Accountant

About the position

ENVIRONMENT:

A Financial Emigration Specialist in Hermanus is looking for an Accountant in their Hermanus Offices. This role encompasses full responsibility for the company’s financial management, statutory compliance, and governance. This includes executing accounting functions on Xero, preparing monthly and annual financial statements, managing budgets, monitoring performance, and liaising with auditors. The role oversees expense management, taxation, and regulatory filings. It further extends to statutory administration, such as Skills Development reporting and WCA submissions.

DUTIES:

Financial Control

• Execution of all accounting functions on Xero Accounting General ledger reconciliations.
• Compilation of the month-end file.
• Preparation of Financial Statements: Monthly management financial statements.
• Annual financial statements.
• Budgeting and Reporting: Monitor actuals against budgets.
• Provide monthly variance analysis and performance metrics.
• Input into annual budget and forecasts.
• Audit and Compliance: Prepare audit file for internal and external audit
• Liaise with internal and external auditors.
• Address audit findings and implement corrective measures.
• Procurement and Expense Management: Maintain asset registers.
• Oversee expense tracking and ensure policy adherence.
• Maintain vendor register
• Taxation and Regulatory Filings: VAT, PAYE, and Income Tax compliance.
• Facilitate objections and appeals with tax authorities as needed.
• Banking and Payments: Load company local and foreign payments and oversee banking relationships.
• Load client local payments
• Load beneficiary to create SARS credit push payments
• Other statutory administration and reporting: Skills Development administration and reporting to the relevant SETA (ATR & WSP)
• Client risk ratings: First line adjudication of client risk ratings
• Compliance: Comply with all company standard operating procedures (SOPs), policies, guidelines, and
• Comply with all applicable regulations and legislation from regulators.

Key Relationships

Internal

• Finance, Risk and Compliance team for support and accountability.
• CFO for guidance and strategic direction.
• Heads of Departments for alignment of financial and risk management practices.
• Team Leads for compliance adherence.
• Liaise with subject matter experts to ensure systems and processes are continuously improved to increase efficiency and data integrity.

External

• Service providers and partners.
• Auditors for financial and compliance reviews.
• Regulatory agencies (e.g., SARS, SARB) for filings and audits.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting.
• Completed SAIPA/SAICA training contract with at least 5 years of post-qualification experience in Finance

Core Competencies:

• Analytical Thinking: Ability to analyse data for actionable insights. Attention to Detail Precision in financial reporting and risk assessment.
• Collaboration: Work effectively across departments and with external stakeholders. Problem-Solving Proactively identify and resolve issues.
• Technical Expertise: Proficiency in financial and risk management tools (e.g., Xero, Salesforce, GOAT, AML/TP Risk rating). Managing Relationships Works to build and maintain warm, friendly and constructive relationships with colleagues and business partners; is responsive to the needs, feelings and opinions of others.
• Ability to plan and organise: Able to prioritise and plan multiple tasks and yet be flexible and adaptable in revising plans and priorities on short notice to achieve objectives. Sense of urgency Able to cope with pressure and show the ability to deal with urgent matters.
• Action Orientation: Initiates action to achieve objectives within set deadlines and proactively takes responsibility for achieving work objectives and shows willingness to go the extra mile. Decision-making Able to reach a conclusion or decision, whether it be to further an investigation or for purposes of recommendation/ escalation to management.
• Resilience: Able to tolerate and persevere in a reactive environment. The tolerance to deal with conflicting information. Displaying the perseverance, energy and drive to persist, despite interruptions and unforeseen/unexpected changes until tasks have been successfully completed. Able to deal with ambiguity. Systems knowledge Familiar and proficient with MS Office (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel). Sound understanding and proficiency with Salesforce.
• Product Knowledge: Advance knowledge of the products and/or services the company offers to their customers locally and internationally. Adaptability Navigate a dynamic regulatory and business environment.
• Co-operation & teamwork: Co-operative in planning and striving to see that the goals and objectives of the company are being realized.

ATTRIBUTES:

• Strong numerical and analytical skills
• Attention to detail, accuracy and efficiency
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Advanced accounting systems skills (Excel; Xero Accounting)
• Strong reporting skills
• Ability to deal with multiple tasks simultaneously
• Ability to work independently
• Strong work ethic

Desired Skills:

• Analytical
• Finance
• Numerical Competence
• Reporting