Senior Technical Accounting /IFRS at Absa Group

About the job

The main purpose of the Technical Advisory Group role is to provide technical accounting and regulatory support on complex transactions originating from a variety of CIBW businesses. Overall job responsibilities include:

• Providing support in dealing with the accounting for new transactions (both from a CIBW and client reporting perspective) for all CIBW businesses
• Providing support in dealing with the regulatory treatment for new transactions for all CIBW businesses
• Involvement with the development of products and transactions where accounting or regulatory treatment is contentions
• Write up of accounting and regulatory treatments for new product sign-off and other transaction approval forums
• Facilitating input from other Finance areas (e.g. tax or capital management) as needed
• Getting audit buy-in and sign-off to proposed accounting and regulatory treatment of complexproducts/trades
• Determining appropriate accounting policies for CIBW in terms of SARB regulations
• Providing practical assistance in implementing accounting or regulatory policies and treatment.
• Supporting junior team members in understanding accounting and regulatory issues

Accountability: Changes in accounting standards & accounting issue

• Stay up to date with accounting guidance and developments by subscribingto International Accounting Standards Board ("IASB"), South African Institute of Chartered Accountants ("SAICA") etc and communication of these upfront to the Business Units.
• Assess the impact of new accounting developments on the business unit and manage the implementation thereof by preparing technical accounting opinions; assisting in opening new general ledger (GL) accounts which are appropriately mapped to Exco codes; by getting appropriate approval and signoff from business units managers and external auditors.
• Inform the relevant Group Financial Reporting ("GFR") note owner of accounting changes that might affect their notes disclosures in the annual financial statements (AFS) to enable them to critically assess the impact on their notes for accuracy and compliance with IFRS.
• Identify possible accounting issues within the business units which may result in inaccurate financial reporting and actively drive the process in resolving these issues by continuous communication with the business units and assisting the business unit in finding practical solutions to address these.
• Perform thorough and detailed assessments on any technical accounting matters identified so as to limit the time required from the auditors on investigating transactions potentially incorrectly accounted for in terms of IFRS and group accounting policies.
• Stay up to date and liaise with Regulatory bodies such as SAICA and the Banking Association on any industry related matters pertaining to accounting standards to ensure Absa's view is taken into account by these bodies when taking decisions on the development of accounting standards and related matters.
• Communicate proactively and continuously with business to discuss issues and concerns that might arise to ensure potential incorrect accounting for transactions in terms of IFRS and group accounting policies are addressed.
• Respond to queries from business in a timely manner on i.e. accounting treatment queries to ensure potential accounting issues are resolved withina reasonable period.
• Inform business of any International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") related issues that might affect them by staying up to date on any accounting developments by monitoring the communications from the IASB and SAICA to ensure these are appropriately taken into account by business for financial reporting purposes.
• Resolve any business related issues within respective clusters which note owners/GFR experience.
• Minimise any issues that clusters experience for year-end by following up and resolving issues identified on a timely basis and reviewing list of outstanding technical accounting issues as logged on SharePoint.
• Set up periodic meetings with Business Chief Financial Officers ("CFO") to identify any accounting issues to be addressed to be able to address and resolve these pro-actively.

Accountability: Accounting support including new product developments

• Provide guidance to the business unit on completing supplementary schedules required by GFR. Also review these schedules for accuracy and completeness.
• Assist business units in drafting separate company financial statements for group subsidiaries and assist in completing and submitting to Group Secretariat within 6 months from the year-end.
• Act as point of contact between GFR and the business unit for any reporting related and technical queries.
• Inform relevant note owners on any product related developments as part of the New Product Approval process.
• Collate information relating to new products, prepare technical accounting opinion and assist the business unit with the implementation thereof
• Provide support to note owners on any technical accounting matters encountered.
• Provide technical accounting support that is practical by relying on own technical accounting expertise and knowledge.
• Keep updated with any developments on new products launched based on products coming through the New Product Approval Process and ensure timeous accounting assessment of new products.
• Enhance knowledge and understanding of business' and product offerings to be able to provide relevant technical accounting support by continuously liaising with relevant stakeholders i.e. Business Unit CFO, product owners etc.
• Ensure what is suggested to business in a technical paper is properly implemented by the business units (i.e. reviewing relevant G/L accounts and Exco codes that have been opened and are used accordingly)
• Obtain and understanding of how the product /technical issue affects other business units in the bank (i.e. interdivisional entries that should net off on consolidation).
•  Liaise with the consolidations team and the respective note owners concerning problems that might occur, so that they are aware of potential issues, which should be escalated and resolved.

Accountability: Financial reporting

• Review Over The Top journals processed on behalf of the Business Unit on a monthly basis and assess the need for mapping changes/new Exco codes
• Provide assistance to GFR note owners on the analysis of their notes that relate to the specific business unit
• Guide the business unit in mapping their general ledger system to Analyst and to maintain the integrity and consistency in the BSIS file and accurate disclosure in the financial statements.
• Review the financial reporting pack and assist the consolidation team in resolving queries. Identify possible accounting errors and take appropriate action to rectify

Accountability: Monitoring, Control and Compliance

• Attend all required training to be able to act as “tester” and "reviewer" for Sarbanes Oxly Risk (‘SOX’) and Risk Control
• Assessment ("RCA") purposes by liaising with Compliance Officer on required training.
• For monthly or quarterly controls within GFR ensure tasks are performed in accordance requirements to with requirements to comply with Sox controls documented applicable to section of section of work
• Test allocated Sox controls as per distributed plan by following test instructions and plan distributed to distributed to GFR
• Assist with documenting new controls in accordance with Sox requirements as and when necessary
• Review periodical SOX control testing as performed by other team members in accordance with SOX test plan as distributed by Compliance Officer

Education and Experience Required

• CA (SA)
• 6-8 years experience as a Chartered Accountant, of which a minimum of 3-5years must be post-articles experience in a Technical Accounting role in an investment banking environment
• Management experience is essential.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Strong technical accounting and regulatory skills
• Exceptional academic track record
• Exceptional interpersonal and team-working skills and the ability to communicate at all levels
• The ability to work in a pressured and unstructured environment and to cope with the demands of working to tight deadlines
• Maturity - able to deal with senior executives
• Performance orientated and client service driven

Competencies:

• Judgement/ decision making
• Integrity
• Resourcefulness
• Self-awareness
• Adaptability
• Customer focus
• Energy