Finance Officer

**Job description**:
Position Code
- HRD-SA/11-001

Department
- Finance

Reporting To
- Head of Finance, South Africa

Employment Type
- Full-time (Contractual)

Location
- Johannesburg, South Africa

**JOb Purpose**:
Responsible for managing the day-to-day processing of vendor invoices, expense reports, and payments in a timely and accurate manner. S/he will also ensure compliance with company policies, maintain vendor relationships, and assist with the month-end closing process.

**RESPONSIBILITIES**:

- Review and verify invoices for appropriate documentation and approval prior to payment. Match purchase orders to invoices and resolve discrepancies.
- Prepare and process electronic transfers, checks, and bank payments to vendors. Ensure all payments are made on time.
- Review and process employee expense reports, ensuring adherence to company policies and guidelines.
- Maintain accurate records and communicate with vendors regarding billing discrepancies, payment status, and any other inquiries.
- Reconcile balance sheet accounts, including vendor statements, bank recons and other balance sheet recons. Resolve discrepancies and assist in month-end closing.
- Maintain files and documentation thoroughly and accurately, in accordance with company policy and accepted accounting practices.
- Ensure proper internal controls are maintained in the accounting processes to prevent fraudulent activities.
- Assist with audits by providing supporting documentation and ensuring records are complete and accurate.
- Generate and provide financial reports as required by management, such as aged payable reports and cash requirement forecasts.
- Maintain a fixed asset register that reconciles with the balance sheet accounts. Calculate and process depreciation journals.
- Assist with special projects and ad-hoc requests as needed by the finance or accounting department.
- Capture general journals for payroll and reallocations.
- Managing high transaction volumes while ensuring accuracy and timeliness can be stressful and lead to errors if not managed efficiently.
- Manage tight deadlines and vendor relationships to prevent strain, late fees, or disruptions in deliverables.- Resolve any miscommunication or discrepancies between invoices and purchase orders to avoid unnecessary effort and delays.- Ensure accuracy and address any unresolved discrepancies promptly. Delays in reconciling issues can lead to payment delays and affect the accuracy of financial reporting.- Ensure compliance with financial regulations to mitigate the risk of penalties or audits observations.- Ensuring accurate, completed financial reports under strict deadlines.
- Responsible for addressing discrepancies to prevent delays in payment processing and maintain strong relationships with internal teams and vendors.
- Ensure effective cash flow management to prevent liquidity issues that could impact the company's overall financial health.
- Able to communicate effectively with both internal and external parties.

**REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES (KSA)**:
Required Qualification
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
- Bookkeeping or Accounting Certifications (Optional but advantageous).

Required Experience
- 1-3 Years of Experience in Accounts Payable or General Accounting.
- Experience with Accounting Software and Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word) (required).
- Strong skills in Microsoft Excel, including the use of formulas and pivot tables.
- Familiarity with VAT regulations (required).
- Understanding of generally accepted accounting principles and practices.

**Required Skills**:

- Self-motivated and a fast learner who is ready to hit the ground running.
- Organised, detail-oriented, and problem solver with an elevated level of curiosity and who is an independent thinker.
- Good listener and maintains accountability for their actions.
- Ability to work independently and under tight timelines
- Ability to convey financial information, updates, and explanations clearly and concisely, especially when discussing payment schedules or account discrepancies.
- Ability to interact positively with various departments (e.g., procurement, finance) and build relationships with external vendors or auditors through professional and respectful communication.
- Ability to communicate with precision and avoid misunderstandings in complex accounting matters. Ensuring all verbal interactions with internal and external stakeholders are conducted professionally, reflecting well on the company.
- Ability to adjust communication style to suit different audiences—vendors, internal teams, or management—with varying levels of financial knowledge.
- Communicating financial data and issues clearly while maintaining accuracy and avoiding errors in verbal discussions.
- Attention to detail.