Accountant at Santam Insurance

Job Description

Specialist Business: Santam Agriculture is looking for a suitably qualified and experienced Accountant to be based at our Bloemfontein offices.

JOB PURPOSE:

To maintain, record and report on the business unit's financial activities, which include the budget, financial income statement and financial controls, according to generally accepted accounting practice, both internally and externally.

Principle accountabilities:

• Bordereaux / AMS system
• Extract information from internal financial system for compiling monthly Bordereaux
• Balancing of information from different system sources

General ledger

• Maintain general ledger accounts. Perform year end entries for trail balance.
• Board Reports
• Preparation of Quarterly Board reports - extracting information, compiling into required format with applicable explanatory comments.

Financial Results

• Prepare preliminary monthly financial results for business unit
• Perform ad hoc analysis on financial results as requested by business unit management and supply feedback on Santam HO Financial department queries

Cancellation Reserve

• Calculate cancellation reserve monthly, with explanatory notes for deviations from budget and historical information

Unearned Premium Factors (UPP) and maintenance

• Prepare summary of premiums and claims per line of business
• Provide actuaries with historical information for calculating UPP factors for the new season
• Apply factors to internal system, verify that calculation are correct
• Ad hoc analysis of the impact of the factors of financial results

• Reconciliation of control accounts

• Monthly reconciliation of control accounts using various extracts and cashbook entries for submission to Santam Head Office Finance Department

Budget and Forecast: Expenses and Revenue

• Facilitate and manage budget process for business unit ensuring that all managers adhere to timelines
• Review and maintain headcount reports and budget information
• Compile pre-populated reports for business unit managers and capture changes on Santam Budget system
• Retrieve final budget reports and prepare analysis on business unit level regarding various variances in forecast / budget

FSB reporting

• Extract information required for and completing quarterly FSB templates

Brokers / Debtors:

• Analyse age analysis and take action where necessary
• Liaise with Distribution personnel and intermediaries regarding outstanding premium
• Manage legal actions regarding unpaid premium
• Monthly payment of commission to brokers and advisors
• Authorise claims payments on ABSA Business Integrator
• Annual distribution and support of IB3’s to clients
• Verification and approval of client banking detail for claims payment
• Authorise creditors details and payments on Crop Financial system

Qualifications:

• BCom - Accounting or comparable qualification
• Additional: 5 years in a business financial environment
• Experience in an insurance environment recommended

Skills & Knowledge:

• Knowledge of accounting – generally accepted accounting practice
• Implement controls and exercise internal control over all financial functions
• Monthly reconciliations and reporting
• Reconcile all information at Ledger level
• Knowledge of personal computer as well as certain software programs
• Proficient in MS Office (Excel, Word, Power Point)
• Accounting System Knowledge
• Basic knowledge of Companies Act and tax legislation

Competencies:

• Delivering results and meeting customer expectations
• Relating and networking
• Analysing
• Applying expertise and technology
• Achieving personal work goals and objectives.