Financial Accountant

Conservation International; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent conservation organization is seeking a Financial Accountant in Johannesburg to manage financial controls and support project teams. This role involves capturing transactions, budget creation, and compliance reporting. Ideal candidates should have a Bachelor's of Commerce (BCom) and extensive experience in finance, particularly within the NGO sector. The position offers a 2-year fixed-term contract with a focus on flexibility and travel within southern Africa.

Qualifications

• 4 to 6 years of relevant experience for articled applicants.
• 10 years of progressive service for non-articled applicants.
• Accreditation with a recognised payroll software is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for financial control in allocated landscapes.
• Capture all financial transactions accurately in accounting systems.
• Meet month-end deadlines and ensure compliance with procurement requirements.

Skills

Financial control

Budgeting

Financial reporting

SARS audits

MS Excel

Education

Bachelor's of Commerce (BCom)

Tools

Unit 4 Business World

MS Office

Job description

Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork, and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, biodiversity, and for people.

Conservation South Africa (CSA), a local affiliate of Conservation International, is committed to helping societies adopt a more sustainable approach to development, one that considers and values nature at every turn and improves human well-being through the conservation of healthy ecosystems and the goods and services they provide.

CSA seeks to influence policy, develop markets, engage the private sector, and support communities to develop and implement conservation-based economic growth models.

Position Summary

This position is based in Cape Town or Johannesburg, Madagascar. Reporting to the Finance Manager, the Financial Accountant will be responsible for all aspects of the financial control environment of their allocated landscapes, working closely with the project teams across all areas of financial management, control, and budgeting.

The primary focus will be on capturing all financial transactions accurately, completely, and timeously within the various accounting systems used by CSA. The Financial Accountant will perform a wide variety of tasks, including providing close support to the landscape teams, in the areas of financial planning, budget creation, cost tracking, and donor reporting.

Responsibilities

• Become familiar with the financial systems and controls utilized by CSA.
• Play a supporting role in the creation and approval of vendors, processing invoices, and matching payments in CSA's finance software - Unit 4 Business World.
• Ensure month-end deadlines are met.
• Ensure proper documentation exists and complies with CSA procurement requirements before disbursements are made.
• Play a supporting role in the payment of office expenses in CSA's internet banking system in a timely manner.
• Scrutinize all paperwork relating to financial transactions for the relevant landscape, including office expenditure, travel claims, assets/equipment, etc.
• Provide feedback and guidance to the relevant managers and the CSA Ops Director on any compliance issues arising from monthly reports.
• Process Journals prior to month-end closure relating to travel-related activities, staff claims and advances, payrolls, bank account transactions, fleet cards, reconciliations, reallocations, etc.
• Prepare monthly cash flow forecasts for various landscapes and submit to Managers, Operations, and Finance Directors.
• Assist with budgets for various landscapes as well as budget reporting.
• Act as back-up to the Debtor function, including the issue of invoices/statements timeously, processing receipts in the accounting system.
• Review monthly general ledger transactions to ensure accurate capturing of financial information and report any discrepancies.
• Prepare and assist with monthly reconciliations of various Balance Sheet items.
• Prepare VAT analysis, submissions, reconciliations, and SARS audits.
• Prepare payroll processing, analysis, reviews, reconciliations, and SARS audits.
• Maintain Fixed Asset Registers, ensure processing and reconciling of assets on a monthly basis, and conduct asset verification process.
• Attend weekly finance meetings, assist with setting up online meetings, and take meeting notes.
• Accurate submission of the monthly timesheet.
• Assist with internal, external, and project/donor audit queries.
• Maintain finance files to ensure that they are audit-ready.
• Be prepared to take on additional activities as they arise, due to the growing nature of projects.
• Work with minimal supervision and expedite their duties independently.
• Carry out a higher level of reporting, budgeting, and be able to interrogate these, and display sound accountability and responsibility in these work areas.

Additional Responsibilities

• Provide support to the Finance Manager in ad hoc focus areas.
• Contribute to improving financial control efficiencies, effectiveness, and alignment with CSA strategic objectives.

People And Resource Management Responsibilities

• Assist less-experienced peers.
• Train and coach junior staff and non-finance staff via on-the-job training.
• Conduct performance assessments of all staff being managed.

Working Conditions

• Typical office environment.
• Ability and willingness to travel on a regular basis to field sites within southern Africa.
• Flexibility to work extended hours to meet deadlines.
• This is a 2-year fixed-term assignment, anticipated to begin Nov/Dec 2025 and end Oct/Nov 2027.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's of Commerce (BCom) or equivalent qualification.
• Preference given to applicants with completed articles at a recognised South African accounting organization.
• 4 to 6 years of progressive relevant working experience for articled applicants, and a minimum of 10 years of progressive service for non-articled applicants.
• Ability to complete the entire accounting process cycle from transaction origination through to the Trial Balance.
• Proven competence with VAT analysis, submissions, reconciliations, and SARS audits.
• Proven competence with payroll processing, analysis, reviews, reconciliations, and SARS audits.
• Accreditation/Certification with a recognised payroll software will be advantageous.
• Valid driver's license.
• Experience with MS Office software, and advanced MS Excel knowledge.
• Ability and experience required to administer and execute financial processes and transactions.
• Good administrative and interpersonal skills, ability to be proactive and use initiative.
• Be assertive, deadline driven, able to handle pressure, and dynamic to change.
• Meticulous, attention to detail and accurate.
• Logical thinker.
• A good team player.
• Experience in working in a team based in different locations.
• Experience in the NGO sector, preferably in an international NGO.
• Previous experience in working on complex finance system would be an advantage.
• Must be in possession of a valid South African Driver's License.

Preferred

• Strong academic credentials.
• Ability to bring sense of fun and aliveness/flow to the team is an advantage.

To apply for this position please submit a resume and cover letter.

Application Deadline: October 17, 2025 (11:49 PM EST)

Conservation International is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We believe in hiring based on merit and qualifications, ensuring a fair and inclusive hiring process for everyone.