An established organisation is looking for a Chief Accountant to join its Finance team. Reporting to the Financial Controller, this role will be responsible for ensuring the accuracy, integrity and completeness of the company's accounting records while leading the day-to-day accounting function and supporting a strong financial control environment.
This is a hands-on management role suited to a technically strong accounting professional with extensive experience across general ledger, month-end close, reconciliations, statutory compliance, tax, operational accounting and financial controls.
This role is based in Sandton.
Key Responsibilities:
Accounting Team Leadership
- Lead, allocate and review the work of the accounting team.
- Coach and develop team members while ensuring adequate back-up and continuity.
- Monitor accounting deadlines, quality and outstanding matters.
- Escalate significant accounting, compliance and control risks to the Financial Controller.
Month-End & Year-End Close
- Manage the month-end close timetable and ensure all accounting activities are completed within deadlines.
- Prepare and review journals, accruals, provisions, prepayments and supporting schedules.
- Ensure appropriate cut-off, completeness and classification of transactions.
- Review and submit the completed close file and outstanding matters to the Financial Controller.
General Ledger & Reconciliations
- Maintain the integrity of the general ledger and chart of accounts.
- Review balance-sheet reconciliations and ensure aged items are actively resolved.
- Investigate unusual transactions and accounting discrepancies.
- Ensure appropriate supporting documentation is maintained for material balances and accounting estimates.
Operational Accounting Oversight
- Oversee accounts payable, cash book, bank reconciliations, fixed assets, inventory, payroll accounting, intercompany accounting and foreign-currency revaluations.
- Ensure accurate inventory valuation, cost-of-sales accounting and obsolescence provisions.
- Maintain accurate fixed asset records and accounting.
- Review supplier, payment and banking controls and resolve processing exceptions.
- Coordinate accounting interfaces with the Accounts Receivable function.
Tax & Statutory Compliance
- Prepare and review VAT, income tax, provisional tax and other applicable tax schedules and returns for approval.
- Maintain the statutory compliance calendar and supporting documentation.
- Prepare annual financial statement schedules and statutory accounting information.
- Identify and escalate complex or uncertain tax and statutory matters.
Audit & Financial Controls
- Prepare audit schedules and coordinate supporting accounting documentation.
- Ensure audit requests and agreed accounting actions are completed within required deadlines.
- Execute assigned financial controls and maintain appropriate evidence.
- Support J-SOX / SOX testing and remediation activities.
- Identify control weaknesses and escalate significant issues appropriately.
Intercompany & Group Accounting
- Prepare intercompany reconciliations, confirmations, settlements and variance analyses.
- Ensure Group accounting instructions are correctly applied to the local ledger.
- Provide accurate accounting schedules and supporting information for Group reporting.
Cash, Treasury & Working Capital
- Prepare bank reconciliations, payment forecasts and accounting information supporting cash-flow reporting.
- Monitor accounting for foreign currency, bank charges, loans and treasury transactions.
- Provide accounting inputs for working-capital analysis.
- Escalate cash, payment or financial exposure risks when identified.
Systems, Processes & Data Integrity
- Maintain accounting procedures, close checklists and finance record standards.
- Protect master data and transaction integrity within SAP / ERP systems.
- Support finance system testing, upgrades and process changes.
- Identify opportunities for automation, efficiency and continuous improvement while maintaining appropriate controls.
Management Information & Business Support
- Provide accurate accounting explanations, schedules and variance information to the Financial Controller.
- Respond to accounting queries from internal departments and clearly communicate Finance requirements.
- Support budgeting and forecasting through accurate historical data and accounting assumptions.
- Participate in ad hoc finance projects and process improvement initiatives.
Job Experience and Skills Required:
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Financial Management or a related field.
- A recognised professional accounting designation will be advantageous.
- Minimum 10 years' progressive accounting experience.
- At least 4 years' experience in a managerial / supervisory accounting role.
- Strong practical experience in:
- General ledger management
- Month-end and year-end close
- Balance-sheet reconciliations
- Financial reporting
- Statutory schedules
- Tax support and compliance
- Financial controls
- Strong knowledge of IFRS and South African statutory and tax requirements.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
- Practical SAP or comparable ERP experience.
- Experience within a multinational, manufacturing or distribution environment will be advantageous.
- Exposure to J-SOX / SOX-type controls will be advantageous.
Apply now!
