F&A - Senior Accountant at Duracell

JOB DESCRIPTION

This role offers the unique opportunity to be part of a high performing finance and accounting team within a fast paced FMCG environment based in Cape Town.

The Chief Accountant is the company’s end to end accounting owner. Owns and leads all legal entity accounting, statutory obligations and banking activities. Establishes and implements robust control processes, is at the forefront of ERP system improvements and drives simplification projects. The role incorporates elements of financial analysis, and thus offers exposure to commercial discussions and engagement with commercial multi-functional teams. The role reports to the Distributor Operations & Africa Finance Controller.

RESPONSIBILITIES

1.  Management Accounting: Owns/leads end to end accounting and the timely, quality preparation of the company’s monthly accounts. Leads the company’s month/quarter/year-end financial close; calculates accruals/prepayments; issues intercompany invoices, prepares intercompany accruals and intercompany reconciliation; clears GR/IR account, analyses cost centers and profit centers movements; manages the Fixed Asset register; reconciles and posts journals in line with internal control requirements;. Prepares and reviews monthly balance sheet reconciliations with management; Collects data; analyzes, investigates and follows up variances to drive resolution. Owns consolidation of open items and drives active resolution. 
2. Financial Accounting: Owns timely, accurate and compliant statutory & tax reporting obligations. Complies with state tax filing requirements by studying regulations; adhering to requirements; advising management on required actions; calculating quarterly estimated tax payments; assembling data and submission for quarterly and annual tax filings. Obligations include review of VAT return prepared by Shared service center, deferred tax assets calculations, corporate tax reporting, P11d preparation, Statutory financial statements and Senior Accounting Officer Package. 
3. Stewardship/Controls: Leads implementation, training and the organization’s adherence to Duracell’s Standard Practice Instructions, Decision Authority and Sarbanes Oxley. Leads the preparation and coordination of external audit. Ensures that processes are followed in compliance, financial and SOX documentation is maintained in an up to date manner. Follows through potential audit findings and ensures implementation of mitigation plans.
4. Payments: Supports the weekly payment planning process (F110, manual payments, T&E, I/C), secures approval in line with Decision Authority and ensures smooth payment operations. Supports the clearing of bank concentration accounts after manual payments. Supports the preparation and reconciliation of intercompany netting transactions, including potential FX movements. Supports the short term cash-flow planning mainly focusing on the next 2-4 weeks’ inflows and outflows. Monitor, and apply Transfer Pricing policy.
5. Financial analysis: supports the commercial team in the area of Promo Payouts, Return on investment, and Overhead analysis.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 10 years of experience in accounting and 5 years as Chief accountant for a medium size company
• Strong Experience in Compliance and Payroll for a South African entity
• 3 to 4 years’ experience as an auditor in a Big 4 (very valuable) 
• Fully qualified ACCA or CPA with Bachelor’s degree in Finance & Accounting 
• Knowledge of Local South African Accounting Principles and transfer price principles.
• Mastery in SAP and Excel are a must.
• Experience with Financial applications: PBCS, BI and business analysis 
• Self-motivated individual with exceptional organization skills and attention to detail 
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced tight deadline environment, with close and remote teamwork
• Effective written & verbal communication skills. Fluent in English