General Accountant

Network Finance; Gqeberha; On-site; ZAR 480,000 - 720,000; Full time

Job summary

Network Finance is representing a fast-growing pan-African rail and rolling stock finance team. The role starts in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) with planned relocation to Rosebank (Johannesburg) as you progress, including regular intercity travel.

You will work across accounting, management reporting, tax and compliance, and strategic projects, mentored by senior leadership to grow into a Finance Manager role.

Qualifications

• 1 year of finance/accounting experience
• Sound IFRS and SA tax/reporting knowledge
• Experience in large multi-entity/group environment advantageous
• Exposure to logistics, rail or manufacturing sectors advantageous
• Ability to work independently in lean finance environment
• Ambition to grow into leadership role

Responsibilities

• Manage journals, reconciliations, GL, debtors, creditors and cash management
• Prepare monthly management accounts (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow)
• Perform variance analysis with management commentary
• Assist with monthly board packs and financial modelling
• Support VAT, income tax, PAYE, UIF, SDL and statutory compliance
• Assist with IFRS current/deferred tax and SARS queries
• Participate in acquisitions, integrations and cross-border initiatives
• Drive process improvements across finance systems and procedures
• Support budgeting, forecasting and reforecasting
• Assist with group consolidations and annual financial statements
• Contribute to ERP, automation and transformation initiatives
• Use Claude and AI tools to support reporting and analysis

Skills

CA(SA)

IFRS

Excel

Financial analysis

Attention to detail

AI tools

Education

CA(SA) or equivalent

BCom Accounting

Tools

Sage Accounting

Claude AI tools

Job description

Our client is a fast-growing, pan-African rail and rolling stock business with a multi-billion-rand asset base and operations spanning multiple countries, entities and currencies. This is a lean finance environment where you will work closely with senior finance leadership and gain exposure to the wider business—not simply sit behind a set of accounts.
The role is initially based in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), with a clear plan to relocate to Johannesburg (Rosebank) as the position develops. Regular travel between Gqeberha and Johannesburg will be required ahead of the eventual relocation.
This is a hands-on opportunity offering exposure across accounting, management reporting, tax and compliance, financial analysis, process improvement, systems transformation and strategic projects. You will also have direct exposure to the Finance Manager and CFO, with the intention of developing you into a Finance Manager over time.

Why this opportunity?

• Direct mentorship from senior finance leadership.
• A defined career path towards Finance Manager.
• Exposure to a complex, multi-entity and pan-African business.
• Opportunity to work across finance, commercial and operational areas.
• Involvement in acquisitions, integrations, restructuring and finance transformation projects.
• Regular exposure to operational sites and the wider business.
• An environment that actively embraces AI and automation in finance.
• The opportunity to take ownership of process improvements and see your ideas implemented.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage core accounting functions, including journals, reconciliations, general ledger, debtors, creditors, cash management, fixed assets and intercompany accounts.
• Prepare monthly management accounts, including income statement, balance sheet and cash flow reporting.
• Perform variance analysis against budgets and prior periods and provide meaningful commentary to management.
• Assist with monthly board packs, reporting dashboards, financial analysis and modelling.
• Support VAT, income tax, PAYE, UIF, SDL and other tax and statutory compliance requirements.
• Assist with IFRS-related current and deferred tax calculations and provide support during external audits and SARS queries.
• Participate in strategic and ad hoc projects, including acquisitions, integrations, restructuring and cross-border initiatives.
• Drive continuous improvement across finance processes, systems and procedures.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and reforecasting processes.
• Assist with group consolidations and the preparation of annual financial statements as your experience develops.
• Contribute to finance systems, ERP, automation and transformation initiatives.
• Make active daily use of Claude and other AI tools to support reporting, reconciliations and analysis.

Job Experience and Skills Required

Education

• Newly qualified CA(SA) or another relevant postgraduate accounting qualification.
• BCom Accounting or equivalent accounting qualification will be considered.

Experience

• Approximately 1 year of relevant finance and accounting experience.
• Strong finance background is non-negotiable.
• Sound working knowledge of IFRS and South African tax and statutory reporting requirements.
• Exposure to a large multi-entity or group environment will be advantageous.
• Exposure to logistics, rail or manufacturing environments will be advantageous.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and take ownership in a lean finance environment.
• Strong commercial and business acumen with an appetite to grow beyond traditional accounting responsibilities.

Skills

• Intermediate to Advanced Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and reconciliation skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and organisational ability.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Comfortable working with and enthusiastic about AI tools, including Claude.
• Knowledge of Sage Accounting will be advantageous.

Additional Requirements

• Must initially be based in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth).
• Must be willing to relocate to Johannesburg (Rosebank) as the role progresses, typically within five years.
• Willingness to travel between Gqeberha and Johannesburg as required.
• Ambitious, self-motivated and solution-driven.
• Must demonstrate the potential to grow into a leadership position and ultimately manage and develop a finance team.

If you're looking for a role where you can learn the numbers, understand the business and ultimately lead the finance function, this could be the career move you've been waiting for.