Accounting Manager

O'Brien Recruitment; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading international consumer goods group is seeking an experienced Accounting Manager to join its finance team in Cape Town. This role involves ensuring compliance with accounting standards and local regulations, managing financial processes, and leading a team in a multinational environment. Candidates should have at least 5 years of experience in accounting, preferably in FMCG, and possess strong accounting knowledge, advanced SAP FI/CO skills, and effective leadership capabilities.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ solid accounting experience, preferably within FMCG or consumer goods.
• Proven track record of meeting deadlines and contributing to complex finance projects.
• Experience working in a matrixed, multinational environment.

Responsibilities

• Review and oversee outgoing payments.
• Prepare and review monthly and annual journal entries.
• Manage customer collections and due date commitments.
• Manage the annual external audit process.
• Coordinate finance-related information flow between local teams and the Shared Service Centre.

Skills

Strong technical accounting knowledge

Advanced SAP FI/CO experience

Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills

Strong understanding of FMCG business processes and financial risk

Effective leadership and coordination capability

Strong communication skills and fluency in English

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting

Honours or CA(SA)

Tools

SAP FI/CO

Job description

About the Role

A leading international consumer goods group is strengthening its finance capability in South Africa and is seeking an experienced Accounting Manager to join its local Finance team.

This role is a key contributor within the local finance organisation, responsible for ensuring robust accounting, statutory and tax compliance in line with both local regulations and global group standards. Working closely with an established European Shared Service Centre, the Accounting Manager will act as the local accounting authority and primary point of coordination across all core finance processes.

The role also forms part of a broader international Business Unit spanning Southern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, offering meaningful exposure within a complex, matrixed, multinational environment.

Key Responsibilities Purchase to Pay & Treasury

• Review and oversee outgoing payments
• Support purchase order creation and vendor master data management with the Shared Service Centre
• Ensure accurate and timely submission of vendor invoices and payment requests
• Manage local cash and banking activities
• Monitor daily cash availability, cash forecasting and liquidity requirements

Accounting & Tax

• Prepare and review monthly and annual journal entries, accruals and amortisations
• Coordinate discretionary accruals in collaboration with FP&A
• Support month-end and year-end close processes with the Shared Service Centre
• Assist in preparation of annual financial statements and supporting schedules
• Maintain asset registers, useful lives and depreciation data in line with group reporting rules
• Manage IFRS 16 lease accounting inputs
• Review VAT returns and address queries
• Assist with monthly, quarterly and annual tax calculations
• Support statutory tax submissions to SARS and liaise with external tax advisors
• Prepare documentation for SARB submissions related to cross-border payments
• Support transfer pricing documentation and annual adjustments
• Ensure balance sheet reconciliations are completed accurately and on time
• Review trial balances, investigate variances and ensure financial integrity
• Develop, maintain and enforce internal controls in line with group policies

Accounts Receivable

• Manage customer collections and due date commitments
• Liaise with customers to ensure timely receipt of payments
• Coordinate deferred discount invoices and payment allocations with the Shared Service Centre
• Reconcile receipts and resolve reconciling items

Governance, Audit & Other Responsibilities

• Manage the annual external audit process
• Oversee relationships with tax consultants, auditors and payroll providers
• Ensure compliance with internal audit and internal control frameworks
• Coordinate finance-related information flow between local teams and the Shared Service Centre
• Ensure accurate and timely accounting of payroll and benefits in collaboration with HR
• Structure cost monitoring in line with group reporting requirements
• Act as SAP ECC key user
• Provide direct line management and indirect leadership for key deliverables

Experience & Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ solid accounting experience, preferably within FMCG or consumer goods
• Proven track record of meeting deadlines and contributing to complex finance projects
• Experience working in a matrixed, multinational environment
• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting (Honours or CA(SA) highly advantageous)

Skills & Competencies

• Strong technical accounting knowledge
• Advanced SAP FI/CO experience
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong understanding of FMCG business processes and financial risk
• Effective leadership and coordination capability
• Comfortable working with remote and international teams
• Proactive, hands‑on and detail‑oriented
• Strong communication skills and fluency in English
• Ability to influence stakeholders across cultures

Additional Requirements

• Willingness to travel occasionally, locally and internationally