Audit Manager: Insurance - Financial Services at BDO South Africa

• The primary purpose of the Financial Services Manager: Insurance role is to assist the Partners at BDO Financial Services with identifying, leading, and managing key accounts and implementing business development within the Insurance sector in South Africa, focusing on external audit and consulting services.
• The Manager will also be given the responsibility to lead Insurance project engagements in both the audit (external and internal) and consulting areas of the Financial Services division, based out of Johannesburg. This role will involve taking responsibility for the planning, execution and delivery of engagements; leading project and audit teams to achieve this; and building and maintaining client relationships while delivering on this.

In Addition, The Manager Will Be Expected To Get Involved With The Day-to-day Operations Of The Financials Services Business Unit, Which Include (but Are Not Limited To) Functions Such As

• finance (budget and WIP monitoring and management),
• staff recruitment,
• staff training,
• counselling / mentoring audit trainees under the SAICA assessor program,
• coaching / mentoring junior managers,
• audit quality,
• risk management / client onboarding, and
• assisting leadership of FS with proactively contributing to setting the FS strategy and then implementing the strategy plan in the sector of Insurance, once approved.

Focus will be specifically on experience in the Financial Services sector, particularly in insurance.

We Are Looking For Candidates Who Would Be

• A go-getter looking for exciting career growth opportunities in a fast-growing business unit within a leading professional services firm. A self-starter that is able to project manage and run assignments and teams independently, with a passion for client relationships and mentoring young CA talent.
• Able to analyse and make decisions regarding complex accounting, auditing, and risk management matters, relating to the Insurance industry;
• Able to develop and review high quality working papers, audit files and reports, and then be able to present the results to senior level staff members at BDO and at clients (C-level staff and Audit / Risk Committee equivalents);
• Able to identify key areas of change and subjectivity affecting the Insurance industry in South Africa, research these areas and summarise internal views and consultations, with a view to providing thought leadership out to the FS market on banking and lending;
• Able to collaborate with the existing FS team as part of a flat reporting structure; and to collaborate with other FS Managers, Senior Managers, Associate Directors and Partners across BDO Financial Services.

Requirements

• B. Com Honours; CA (SA) qualification;
• A minimum of 2-3 years’ post-qualification/post-articles experience;
• Specific experience in insurance external audit engagements at a professional services firm, and/or Financial Services work experience outside practice but within the industry post articles;
• A sound knowledge of and exposure to the IASB accounting standards, audit standards (ISA’s) currently in issue, and a wide general knowledge of legislation and regulations that could affect financial reporting in the Financial Services industry;
• Deep knowledge and experience with the application of IFRS 7, IFRS 9, IFRS 13 and IAS 39 and all the ISA’s currently in issuance.

Competencies

• Building trust and relationships
• Fostering collaborative teamwork
• Accessibility, persuasiveness and influencing
• Proactive in all that we do
• Fostering active communication
• Continuously adding value
• Client focused
• Demonstrating a commercial and innovative digital mind-set
• Aligning career aspirations with the strategies, goals and objectives of the team and firm
• Innovative and willing to share ideas for new ways of working
• Ability to work with all levels within an organisation
• Demonstration of passion and energy to Financial Services and to the specific area of specialisation