Financial Accountant

Job Purpose

The Financial Accountant as part of the SSC reporting team will be responsible to prepare, process and deliver financial, transactional and accounting processes, the reconciliation of expenses, and the reporting of financial accounts for the business unit properties. This will include delivering Management Accounts, VAT calcs, Tax calcs (including provisional tax), SARS verifications, AFS, releasing payments in line with Company standards, regulations and legislation, with specific regard to streamlining costs and improving financial operating standards.

Key Performance Areas

• Complete monthly accounting activities and reporting for the respective business operations to ensure the financial performance and reporting position of the business unit is accurate, up-to-date and complete
• Monitor accounts to ensure that all charges and expenses have been accounted for accurately and timeously
• Ensure all the necessary accounting transactions have been posted for a period to ensure that the trial balance is complete, accurate and valid for reporting purposes
• Review and post accruals and provisions respectively to ensure accuracy and completeness
• Review and approve journals completed by the business units
• Process month-end re-evaluations of foreign currency balances
• Provide a basis for allocating expenditure to various cost centres and general accounts
• Monitor intercompany accounts between SIML and the Business Unit, investigating and resolving any intercompany variances
• Process month end journals with informative and precise narrations for finalisation of monthly financial reporting result
• Compile, monitor and review monthly, quarterly and annual Balance Sheet reconciliations, ensuring these are complete and that all outstanding items are investigated and cleared within deadlines
• Reconcile the balance sheet to the relevant sub-Ledger or source document
• Complete VAT calculations timeously – including the preparation and submission of supporting documentation to SARS via eFiling, and the resolution of queries in line with deadlines
• Control opening and closing dates of periods according to timetable
• Identify outstanding items on the workflow system and follow up and or ensure error items are cleared
• Prepare annual financial statements
• Review, release and approve bank payments on various banking platforms (Nedbank, ABSA, Standard Bank, etc.) after verifying validity of payments against valid supporting documentation
• Co-ordinate and complete month-end and year- end in line with deadlines
• Record, file and / or destroy necessary records in line with standards
• Prepare income and deferred tax calculations for the period
• Manage and submit information in response to audit requests for the relevant entities
• Interact with clients and provide professional service standards and solutions
• Handle any escalated complaints, disputes and suggestions as required
• Align practices with governance standards, ensuring all policies and practice is aligned to legislation, regulations and group and SSC standards, escalating any errors
• Liaise with the unit finance department to sign off month-end/financials within stipulated timeframe
• Proactively work with internal stakeholders to identify risk areas and address these, making value-add recommendations for cost savings, based on financial information and evaluating proposed projects
• Partner with Business Unit financial accountants and financial managers to ensure management are kept updated on latest developments; risks identified and recommendations made to find a solution for improved excellence in accounting processes and standards
• Report and consult with top management on risk areas and remedial action to be taken
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies.