Financial Accountant

Absolute Pets; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 200 000 - 300 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading pet care retailer based in Cape Town is seeking a Financial Accountant to handle payroll administration for approximately 700 employees. Key responsibilities include preparing and processing payroll, managing payroll queries, and generating financial reports. The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years of experience, strong Excel skills, and a degree in accounting or bookkeeping. This role is crucial for ensuring accurate payroll processing and financial reporting within a dynamic retail environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years’ experience in a similar role, preferably retail.
• Payroll experience is required.
• Person who can work accurately under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and process the monthly payroll for 700 employees.
• Compile clocking issue reports and reconcile short hours.
• Manage payroll queries and perform monthly reconciliations.

Skills

Excellent knowledge of Excel

Strong numerical skills

Attention to detail

Organisational skills

Ability to work under pressure

Education

Degree in accounting or diploma in bookkeeping

Job description

Absolute Pets is looking for a Financial Accountant to join their team. Absolute Pets is a leading pet care retailer with over 190 stores nationally. The financial accountant will have focus on the payroll administration for our stores and warehouses. The position is based in Cape Town.

Payroll

Responsible for the preparation and processing of the monthly payroll for approximately 700 employees which involves:

• Processing hours from rosters/clocking.
• Compiling the clocking issue report based on rosters and clocking issue tickets from Think Time, to reflect the hours worked and late comings.
• Preparing time register reports for all staff, reconciling short hours to leave reports and following up on discrepancies with their managers.
• To review clocking feedback and adjust hours accordingly.
• Incentive workings.
• Record keeping of sundry deductions, garnishees, staff loans and advances.
• New hires and terminations processing – new hires clocking and backpay + leavers clocking and termination leave.
• Variance report compiled with adjustment tracker (Payroll Tracker updates) checked and sent for review by financial manager.
• Overtime checks. Ensuring that all overtime applications submitted are approved and then captured on the payroll system.
• Accurate capturing and processing of employee information. Maintenance of employee banking details. Staff movement tracking for reporting purposes.
• Manage all payroll related queries.
• Assisting as required with any statutory submissions relating to payroll.
• Monthly reconciliation of all payroll related GL accounts.
• Preparing and sending out the daily sales dashboard to management and the Board.
• Preparing and sending out weekly sales trackers to stores and pet spas.
• Preparing the staff turnover report.
• Compiling scorecards for review by the financial manager and ultimately publishing the scorecards for upload onto Sharepoint.

Financial Reporting

Daily Sales Dashboard Reporting

Weekly Sales Tracker

Staff Turnover Report

Scorecards

Financial Processing

Credit Cards

• Processing, reporting and reconciliation of all company credit card spend.
• Ordering, renewal and cancelling of credit cards.
• Processing and reconciliation of the payroll bank account.

Payroll Cashbook Processing

Other

• Dealing with any company insurance claims.
• Finance admin and filing.
• Cross training with other members of the finance team to ensure adequate cover during leave.
• Identifying cost savings and opportunities for process improvements.
• Assisting as needed with other ad-hoc projects.

What we are looking for

• Minimum 3 years’ experience in a similar role (retail experience is an advantage).
• Must have excellent knowledge of Excel.
• Payroll experience is required.
• Degree in accounting or diploma in bookkeeping advantageous.
• Person who can work accurately even under pressure and take responsibility for tasks allocated to them.
• Highly organised and flexible.
• Strong numerical skills and attention to detail.