Team Leader – General Ledger

JOB PURPOSE/SUMMARY:

The Team Leader – General Ledger is responsible for overseeing the end-to-end general ledger (GL) function, ensuring financial accuracy, operational efficiency, and compliance with accounting standards and regulatory requirements. This role plays a pivotal role in financial reporting, reconciliation, and month-end closing, ensuring timely and error-free financial statements that support business decision-making.

As a strategic business partner in operational finance, the Team Leader collaborates across departments to enhance financial processes, drive cost efficiencies, and strengthen internal controls. Acting as the ERP champion, this role is responsible for system optimization, process automation, and continuous improvement initiatives, ensuring seamless financial operations and accurate reporting.

Additionally, the Team Leader serves as the custodian of internal controls, ensuring budget adherence, risk mitigation, and compliance with corporate policies and accounting regulations. This position requires strong leadership, analytical expertise, and problem-solving skills to maintain the integrity of financial data while driving innovation in financial management.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1. Financial Statement Preparation and Review:
   • Oversee the preparation and review of financial statements, including balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements, ensuring accuracy and compliance with accounting standards.
   • Ensure financial statements are prepared within five (5) working days of month-end with zero material errors.
   • Review and finalize financial statements within three (3) working days of receipt from team members.
   • Identify and resolve discrepancies or issues in financial statements, ensuring financial data integrity.
   • Ensure compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), and regulatory requirements.
2. General Ledger Maintenance and Reconciliation:
   • Oversee the accurate and timely maintenance of the general ledger, ensuring all transactions are properly recorded.
   • Ensure journal entries are posted within two (2) working days of receipt, maintaining accuracy with zero material errors.
   • Reconcile general ledger accounts within five (5) working days of month-end, ensuring data accuracy and completeness.
   • Identify and resolve discrepancies or issues in general ledger accounts to maintain financial integrity.
   • Ensure the general ledger is up-to-date and accurately reflects financial transactions, supporting decision-making and reporting.
3. Team Leadership and Development:
   • Lead and develop a team of accountants, providing guidance, training, and coaching to enhance their professional growth and performance.
   • Ensure at least 90% of team members meet performance expectations.
   • Conduct a minimum of two (2) training sessions per quarter, ensuring team members continuously develop their skills.
   • Provide monthly coaching sessions to support individual and team development.
   • Conduct biannual performance evaluations, setting clear objectives and providing constructive feedback.
   • Foster a positive and engaging team culture, ensuring at least 80% team engagement score through motivation, collaboration, and career development opportunities.
4. Financial Reporting and Compliance:
   • Ensure 100% compliance with regulatory filings, submitting reports within established deadlines and ensuring zero material errors.
   • Maintain adherence to internal reporting requirements, ensuring timely and accurate submission of financial data.
   • Coordinate with external auditors, ensuring smooth audit processes and compliance with audit requirements.
   • Identify and mitigate compliance risks, ensuring minimal risk exposure in financial reporting and internal controls.
   • Monitor changes in financial regulations and accounting standards, ensuring continuous compliance with legal and corporate governance requirements.
5. Process Improvement and Financial Analysis:
   • Identify and implement process improvement initiatives, resulting in at least a 10% reduction in processing time.
   • Conduct financial analysis and provide insights to support business decisions and improve financial performance.
   • Identify areas for improvement, developing and recommending enhancements to accounting and financial reporting processes.
   • Develop financial models to support business planning, forecasting, and strategic decision-making.
   • Monitor financial performance, analyzing trends and identifying opportunities for cost savings, efficiency, and revenue optimization.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES

Minimum Qualifications: (Education/Certification/ Licensure/Professional Membership)

• Bachelor’s degree in Accountancy, Finance, Commerce, or a related field. A Master’s degree (MBA/Finance) is preferred.
• Professional certification such as CA, ACCA, or CPA is mandatory.
• Additional certifications in financial reporting, internal controls, or ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, IFRS training, etc.) are advantageous.

Minimum Experience:

• At least 7 years of experience in general ledger accounting, financial reporting, or financial operations, with a strong background in financial statement preparation, reconciliation, and compliance.
• 1 to 3 years of experience in a leadership, supervisory, or managerial role within finance, demonstrating the ability to lead teams, improve processes, and implement automation solutions.
• Experience in a fast-paced corporate environment, preferably within a multinational company or regulated industry.

Job Specific Competencies:

1. Accounting & Financial Management: Oversee the end-to-end general ledger (GL) function, ensuring accurate financial transactions, reconciliations, and financial statement preparation in compliance with IFRS, GAAP, and local accounting standards.
2. ERP System Optimization & Automation: Act as the ERP champion, driving efficiency, automation, and process improvements to enhance the accuracy and timeliness of financial reporting.
3. Financial Reporting & Compliance: Ensure timely closing of accounts, preparation of financial statements, and submission of regulatory reports, adhering to internal controls and statutory requirements.
4. Reconciliation & Cash Management: Lead the cash application and reconciliation process, ensuring accurate posting of transactions, dispute resolution, and alignment of financial records with operational.
5. Credit Risk & Asset Management: Monitor and assess financial risks, ensuring proper accounting of liabilities, provisions, and reconciliations, while minimizing discrepancies in GL accounts.
6. Business Partnership & Leadership: Collaborate with operations, sales, and finance teams to improve financial decision-making, budgeting, and cash flow forecasting, ensuring seamless integration of financial strategies.
7. Cross-Functional Coordination: Serve as the primary liaison between finance, internal stakeholders, and external auditors, facilitating smooth financial audits and internal reviews.
8. Internal Controls & Risk Mitigation: Act as a champion of internal controls, ensuring compliance with financial policies, audit requirements, and budgetary controls while mitigating financial risks.
9. Regulatory Compliance & Taxation: Ensure adherence to tax regulations, sales tax, VAT, and other statutory requirements, implementing best practices for financial integrity and compliance.
10. Process Improvement & Efficiency: Drive continuous process improvements to optimize efficiency in GL operations, reducing financial closing timelines and enhancing reporting accuracy.
11. Leadership & Team Development: Lead, mentor, and develop the GL accounting team, fostering a high-performance culture, encouraging professional growth, and ensuring knowledge-sharing across finance teams.