CIMA Associate (Trainee Accountant)

Creative CFO; Wes-Kaap; Hybrid; ZAR 200 000 - 300 000; Full time

Job summary

A growing finance team for SMEs in South Africa is seeking a dedicated individual to join their finance team. This entry-level position involves providing bookkeeping support, assisting with tax compliance, and implementing cloud-based financial systems. The ideal candidate will have an honours degree in accounting or a related field, with the opportunity for mentoring and professional development. Enjoy flexible hours and a hybrid working model with a collaborative team dedicated to the success of SMEs.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Mentoring and development opportunities

Hybrid work setup

Paid leave on your birthday

Qualifications

• Completed honours plus a three-year qualification in accounting or related field.
• 1+ years of related work experience preferred, but entry-level applicants are welcome.

Responsibilities

• Prepare financial data and provide bookkeeping support to clients.
• Assist in clients' operational processes including reconciliations.
• Compile tax returns to ensure compliance across payroll, VAT, and income tax.
• Assist accountants with management reports and data analysis.
• Implement cloud-based financial systems for accounting and reporting.
• Train clients to use implemented systems confidently.

Skills

Confidence in engaging clients

Understanding business processes

Ability to work with financial software

Strong analytical skills

Education

Honours plus a three-year qualification in accounting or related field

Tools

Xero

Power BI

Azure

Job description

CREATIVE CFO

The Finance Team for SMEs

Creative CFO is the finance team for small and medium enterprises, helping them grow their business with world‑class finance teams, cloud & AI technology. Our expert financial management and accounting services provide the strategic reporting that enables businesses to grow.

Our vision is a world where more small and medium enterprises succeed. We set out on a mission to create a world‑class growth platform that provides SMEs with financial clarity, peace of mind and high‑growth opportunities.

During this journey, we have supported several hundred SMEs to improve their ability to run sustainable businesses, develop a world‑class offering, hire more employees and support skills transfer in their communities. This work enabled us to build an extensive network, become a leader in the SME ecosystem, and foster relationships with founders, executives, and employees.

We are an Elite Corporate Partner of the Year 2024 with AICPA CIMA, Xero Platinum Partner, and recipient of the Corporate Partnership Profession Award 2023.

Our Core Values:

• Understanding: Know your customer and their business- If you know what they do and why they do it, you can help them build it.
• Respect: Treat people and businesses with respect- Relationships are built on trust. Customer confidentiality is paramount.
• Innovation: Be willing to listen and solve any problem- Innovative solutions are an interconnected web of small problems solved brilliantly.
• Performance: Get to work- Use your experience and skills, with the full support of the team, to confidently deliver exceptional results.
• Well‑being: Live sustainably- Strive for a sustainable balance between self, community and the environment.

THE POSITION

As part of our financial team, you will join in on a quest to deliver compliance, efficiency, and growth to some of the most exciting businesses across multiple industries, including accommodation and hospitality, construction and engineering, education, financial and insurance services, healthcare, manufacturing, media and publishing, professional and commercial services, retail, software and IT, and telecommunication services.

Our three core service areas are:

• Financial Systems: Implementing cloud‑based financial software to provide a solid foundation for business growth by automating and scaling the best business processes
• Financial Management: Ensuring adequate governance structures are in place, business risk is managed, and financial performance is monitored, analysed and optimised
• Business Intelligence: Bringing in‑depth analysis and insights through years of professional experience with the latest automation and reporting technology

Responsibilities:

You'll be working with the best technology, an exciting high‑growth client base and a premier team. As you do, you'll be:

• Preparing financial data and providing bookkeeping support to clients
• Assisting in a client's operational processes such as reconciliations
• Assisting in the compilation of tax returns to ensure compliance across payroll, VAT, and income tax
• Playing a supporting role to our accountants by assisting them with the preparation of management reports, quantitative and qualitative data analysis for improved management decision‑making and statutory returns
• Identifying and testing business scenarios and inter‑system integrations
• Assisting in the implementation of cloud‑based financial systems for accounting, reporting, point of sale and inventory management
• Staying on top of developments in financial software, including accounting, project management, stock, CRM, ERP, POS systems (we currently use cloud software like Xero, Syft, Asana, Azure, Cin7 Core & Omni, Dext, Fathom, HubSpot, Power BI, and many more cutting‑edge tools)
• Training clients to use the implemented systems confidently
• Developing internal accounting controls and processes to ensure accurate reporting
• Adding value to the Creative CFO finance team and customers

WHY APPLY

Become part of a small yet rapidly growing team and grab hold of the opportunity to:

• Work under leadership with a forward‑thinking approach to work
• Work with international businesses across diverse industries
• Enjoy flexible working hours and a progressive remote working policy
• Receive intentional input and mentoring on your professional and personal development
• Be part of a close, vibrant office community that promotes creativity, wellness, and regular team‑building events
• Join a team that recognises and celebrates individual contributions to team wins
• Get matched on your tuition spend and leave taken for ongoing education
• Enjoy a day's paid leave on your birthday - it's your day to celebrate you!
• Hybrid work set‑up – currently 1x in‑office day a month, with 1x day per quarter if outside Cape Town (& surrounds)
• Work in great office space, if you prefer that
• Computer, related hardware and home office set‑up provided
• Have flexible work hours
• Benefit from a parental and maternity leave policy created for our team members

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

Our business is built on the trust we develop with our clients. You would need to be able to engage clients at all levels with expertise, confidence and integrity, embodying our core values of understanding, respect, innovation, performance, and well‑being.

EDUCATION and QUALIFICATION

• A prerequisite for this role is a completed honours plus a three‑year tertiary qualification in accounting, management accounting, business management or a related field
• 1+ years of related work experience is preferred; however, this is an entry‑level role, and no prior work experience is required.

If you have not received a response within 3 weeks, please consider your application unsuccessful. Your CV will be kept on file for any further suitable positions.