Chief Accountant at Nelson Mandela Bay Metro

Qualifications and experience required:

• Relevant three-year tertiary qualification, preferably a National Diploma or B.Com. Degree with financial accounting as a major subject.
• Eight years or more relevant experience covering all aspects of the relevant financial process and the management of financial information or having gained specialist experience in a finance discipline.
• Computer literacy in Microsoft Office applications, specifically Word, PowerPoint and Excel, preferably at intermediate level.
• Extensive knowledge of Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), Local Government: Municipal Systems Act and other related legislation, municipal policies, National Treasury instructions/regulations/circulars including Municipal Standard Chart of Accounts/mSCOA Regulations, and/or Circulars relating to the area of responsibility.
• Knowledge of Municipal Accounting Practices and Systems (General Ledger, Costing Expenditure and Financial Management Tools).
• Supervisory experience.
• A valid Code EB driver’s licence.
• The completion of some Unit Standards in compliance with Government Gazette 29967, read in conjunction with National Treasury Circular 60, will be a recommendation.

Job purpose:

• Ensuring that the Budget (i.e. Operating and Capital) is prepared in terms of the Municipal Finance Management Act (32 of 2003) read in conjunction with the National Treasury’s Municipal Budget and Reporting Regulations, National Treasury Guidelines and Circulars, etc.
• Prioritising and managing conflicting and predetermined deadlines on an ongoing basis emanating from MFMA Sections 71 and 72, Reporting, Budget and Financial Statements (NMBM and Consolidated) preparations and other reports requested from National and Provincial Treasury.
• Coordinating and researching information to be included in the Budget as per the requirements of Schedule A and B of the Municipal Budget and Reporting regulations.
• Reviewing and analysing operating and capital budget reports for all directorates and providing advice to Executive Directors and Budget Performance Monitoring Forum Committee members by highlighting variances and providing possible remedial actions.
• Consolidating MFMA Schedule B Report (Adjustment Budget) for submission to Management, Council, National and Provincial Treasury.
• Contributing to the development of long-term financial planning and use of various modelling techniques.
• Contributing to the development of financially related policies and other strategic documents.
• Verifying accuracy of financial information reflected in the financial reports and ensuring meaningful financial reporting.
• Reviewing and analysing financial and non-financial information received from directorates before submission to Council.
• Reviewing and analysing the municipal entity’s monthly, quarterly and annual financial, budget and other reports.
• Reviewing, analysing and interpreting financial ratios.
• Liaising with National and Provincial Treasury regarding any matters pertaining to financial reporting.
• Attending various work-related meetings/forums/workshops such as Task Teams, Steering Committees, etc.
• Supervising, controlling and directing the work attendance, conduct and performance of Senior Accountants and Accountants, and addressing workplace conflict/unsatisfactory attendance or performance.