Accounts Payable Accountant at Vector Logistics

Job Purpose

• To control the creditors department and supervise the functions performed by the team.

Key Responsibilities

Creditors Management:

• Conduct rotational reviews of creditor account reconciliations.
• Ensure follow-up and resolution of long outstanding and complex queries with suppliers.
• Monitor the status of creditor reconciliations and the unresolved queries within the reconciliations.
• Prompt and drive the resolution of queries within the department. 

Payment Management:

• Manage the posting of down payments.
• Review and release blocked invoices for payment, where appropriate business reason exists.
• Check, authorise and release the Host-to-Host payment runs.

GR/IR (Goods Receipt / Invoice Receipt) Account Management:

• Analyse the GR/IR Account.
• Manage the manual clearing of the GR/IR account.
• Initiate and supervise the process to identify receipts to be closed.
• Obtain the necessary authorization to reverse “invalid” receipts.
• Oversee the reversal process.

Reporting:

• Prepare reports detailing price variances, queries and outstanding invoices.
• Prepare and maintain report of closed GR/IR receipts.

SAP Maintenance:

• Attend training and obtain skills and expertise required to be the Group SAP “super- user” for accounts payable.
• Provide on-the-job SAP training to team members.
• Ensure any new team members are adequately trained to fulfill their functions in the SAP environment.
• Allocate appropriate access to users and monitor activity.

General Administration:

• File and safeguard records within area of responsibility.
• Compile ad hoc spreadsheets and analysis when required.

Information and Data management:

• Ensure team members accurately and regularly capture data onto SAP to enable access to reliable data and reporting for trend analysis and decision making.
• Share relevant data with management teams to enable reliable business decision making.

Teamwork and Self-Management:

• Take ownership and accountability for tasks and activities and demonstrate effective self-management in terms of planning and prioritising, and self-development.
• Follow through to ensure that quality and productivity standards of work are consistently and accurately maintained.
• Inform relevant parties in the event of tasks or deadlines not met, the potential risks thereof and provide appropriate resolution.
• Support and drive the business core values.
• Manage colleagues and client’s expectations and communicate appropriately.
• Demonstrate willingness to help others and “go the extra mile” to meet team targets and objectives.
• Champion training and development of self and others through utilising available training opportunities.
• Participate in and drive regular performance appraisals and ensure that own targets and goals are clear and achievable.

Staff Management:

• Lead and develop staff within the context of the Labour Relations Act, Employment Equity Act, Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the Skills Development Act.
• Monitor staff performance and provide regular feedback.
• Manage staff activities, ensuring service levels are met and protocols are adhered to.
• Coach and support staff where necessary to achieve objectives.
• Manage staff leave and general time management issues in line with organisational deliverables and standards.
• Manage and deliver on succession plans to enable the development of a future generation of leaders and specialists and ensure optimal turnover and retention levels are maintained.
• Champion staff training and development through the utilisation of available training opportunities or contributing to the development of new training solutions in collaboration with national training specialists.
• Conduct regular performance appraisals with subordinates.
• Establish sound staff and labour organising and communication structures and systems.
• Lead the team towards meeting the strategy and targets through regular communication and utilisation of the full organisational talent management tool set.
• Conduct regular meetings and ensure that records are kept and shared across the team and that action plans agreed to within team meetings are delivered upon.

Key Relationships

Internal:

• Vector.
• Finance commercial teams.

External:

• Suppliers. 

Qualifications, Skills and Experience Required for the Job

Qualifications and Experience

• Matric (Grade 12).
• A degree or diploma in accounting preferable (extensive experience and proven track record will be considered as alternative).
• Minimum of 5 years in a creditor control or related accounting function.
• Proven experience in an SAP environment.

Skills and Competencies

• Creditor management principles and practices.
• SAP utilisation.
• Verbal and written communication.
• Computer literacy (proficiency in MS Excel).
• Report writing.
• Interpersonal.
• Problem solving.
• Decision-making.
• Analytical thinking.
• Numeracy.
• An understanding of multiple key performance indicators, inter-relationship and bottom-line sensitivity.