Accountant | Banking - Cape Town at Allan Gray Orbis Foundation

Purpose of Role    

As part of the Shared Services Finance Team, Accountants will, be responsible for managing accounting tasks and performing financial management duties that contribute to the overall efficient operation of the function, add value to the financial management processes and deliver timely and accurate financial information that supports decision making. The four functional roles, the allocation of which will be determined by the Shared Services Finance Lead are:

• Budgeting and MIS
• Accounts Payable and Fixed Assets
• Banking & Cash and Credit Card
• Month End Reporting, Accounts Receivables, and Intercompany Transactions

Objectives of Role    
Customer Excellence

• Work closely with the relevant stakeholders to set expectations and provide services exceeding the agreed standard.
• Contribute to customer satisfaction for services delivered by the Shared Services Finance Team.
• Assist with identifying problems in your area of responsibility, and that of the Shared Services Finance team, and discussing possible solutions to achieve customer excellence

As the Shared Services Accountant, you will be responsible for performing the following activities within the different finance functional areas as per allocation:

• Budgeting and MIS
• Oversee upload of Entity budgeted numbers from budgeting system to Sage.
• Assist the Finance Lead in the design and implementation of Finance MIS solutions (standard reports).
• Support the Financial Lead in documentation of financial systems, processes, and controls
• Ensure efficient and effective system for maintaining, storing, and retrieving financial documentation
• Provide financial information for entities to make daily decisions on their operations.
• Integrate financial information from multiple sources.
• Provide easy access to financial information in summarised form.
• Enable financial analysis using applicable systems.
• Compare historic and current financial activity and report these to the Finance Lead/Entities/Finance Business Partner, as required

Accounts Payable and Fixed Assets

• Ensure that the purchase-to-pay process is executed in an accurate, efficient, and timely manner, and ensure that the necessary approvals are obtained from entities
• Manage the purchase order process with centralised suppliers
• Perform due diligence processes on new suppliers
• Manage end-to-end foreign supplier process
• Review and approve payment batches on the Accounts payable system
• Perform creditors reconciliation and resolve any discrepancies with suppliers
• Recommend improvements to procurement processes and systems
• Manage supplier database, including annual review of suppliers
• Run and approve depreciation journal entries
• Review and approve physical disposal of assets
• Develop the asset verification plan
• Provide analysis to support procurement targets and policies
• Provide required schedules and documentation in support of the annual audit processes

Banking & Cash, Credit Card, and Investments

• Review and verify Payment batches on Banking platform
• Review and approve Bank reconciliations
• Review Credit Card reconciliations
• Implement process and system improvements to streamline processes
• Prepare monthly cash flow forecasting and update cash flow forecasting on a regular basis
• Transfer funds between current and call accounts in accordance with agreed levels
• Complete the withdrawal forms from the investment portfolio
• Open new bank accounts and amend bank signatories.
• Submit payment instructions request for payments above daily limits or bank signatories’ limits to the bank.
• Process Investments with Allan Gray (Pty Ltd), where applicable
• Equity Investments and withdrawals, where applicable
• Prepare and generate payment batches on online banking
• Prepare and post journal entries on sage
• Review and release journals entries on sage
• Manage the expense claims and business advance processes
• Manage business advance reconciliations
• Provide required schedules and documentation in support of the annual audit processes
• Month end reporting, Accounts Receivables, and Intercompany Transfers
• Manage the month end close process.
• Perform assigned tasks in accordance with month end schedules.
• Review and perform reconciliations to ensure the completeness and accuracy of records
• Support process improvements initiatives to achieve a timely month end close
• Perform year-end process, prepare, and approve general ledger reconciliations, and generate and review the trial balance
• Upload the final trial balance and prepare annual financial statements.
• Run and Review the VAT reports.
• Identify and allocate intercompany expenses incurred by Shared Services on behalf of the member entity
• Process and approve invoices on account receivable model for services rendered on behalf of the member entities
• Generates intercompany transactions balance report with entity and resolve any discrepancies
• Provide required schedules and documentation in support of the annual audit processes

Experience and Qualifications    

• Relevant Financial Accounting/Management Diploma or Degree
• At least 5 years functional experience.
• Proven record of competence in all relevant finance processes and systems
• Strong accounting skills.
• Broad understanding of philanthropic operations and practices
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Ability to learn new applications/software systems effectively and efficiently

Competencies    

• Identification with the AGGP Africa Vision, Mission and Values
• Customer oriented service mindset
• Highly detail oriented; analytical
• Rule-abiding, risk-averse
• Enthusiastic collaborator
• Strong results orientation and drive
• Able to work on multiple assignments
• Time management and planning skills