Financial Accountant at Outsourced CFO

Job Description

• We are recruiting on behalf of our client for a skilled and detail-oriented Financial Accountant.
• The successful candidate will play a key role within the business operations team, taking ownership of core finance functions such as accounts receivable and payable, financial systems management, month-end close, client onboarding, and external financial communications. This role is vital in ensuring financial data accuracy, timely reporting, and strong alignment with the company’s strategic business objectives.

Key Responsibilities:

Accounts Receivable Lead

• Oversee timely and accurate client invoicing based on signed cost estimates (CEs) and POs received.
• Match payments received to invoices in Xero.
• Manage credit notes and invoice corrections.
• Reconcile bank receipts from clients weekly.
• Debt collection and ensuring open relationships with clients.
• Build strong relationships and collaborate with Business Unit Directors and clients in a bespoke and complex environment.

Finance Systems Custodian

• Maintain, optimize, and troubleshoot Xero accounting software and Zoho CRM.
• Clean and structure financial data and ensure consistency across systems.
• Create and maintain custom dashboards and reports in Zoho CRM.
• Train and onboard new staff on Zoho CRM processes.

Client Onboarding (Finance Focus)

• Provide clients with accurate vendor onboarding documentation (banking, tax, and company details).
• Ensure EVG and EVG Publishing are onboarded as suppliers on client systems.

Financial Reporting & Compliance

• Allocate invoices and POs accurately in Zoho for reporting and revenue tracking.
• Prepare and send monthly debtor statements to clients.
• Liaise with clients for AP confirmations and reconciliations.
• Support internal and external audit requests.

Month-End Close & Year-end Financial Support

• Prepare the month-end close for the CFO to TB level.
• Ensure accuracy of monthly revenue recognition and retainer reporting.
• Clear bank accounts
• Reconcile revenue-related accounts for month-end reporting.
• Reconcile fixed assets, tax, Intercompany loans, and other accounts.
• Respond to queries from the CFO.
• Liaise with internal teams (External Bookkeeper, Client Services, CGO) to support completeness of financial data.
• Monthly VAT calculations and returns submission.
• Bi-annually assist CFO with Provisional tax estimates and manage the revenue estimates with Business Unit Directors.

Ad Hoc & Strategic Support

• Prepare revenue and debtor analyses for leadership.
• Support due diligence processes across the business with different department heads.
• Respond to ad hoc queries from CFO, CGO, and BUDs (Business Unit Directors).
• Assist in strategic business decisions with financial insights.
• Run internal process to accurately forecast Revenue at February year end for Provisional tax purposes.

Key Relationships;

• Internal: CGO, Client Service Team, Bookkeeper, OCFO, Departmental Heads.
• External: Clients (Finance/AP Teams), Vendors, Financial Service Providers.

Requirements
Experience:

• 3+ years experience in a financial operations or finance lead role
• Experience with cloud-based finance tools (Xero, Zoho, Dext) preferred
• Understanding of financial reporting, tax, and compliance in South Africa
• Experience in the media industry is preferable.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance
• CIMA or SAIPA qualification is preferred.
• Based in Claremont, Cape Town - Hybrid work set up

Skills and Characteristics:

• Strong financial acumen and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.
• Proficient in Xero and Zoho CRM
• Process-oriented with the ability to handle high volumes.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Strong analytical and reporting skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and changing environment.