Financial Specialist

**Key Purpose**:
assisting with technical accounting queries and ensuring compliance with IFRS (including the implementation of new standards).
identification of risks and the design and implementation of an effective and efficient control framework in order to mitigate the identified risk.
automation and improvement of financial processes and reporting.
assisting with the administration of finance operations.
preparation/ review of monthly management accounts (incl variance analysis), annual financial statements and other regulatory reports.
assisting with forecasting and financial modelling for effective business decisioning.
compliance with relevant tax laws and regulations.
collaboration with all departments to create and maintain an effective finance decision support function.

**Key Responsibilities**:
**Technical accounting**:
Review and monitoring of accounting policies to ensure compliance with IFRS.
Assist with the implementation of new accounting standards as well as the preparation of technical accounting papers when required.
Liaise with the auditors to resolve technical queries raised.
Provide technical training to the team on new (and existing) accounting standards.
Identification of risks and the design and implementation of controls:
Identification of relevant business risks and audit risks.
Design and implementation of an effective and efficient control framework in order to mitigate identified risks.
Assist with detailed documentation of process flows.
Automation and improvement of financial processes and reporting:
Plan and execute project plans (including management of resources and capacity constraints) to assist in the timeous automation and improvement of current financial processes.
Assess data requirements.

**Administration of finance operations**:
Assisting with the administration of the accounting software package and the banking system as and when required.
Assist with releasing disbursements after reviewing and reconciling to supporting schedules.

**Financial reporting and financial analysis**:
Preparation/ review of various reconciliations and schedules supporting the trial balance.
Preparation/ review of the monthly management accounts.
Assist with the preparation of the monthly financial commentary and variance analysis.
Implement suitable follow up where actuals differ materially from budget and assist with the development of a framework for the accountability for variances.
Provide financial trend and key ratio analysis monthly to identify areas of concern/ opportunity.
Address queries arising from business.
Preparation/ review of workings for accounting estimates.
Preparation of various regulatory reports (SARB returns, BBEEE schedules)

**Annual financial reporting and year end audit**:
Review/ preparation of the annual financial statements for the various entities across the Group ensuring compliance with various laws and regulations (including JSE debt listing requirements).
Preparing financial reports for relevant committees.
Liaison with internal and external auditors and the management of deadlines.
Assist with the preparation of the group consolidation and AFS workings.

**Group taxation compliance**:
**Assist with managing the group tax requirements (all taxes**: income, VAT, dividends) and to ensure that tax affairs including periodic returns and submissions are always compliant and as efficient as possible.

**Forecasting and financial modelling**:
Assist with the preparation of financial models for effective business decisioning (including effective interactions with counterparties, whether internal or external).
Assist with running an effective and timely budget process as well as performing ad hoc forecasting.

**Requirements**:
Minimum qualification and experience
CA(SA) preferably with financial services experience

**Generic Competencies**:
Enthusiastic
Energetic
Self-driven
Attention to detail
Excellence orientation
Good communications skills
Zero tolerance for error
Accountability and ownership
Time management
Pro-active reasoning

**Technical Competencies**:
Microsoft Office - advanced levels for all packages.
Natural ability with numbers (high numeracy)
Strong logic and reasoning abilities
Strong comprehension and report writing skills
Strong presentation skills
High EQ
Ability to interact across senior and junior levels of staff