The Accountant operates as the client's trusted professional - co-ordinating internally with the AFS, Tax, CIPC and Billing departments to ensure that every statutory and compliance obligation is met without the client needing to manage multiple contacts. This is a client-facing, deadline-driven role that demands both technical precision and professional communication.
The Person:
- Degree in Accounting, Finance or equivalent.
- B.Com Honours in Accounting or equivalent Postgraduate qualification.
- CA (SA) or equivalent designation a strong advantage.
- Minimum 1 year practical accounting experience.
- Client-facing experience in a professional services environment preferred.
- Proficiency in at least one of: Xero, Pastel, Eureka. SARS eFiling experience required.
- Working knowledge of VAT Act, PAYE, UIF, SDL, CIPC requirements and annual compliance obligations.
The Job:Report to the Monthly Accounts Manager:
Monthly Processing & Management Accounts:- Prepare monthly management accounts for each client in the assigned portfolio to an accurate, signed-off trial balance standard.
- Reconcile all balance sheet accounts monthly - bank, debtors, creditors, loans, payroll control and VAT control.
- Ensure the trial balance is complete and handed to the AFS department on time for annual financial statement preparation.
- Maintain client accounting records in Xero, Pastel, Eureka or the applicable system.
VAT & Payroll Submissions:- Prepare and submit monthly VAT returns (SARS e-Filing) accurately and on time for each applicable client.
- Prepare and submit monthly payroll reports, ensuring PAYE, UIF and SDL are correctly calculated and submitted.
- Reconcile VAT and payroll control accounts monthly and resolve any discrepancies before month-end close.
- Flag any VAT disputes, penalties or SARS correspondence to the Tax department immediately.
Annual Compliance Co-ordination:- Act as the internal co-ordinator for each client's annual compliance obligations - working with the relevant departments to ensure the following are completed on time:
- Annual Financial Statements (AFS department)
- Annual Income Tax Returns (Tax department)
- CIPC annual returns and company secretarial filings
- Beneficial Ownership (BO) register submissions
- Return of Earnings (ROE) - Department of Labour
- Dividends Tax declarations and submissions where applicable
- Donations Tax notifications where applicable
Client Communication & Service Delivery:- Serve as the first point of contact for all assigned monthly clients.
- Respond to all client queries.
- Apply the Two-Minute Rule: any task that can be completed in under two minutes must be done immediately and not deferred.
- Apply the Five-Minute Rule: any query or task that cannot be resolved within five minutes must be escalated immediately to a Supervisor, Manager or relevant Specialist.
- Communicate proactively with clients on upcoming deadlines, outstanding information requirements and any matters affecting their accounts.
Internal Collaboration:- Work directly with the AFS department to deliver complete, reconciled trial balances by agreed internal deadlines.
- Liaise with the Personal Tax and Company Tax departments on all tax-related matters for monthly clients.
- Co-ordinate with the CIPC team on annual statutory filings and company secretarial requirements.
- Escalate advisory matters, complex tax questions or unusual transactions to Senior Management or Partners.
Systems & Tools- Maintain proficiency in the firm's primary accounting platforms: Xero, Pastel and/or Eureka.
- Use firm practice management systems (including Clickify where applicable) to log work, track deadlines and report progress.
- Maintain client files, records and correspondence in accordance with firm document management standards.
Firm Policy Compliance:- Adhere to all firm service delivery standards including the email response policy, the Two-Minute Rule and the Five-Minute Rule.
- Actively participate in both bi-annual Training & Development sessions.
- Engage with the annual one-on-one session with the Group CEO as an opportunity to raise personal development goals, concerns and career direction.
- Represent the firm professionally in all client and internal interactions.
Core Competencies:- Technical accuracy.
- Client ownership.
- Deadline discipline.
- Communication.
- Self-driven development.
- Collaboration.
- Systems discipline.
- Professionalism.
