Careers at BDO South Africa

Primary Purpose of the Job

• BDO South Africa is seeking a commercially driven and well-connected senior leader to take on the role of Director: Strategic Market Engagement.
• This role is focused on expanding the firm’s presence in key markets by building and leveraging strategic relationships that create access to new opportunities and strengthen BDO’s position within priority sectors.
• The successful candidate will operate at a senior level, engaging with executives, board members, and industry leaders, and will play a key role in enabling business growth through targeted market engagement and opportunity development.
• This is a high-impact role suited to an individual who thrives in a relationship-led environment and is motivated by influence, access, and commercial outcomes.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

Market Development & Strategic Engagement

• Develop and maintain relationships with senior stakeholders across priority sectors 
• Strengthen BDO’s visibility and positioning within relevant markets and industry platforms 
• Represent BDO at selected industry engagements, forums, and networking platforms 
• Build a strong external network that enhances access to decision-makers 

Business Development & Opportunity Creation

• Identify and develop new business opportunities aligned to the firm’s growth priorities 
• Facilitate strategic introductions between prospective clients and BDO leadership 
• Support the progression of opportunities into formal client engagements 
• Collaborate across service lines to maximise the value of opportunities 

Market Insight & Intelligence

• Gather insights on market trends, stakeholder movements, and sector developments 
• Contribute to shaping client targeting and business development initiatives 
• Identify opportunities to enhance BDO’s market presence through strategic initiatives 

Relationship Management

• Build and sustain long-term, trust-based relationships with key stakeholders 
• Ensure relationships are embedded within the firm  
• Maintain visibility of engagement activity and opportunity progression 

Internal Collaboration

• Work closely with leadership teams to align market activity with business priorities 
• Support collaboration across sectors and service lines 
• Contribute to a coordinated and consistent approach to market engagement 

Leadership & People Management

• Provide leadership and direction within market development to ensure alignment with the firm’s strategic priorities 
• Influence and guide internal stakeholders to effectively leverage relationships and convert business opportunities 
• Support the development of a relationship-driven and business focused culture across the firm 
• Act as a role model in stakeholder engagement, professionalism, and external representation 
• Contribute to knowledge sharing and capability building in business development and market engagement practices

Requirements
Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Business, Commerce, Marketing, Finance, or a related field 
• A postgraduate qualification (e.g. MBA or equivalent) will be advantageous 

Experience

• Minimum of 12–15 years’ experience in business development, market development, stakeholder engagement, or a similar commercially focused role
• Demonstrated experience engaging with senior executives, board members, and industry stakeholders
• Proven ability to build and leverage strategic relationships to support business growth
• Experience within a professional services or advisory environment will be advantageous

Requirements

• Ability to operate credibly at executive and board level, with strong professionalism, discretion, and sound business judgement
• Strong business development and commercial awareness, with the ability to identify and develop market opportunities
• Advanced relationship-building, networking, and stakeholder management capability
• Strong external market orientation and ability to represent the firm effectively in professional and industry environments
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders
• Ability to work collaboratively across multiple stakeholders, teams, and functions to align to business priorities
• Strong organisational and coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple initiatives
• Willingness and ability to travel for stakeholder engagement

Behavioural Competencies

• Executive presence and credibility
• Results-driven with a strong sense of ownership
• Proactive and self-motivated
• Strong interpersonal effectiveness and emotional intelligence
• Resilient and adaptable in a dynamic environment
• Sound judgement and professionalism
• Ability to build trust and maintain long-term relationships
• Strong external market awareness and curiosity
• Ability to influence without direct authority
• Leadership presence within a matrix environment

BDO Core Competencies

• Relationships and Collaboration 
• Exceptional Client Service 
• Business Growth 
• Engaging people
• Leadership
• Quality, Risk management and Operational performance

go to method of application »

Description

• The Business Services and Outsourcing team are essential to meeting our clients' evolving requirements. As well as delivering long-term, sustainable value to businesses by providing a range of solutions such as accounting, payroll and compliance services, they also play a key role in tying together many of our services across BDO both domestically and internationally. By building deep and meaningful relationships with a range of clients from ambitious entrepreneurial SMEs to large multi-national groups, our BS&O team don’t just advise on their specific business challenges, they open doors for other teams to provide our firm’s wider service offering. To succeed in this agile environment, you’ll need to demonstrate excellent problem-solving skills and initiative. In return, you’ll have the opportunity for progression, and the chance to develop in one of the industry’s most exciting and varied roles.

Requirements
Technical Responsibilities:

• Deal with bookkeeping including preparing, processing, and recording bank transactions, processing purchase, sales, and general ledger entries for a wide variety of clients on a number of accounting packages, including the group’s larger more complex clients.
• Prepare monthly annual management accounts and VAT returns with little supervision.
• Maintain and build relationships with clients and ensure that all communications are conducted in a professional manner.
• Build trust and connect with clients and targets by listening and showing empathy and patience.
• Demonstrate a sound awareness of how businesses operate, the commercial environment, and its impact on the client’s business.
• Train junior members on accounts software and other processes critical to their current or future work.
• Analyse data and offer explanations and solutions where information is not captured efficiently, or where financial performance is not in line with budgets or business plan.

Education and Experience:

• Bcom majoring in accounting with 1 – 2 years bookkeeping experience.
• SAIPA/AGA training contract would be an advantage
• Proven experience of management accounts preparation.
• Good VAT knowledge (including VAT return preparation experience) and a sound understanding of the basics of Corporate tax.
• Experience of statutory audit file preparation and liaison with audit teams (preferable not essential).
• Competent in the use of Microsoft Excel and Office and use of all standard in-house packages.
• Solid bookkeeping skills and good working knowledge of Xero and other cloud accounting software.

Personal Responsibilities:

• Keep up to date with all technical and commercial developments.
• Works independently and exercises a degree of judgement and adaptability in own decisions and actions.
• Strong organisational and time management skills.
• Demonstrates excellent analytical and research skills.
• Self-motivated and able to apply relevant skills to new scenarios.
• Ability to work under pressure with accuracy and focus.
• Good team member who can encourage and support others at all levels.
• Acknowledges and praises people for their effort and achievements.
• Seeks regular feedback on own performance and acts on findings.
• Sets realistic but stretching performance targets for self and others.
• Knows own strengths and limitations.
• Embraces change with an adaptable and flexible working attitude.

go to method of application »

Description

• The team actively manages a varied and dynamic range of engagement types. All parts of the BDO Annual work team use their skills, insight and integrity to handle the appointed engagements to enable BDO to deliver sustainable growth. Actively participates in engagement teams, provides technical support to junior engagement staff in area of expertise. Assists Senior Accountant and management in application of processes in engagements to ensure compliance with the relevant standards and processes and advise on improvements identified in existing processes.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develops and maintains the client relationship through communication, listening and responsiveness
• Ability to work in a team and independently
• Good communication skills, internal and external, both written and verbal
• Assures quality and efficiency in engagement processes.
• Execute planned assignments as part of a team on each engagement:
• Annual write-up of accounting records utilising the firms preferred software tool, i.e. Xero, SAGE Online, Pastel Partner, Agreed-upon Procedures, Engagements in terms of ISRS 4410
• Compilation Engagements in terms of ISRS 4410
• Independent Review Engagements in terms of ISRE 2400
• Accounting Officer Engagements in terms of Close Corporations Act and Companies Act
• Proposing journals to client (via Senior / Manager)
• Drafting AFS per IFRS and IFRS for SMEs on Caseware(Intermediate level)
• Performing basic tax computations for companies, close corporations and trusts (including SBC’s, special allowances (s12C, s12E, etc)
• Managing own WIP and budgets on engagements with the assistance of the Senior / Manager
• Updating Senior and manager on progress of engagements
• Assist other staff members where needed
• Other duties as may be required in line with the position.
• Implement and follow standard operating procedures and quality process manuals to ensure engagements meet the required standards. Provide feedback on areas of improvement
• Identify cross-selling opportunities of other BDO services to current clients and reporting to management
• Mentors junior staff and leads team in own area of expertise through on the job training and support.
• Delivers clear and coherent messages to Management on quantitative issues and reviews
• Attends required training
• Recommend areas of training and development to senior staff

Requirements

• Qualifications/Recognition of Prior Learning equivalent

Minimum:

• B.Com Accounting Degree

Advantageous:

• Hons. B.Com (Accounting or CTA)
• Completed SAICA articles

Membership

• Registered with SAICA or SAIPA

Work Experience

• 1 - 2 years’ experience

Knowledge

An understanding of:

• IFRS
• IFRS for SME’s
• ISRE 2400 (Revised)
• ISRS 4410
• Close Corporations Act
• Companies Act
• Trust Property Control Act
• Income Tax Act
• Value Added Tax Act
• Other legislative and compliance requirements
• Microsoft Office Suite of Applications
• Accounting software, i.e. Xero, Pastel
• Detailed knowledge of Caseware Working papers