively and establishing communication best practices.
- Streamlined and monitored quality programs to alleviate overdue compliance activities.
- Supervised site investigations, reported issues and escalated those that required further assistance.
- Performed forecasting to identify necessary changes for supply chain business.
Sourcing Business Partner
Spark New Zealand
Auckland, AUK
04.2019 - 10.2019
- ~$5m cost out achieved within 1st three months of being appointed
- Contributed ~$15m to cost out targets for first full financial year in organization
- Development and improvement of tools, capabilities, policies and processes.
- Responsible for overall cost management targets.
- Leads major business improvement initiatives.
- Leads strategic projects, relationships, negotiations, contract drafting, and disputes.
- Develops broad supplier, partner and category strategies to support Sparks strategy.
- Responsible for setting go to market strategy and delivering commercial and value add outcomes aligned to Spark’s strategy.
- Leads supplier governance and manages stakeholder relationships at senior to executive level.
- Manages supplier governance framework with key suppliers.
- Brings supplier and partner innovation back into business.
- Managed strategic partnership initiatives to drive measurable outcomes and deeper relationships with cross-functional teams.
- Identified opportunities to use technology and automation to enhance communication between teams and achieve business success.
- Developed work plans, gathered and synthesized data, led analyses and implemented recommendations to define, structure and execute strategic and operational initiatives.
- Managed corporate and LLC-based legal transactions, coordinating document flow and logistical preparation for complex transactional closings.
- Chaired partner meetings to drive discussion of matters important to firm operations, keeping discourse on-topic and moving at efficient pace.
- Spoke with peers to verify task completion, enabling all deadlines and schedules to be met.
- Kept meticulous records of all correspondence with customers for future reference.
- Provided outstanding service to all individuals, promoting effective and lasting business relationships.
- Negotiated price and service with customers and vendors to decrease expenses and increase profit.
- Created and implemented aggressive action plan to address pressing cost control needs.
- Reduced operational risks while organizing data to forecast performance trends.
Commercial Manager
Connect 8 Limited
Auckland, AUK
10.2017 - 04.2019
- Maintain working relationship with key suppliers.
- Check suppliers cost competitiveness and quality.
- Optimized procurement of key supplies.
- Manage vendors to include establishing periodic meetings to review service performance and execute any corrective action steps for low performance.
- Strategic Planning / Vendor Development / Savings Development / Reporting / Forecasting / Contract Management / Relationship Management.
- Maintain and develop supplier base through relationship development, supplier selection, supply agreements (including price negotiation where applicable), with continued supplier monitoring and evaluation.
- Contract Management
- Provide financial modelling analysis and support for preparation of business cases for capital expenditure.
- Project Finance Management
- Managed Asset and Logistics Manager.
- Ensure stock records are accurately maintained and review stock reports as required.
- Monitor “Just in Time” ordering on all stock items and project materials.
- Actively seek cost savings on all products from suppliers. Generated ~$3m of cost savings.
- Ensure supply of accurate, timely, and effective financial information to management and stakeholders through production of monthly financial statements, KPI reporting and informative analysis.
- Financial analysis & reporting to Senior Leadership
- Preparation of reports, financial commentaries and recommendation papers.
- Conducted market research and analysis to create detailed business plans on commercial opportunities, including business development and expansion.
- Used key metrics and prepared reports for senior management to monitor performance of commercial activities.
- Strengthened team and organization by recruiting and hiring 30 qualified employees.
- Managed and analyzed financial reporting, including budgets, P&L, balance sheets and sales reports.
- Devised pricing methodologies and industry strategies through economic and business analysis.
- Negotiated contracts and product prices by collaborating with vendors and developers.
- Maintained financial controls, planned business operations and control expenses while identifying and pursuing opportunities to grow business operations and boost profits.
- Achieved established KPI for company, regional team and individual performance through teamwork and focus on customers.
- Drove sales by developing multi-million dollar contract sales.
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge of competitor products and pricing in market served.
- Surpassed growth targets and revenue projections by coordinating and planning Telco product sales initiatives.
- Collaborated with upper management to implement continuous improvements and exceed team goals.
- Directed work of efficient administrative team maintaining accurate sales, inventory and order documentation.
- Collaborated with internal teams and suppliers to evaluate costs against expected market price points and set structures to achieve profit targets.
- Communicated progress of monthly and quarterly initiatives to internal and external sales teams.
- Developed compelling presentation decks to gain approval for ideas and communicate results.
- Resolved problems with high-profile customers to maintain relationships and increase return customer base.
- Managed revenue models, process flows, operations support and customer engagement strategies.
- Managed accounts to retain existing relationships and grow share of business.
- Assessed each location's individual and team performances, analyzing data trends to determine best methods to improve sales results.
Head of Finance
Sanlam Limited, Sanlam Financial Advisors, SFA
Cape Town, Western Cape
01.2017 - 09.2017
- Developed and presented financial data, financial statements and variance narratives to Board of Directors and Board of Trustees.
- Managed team of 30 finance and operations professionals, with day-to-day responsibility for contracting, order processing, forecasting, budgeting, reporting and analysis across 5 regional offices.
- Led financial planning and analysis by managing key metrics, analyzing data and providing support and insight for strategic planning.
- Established budgetary benchmarks and formulated financial management strategies by researching operating and historical financial records.
- Drafted reports for leadership for use in strategic planning and decision making.
- Generated revenue and reduced costs by recommending innovative alternatives.
- Supported various financial modeling activities, including acquisition analysis, new market investment, pricing and costs for $10m deal analysis.
- Contributed to effective hiring process by interviewing applicants and making recommendations for best candidate to leadership.
- Improved accuracy of commission payouts with implementation of process improvements.
- Developed and transformed finance and operations team from transactional to analytical to provide enhanced business support.
- Utilized complex economic principles to solve real-world business concerns, including acquiring needed and desiring resources, making pricing decisions and expanding business operations.
- Proposed and achieved cost savings by reducing product return rates.
- Analyzed budgets, financial reports and projections for accurate reporting of financial standing.
- Established new sales commission reporting and analysis for executive management.
- Developed annual budgets in collaboration with financial director.
- Analyzed established fiscal parameters and organizational needs to develop approved annual budget of $50m.
- Created analytical framework for identifying and developing financial growth opportunities.
- Synthesized financial and budgetary information to solve problems and develop alternative solutions.
- Drove analytics and data consistency with expanded reporting, analysis and revenue forecasting support.
- Managed high volumes of financial activity in fast-paced, risk-based corporate environment.
- Oversaw administrative staffing by recruiting, interviewing and onboarding new personnel.
- Led transformation of operational metrics, planning and systems for Outsource business model and revenue recognition.
- Strategy development and execution thereof.
- Develop comprehensive understanding of variances as result of scenario changes + forecasting & sensitivity analysis.
- Cost Allocation to various Product Portfolios.
- Identification and implementation of solutions to drive incremental cost reductions and cost-avoidance opportunities for assigned categories.
- Interacts with and supports multiple business units, internal and external Stakeholders, functions and Suppliers.
- Effectively influences and aligns strategies and expectations and manages individual priorities given set of performance objectives.
- Manages Suppliers including supplier development and performance management.
- Lead complex contract negotiations – balancing of risk and rewards.
- Provides guidance to internal business clients on Procurement capabilities and processes.
- Works to ensure team cost savings (reduction, and avoidance) goals are achieved or exceeded and ensures business control compliance.
- Analyzes data and strategic opportunities and Suggests and implements process improvements.
- Works with Business Units and Corporate Legal in negotiating pricing and terms and conditions related to sourcing agreements.
Regional Finance Head
Sanlam Limited
Johannesburg, Gauteng
10.2007 - 09.2017
- Established budgetary benchmarks and formulated financial management strategies by researching operating and historical financial records.
- Led financial planning and analysis by managing key metrics, analyzing data and providing support and insight for strategic planning.
- Identified and investigated variances to financial plans and forecasts.
- Developed annual budgets in collaboration with financial executive.
- Drafted reports for leadership for use in strategic planning and decision making.
- Assumed ownership of accounting, forecasting and strategic supply planning.
- Created analytical framework for identifying and developing financial growth opportunities.
- Drove analytics and data consistency with expanded reporting, analysis and revenue forecasting support.
- Synthesized financial and budgetary information to solve problems and develop alternative solutions.
- Managed high volumes of financial activity, circa $10m investment income, in fast-paced, risk-based corporate environment.
- Monitor, evaluate and control marketing and sales spending.
- Analyzed records and ascertained distributing cost for various aspects of management which provided accurate product cost information.
- Approve, Monitor and evaluate incentive initiatives.
- Provide analysis, recommendations and post launch feedback on new products, sub-brands, customers, channels and regions.
- Compile monthly management finance packs.
- Presentation of monthly results at Regional management meetings.
- Identify trends, risk and meaningful interpretation of reports.
- Develop financial models on advisor and broker channels.
- Support and training to new managers and office staff.
- Adhoc Projects.
- Understand income, expenses and relationships, including industry and competitor trends.
- Oversight of product profitability throughout cluster.
Financial Manager
ABSA REAL ESTATE ASSET MANAGEMENT
Johannesburg, Gauteng
09.2006 - 09.2007
- To provide financial management support for ABSA Development Company
- Ensuring that financial records are maintained which are comprehensive, up to date, accurate and meet legal and regulatory requirements.
- Project Finance management.
- Analyzed P&L, monthly expenses, cost fluctuations, closing and journals.
- Successfully boosted project returns through evaluation & improvement of operational processes.
- Effectively collaborated with senior leadership to reduce project expenses via less redundancy and optimized work flow.
- Prepared and analyzed monthly financial statements including variances of 48 separate legal entities.
- Consolidation of financial reports of all companies.
- Tax compliance.
- Management of budget process of designated businesses.
- Preparing and finalizing forecasts and budgets.
- Engaged in heavy interaction with portfolio managers, building managers, vendors and all other parties with interests in managed properties.
- Produced monthly financial packages detailing property performance.
- Prepare and analyze variance reports.
- Prepare monthly balance sheet & income statement.
- Monthly consolidations.
- Monthly income analysis.
- Ad-hoc reporting & Projects.
- Analysis of month stock and sales figures.
Education
Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) - Management Accounting
CIMA
01.2022 - Current
Master of Business Leadership (MBL) - Organizational Leadership
Graduate School of Business Leadership
Johannesburg 01.2015 - 01.2017
Senior Management Development Programme - Business Management
University of Stellenbosch
South Africa 01.2011 - 01.2012
Post Graduate Diploma - Bus Management
University of Natal
South Africa 01.2004 - 12.2004
Bachelor of Accounting - Accounting
University of Natal
South Africa 01.1997 - 01.2000
Skills
Commercial projects
Timeline
Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) - Management Accounting
CIMA
01.2022 - Current
Integration Lead
Spark New Zealand
10.2019 - 02.2020
Strategic Projects Lead
Spark New Zealand
10.2019 - Current
Sourcing Business Partner
Spark New Zealand
04.2019 - 10.2019
Commercial Manager
Connect 8 Limited
10.2017 - 04.2019
Head of Finance
Sanlam Limited, Sanlam Financial Advisors, SFA
01.2017 - 09.2017
Master of Business Leadership (MBL) - Organizational Leadership
Graduate School of Business Leadership
01.2015 - 01.2017
Senior Management Development Programme - Business Management
University of Stellenbosch
01.2011 - 01.2012
Regional Finance Head
Sanlam Limited
10.2007 - 09.2017
Financial Manager
ABSA REAL ESTATE ASSET MANAGEMENT
09.2006 - 09.2007
Post Graduate Diploma - Bus Management
University of Natal
01.2004 - 12.2004
Bachelor of Accounting - Accounting
University of Natal
01.1997 - 01.2000
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