Accountant - Accounts Payable – Rent & Utilities

TFG (The Foschini Group); Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 520,000 - 860,000; Full time

Job summary

The Foschini Group (TFG) is seeking an experienced Accounts Payable Manager (Rent & Utilities) to lead transactional processing, reconcile vendor balances, and drive improvements in our shared services finance team. You will ensure timely payments, regulatory compliance, and accurate SAP updates across divisions.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in finance operations, strong Excel skills, and proven leadership in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Advanced Diploma or equivalent certification in Finance/Accounting.
• 5+ years of relevant working experience.
• 3-5 years experience leading a small team (5-10) in a transactional environment preferable.
• Proficiency in MS Excel and financial systems.

Responsibilities

• Ensure accurate and timeous monthly payments for all rental contracts across divisions and entities.
• Monitor municipal rates and ensure SAP updates; define guidelines to resolve irregular billings.
• Extract SAPRE and SAP FI interfaces for relevant contracts to ensure payment accuracy.
• Review vendor debit and credit balances for validity and drive root-cause resolution.
• Perform duplicate and tolerance checks to prevent overpayments to vendors.
• Submit weekly utility and monthly rental payment proposals for processing.
• Ensure USD based contracts are updated in SAP with correct exchange rates.
• Coordinate new vendor setup complying with regulatory requirements.
• Collect excess rental payments from landlords promptly and accurately.
• Document utility and rental Balance Sheet reconciliations for audits.
• Monitor landlord payments monthly and remit accordingly.
• Update Vendor Master data with Systems team and issue remittance advices.
• Evaluate audit findings and implement corrective actions; drive improvements.

Skills

Reconciliation and Analysis

Debt Management

Accounting and Reporting

Auditing

Cash Management

Financial Risk Management

Mergers and Acquisitions

Project management

Business communication

Commentary drafting

Attention to detail

SAP

MS Excel

Financial systems

Education

Advanced Diploma or equivalent certification in Finance/Accounting

Tools

MS Excel

Financial systems

SAP

Job description

• Ensure the accurate and timeous monthly payments for all rental contracts across all divisions and entities.
• Monitor and assess all municipal rates and ensure that rates are accurately updated in SAP and ensure complete investigation of irregular rates billings by defining clear guidelines and timelines in which to resolve the investigation.
• Extract monthly interfaces of SAPRE and SAP FI for relevant contracts to ensure accuracy of payments (completing RERAPP Vendor, profit centre checks, and payment reference checks).
• Review vendor debit and credit balances for validity and accuracy and drive resolution of the root cause of the debit and credit balances;
• Perform duplicate and tolerance checks to eliminate the risk of overpayments to vendor.
• Submit for approval weekly utility and monthly rental payment proposals for processing.
• Ensure USD based contracts are correctly updated in SAP and the correct exchange rates are applied.
• Coordinate new vendor setup and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements (e.g., tax documentation, banking information).
• Make sure that any excess payments for rentals are promptly and precisely collected from landlords.
• Document and record all utility and rental Balance Sheet reconciliations for audit purposes.
• Monitor and report on landlord payments on a monthly basis.
• Support the Systems team to ensure that all Vendor Master data is correctly updated and Landlords receive all remittance advices.
• Evaluate audit findings and implement suitable measures, making sure corrective and preventive steps are carried out.
• Provide world-class customer service by resolving all queries and complaints promptly and efficiently.
• Serve as the first point of contact for all escalations and prioritise their resolution to ensure no adverse impact on business operations Support the Accounts Payable Accountant (Rent and Utilities) to ensure the relevant service level agreements are adhered to support the reconciliation process.
• Timeously deal with workflow approvals for all adjustments processed in SAP relating to manual invoices processed, rates updates captured and adjustments to the lease contracts.
• Make sure that month end journals are completed.
• Ensure that system changes within the Finance Rules Engine are approved timeously to enable the efficient, automated processing of invoices via OCR.
• Monitor the team’s daily performance and measure of the quality of the team’s outputs.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and provide constructive feedback.
• Ensure continuous performance feedback to and development of direct reports.
• Effectively manage performance within the team to ensure business objectives are achieved.
• Assist with testing and project implementation of acquisition and other pertinent projects impacting the team Communicate policies, procedures, and changes effectively to team members and stakeholders.
• Support the Accounts Payable Manager (Rent & Utilities) and ensure alignment with strategic objectives linked to the broader Finance Shared Services goals.
• Ensure adherence to company policies, procedures, and guidelines for accounts payable activities.
• Any ad hoc tasks and projects as required

Responsibilities

• Ensure the accurate and timeous monthly payments for all rental contracts across all divisions and entities.
• Monitor and assess all municipal rates and ensure that rates are accurately updated in SAP and ensure complete investigation of irregular rates billings by defining clear guidelines and timelines in which to resolve the investigation.
• Extract monthly interfaces of SAPRE and SAP FI for relevant contracts to ensure accuracy of payments (completing RERAPP Vendor, profit centre checks, and payment reference checks).
• Review vendor debit and credit balances for validity and accuracy and drive resolution of the root cause of the debit and credit balances;
• Perform duplicate and tolerance checks to eliminate the risk of overpayments to vendor.
• Submit for approval weekly utility and monthly rental payment proposals for processing.
• Ensure USD based contracts are correctly updated in SAP and the correct exchange rates are applied.
• Coordinate new vendor setup and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements (e.g., tax documentation, banking information).
• Make sure that any excess payments for rentals are promptly and precisely collected from landlords.
• Document and record all utility and rental Balance Sheet reconciliations for audit purposes.
• Monitor and report on landlord payments on a monthly basis.
• Support the Systems team to ensure that all Vendor Master data is correctly updated and Landlords receive all remittance advices.
• Evaluate audit findings and implement suitable measures, making sure corrective and preventive steps are carried out.
• Provide world-class customer service by resolving all queries and complaints promptly and efficiently.
• Serve as the first point of contact for all escalations and prioritise their resolution to ensure no adverse impact on business operations Support the Accounts Payable Accountant (Rent and Utilities) to ensure the relevant service level agreements are adhered to support the reconciliation process.
• Timeously deal with workflow approvals for all adjustments processed in SAP relating to manual invoices processed, rates updates captured and adjustments to the lease contracts.
• Make sure that month end journals are completed.
• Ensure that system changes within the Finance Rules Engine are approved timeously to enable the efficient, automated processing of invoices via OCR.
• Monitor the team’s daily performance and measure of the quality of the team’s outputs.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and provide constructive feedback.
• Ensure continuous performance feedback to and development of direct reports.
• Effectively manage performance within the team to ensure business objectives are achieved.
• Assist with testing and project implementation of acquisition and other pertinent projects impacting the team Communicate policies, procedures, and changes effectively to team members and stakeholders.
• Support the Accounts Payable Manager (Rent & Utilities) and ensure alignment with strategic objectives linked to the broader Finance Shared Services goals.
• Ensure adherence to company policies, procedures, and guidelines for accounts payable activities.
• Any ad hoc tasks and projects as required

Qualifications

• Advanced Diploma or equivalent certification in Finance/Accounting
• 5+ years of relevant working experience
• 3-5 years experience leading a small team (5-10) in a transactional environment preferable
• Proficiency in MS Excel and financial systems

Skills

• Reconciliation and Analysis
• Debt Management
• Accounting and Reporting
• Auditing
• Cash Management
• Financial Risk Management
• Mergers and Acquisitions.
• Excellent project management skills
• Strong business communication skills with anability to work well in a collaborative environment with senior executives
• Ability to draftcommentary, analyse information to establish key messages, presentinformation both visually and written
• Strong attention to detail, planning, and time management

Behaviors

• Business Insight - applies market and business insights in order to drive organisational objectives
• Ensures Accountability - takes accountability and ensures others are held to account on agreed upon performance targets
• Financial Acumen - understands and applies financial concepts and principles to make informed financial decisions
• Decision Quality - consistently makes timely, well-rounded and informed decisions
• Instills trust - inspires trust and gains the confidence of others by displaying honesty and integrity
• Manages Complexity - interprets and simplifies complex and contradictory information when resolving organisational problems
• Optimizes Work Processes - assesses and improves the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of various work processes
• Strategic Mindset - thinks and plans strategically, focusing on the long-term goals and objectives of the organisation

Preference will be given, but not limited to candidates from designated groups in terms of the Employment Equity Act.

About Us

Who we are is because of our people. They are our greatest asset. TFG is an internationally diversified retail portfolio of 34 speciality lifestyle and apparel brands that Inspire our Customers to live their Best Lives and are woven into the lives of millions. Our vision is to create the most remarkable omnichannel experiences for our customers. TFG is more than a workplace, it's a launchpad for your growth. Join us and explore endless growth opportunities across our diverse brands. We’re a purpose-led business, and on this team, you’ll share the pride of making an impact across a whole industry.

We’re the designers, the makers, the shakers and the teams behind the scenes.

Are you with us?

About The Team

The finance team at TFG provides the highest level of financial support and expertise across the entire business. This includes budget and expense control, inventory control, tax, compliance, cash flow, audits, trading and non-trading accounts, asset management and reporting. They work collaboratively to make sure that all aspects of our business are running optimally.