Junior Accountant

The Catalyst Group; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A financial services firm in South Africa is seeking an Associate – Internal Finance to oversee accounts receivable management, support monthly finance close activities, and ensure compliance. The ideal candidate will have a tertiary accounting qualification and 3-5 years of experience in an internal accounting function, along with strong communication skills and proficiency in accounting systems. This role offers an opportunity to work in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 3-5 years of experience in an internal accounting function.
• Fluent in English with excellent verbal and written communication abilities.
• Proven ability to maintain accuracy in all financial records and processes.

Responsibilities

• Manage accounts receivable processes and ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
• Support monthly finance close activities, including reconciliations.
• Collaborate with internal teams, clients, and external stakeholders.

Skills

Accounting systems proficiency

Microsoft Office skills

Strong communication skills

Teamwork

Problem-solving

Education

Tertiary accounting qualification (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent)

Tools

Business Central

Microsoft Excel

Power Query

Power Automate

Job description

Core Details and Responsibilities

The Associate – Internal Finance will play a key role in ensuring the effective management of financial operations within the internal finance department of a fund administration business. This role is responsible for managing accounts receivable processes, contributing to monthly finance close procedures, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with various internal teams, clients, and external stakeholders to ensure efficient and compliant financial practices.

From a high-level perspective, the core responsibilities that form your role are broken down into the following categories:

1. Accounts Receivable Management
2. Monthly Finance Close Process
3. Operational Contribution
4. Risk and Compliance Responsibilities

Your Daily Tasks

1.Accounts Receivable Management:

Includes (but not limited to) the following tasks:

• Assisting Accounts Receivable Process and invoice generation on Dynamics.
• Assist in weekly receivables reporting, monitoring collections and outstanding balances
• Posting Debtor Receipts: Accurately record debtor receipts daily into the financial system to maintain accurate account balances.

2.Accounts Payable Management:

Includes (but not limited to) the following tasks:

• Managing Finance Mailbox: managing vendor communication, sending POPs, saving invoices for capturing and filing in an organized manner.
• Capturing invoices accurately according to Budgeted line items.
• Compiling 2-week payment forecast in excel.
• Vendor account reconciliation and following up with vendors on outstanding invoices.
• Employee Expenses Reimbursement: Process employee expense reimbursements using Expensify and maintain accurate expense records in Business Central.
• Capturing expenses from credit cards (Revolut & Amex) into the correct entity.

3.Monthly Finance Close Process:

Includes (but are not limited to) the following tasks:

• Daily update of Cash Balances.
• Capturing Bank Transactions: Record and reconcile bank transactions for all jurisdictions accurately in the financial system.
• Monthly Bank Reconciliations: Perform timely bank account reconciliations to ensure all records align with bank statements.
• Assist with Audit: Provide accurate and timely documentation to auditors for review.
• Assist with Month-End Activities: Support various month-end activities, including journal entries and Balance Sheet account reconciliations, to facilitate a smooth financial close process.

4.Operational Contribution:

Includes (but are not limited to) the following tasks:

• Process and Efficiency Improvements: Share insights and suggestions for developing new processes and procedures to increase efficiency and enhance client service delivery.
• Industry and Regulatory Awareness: Stay informed of industry trends, regulatory changes, and jurisdictional requirements that could impact the business.
• Product Development Support: Contribute to the creation, enhancement, and implementation of new products and solutions to meet evolving business needs.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with operations staff, business users, project teams, and implementation managers to ensure effective and scalable financial solutions.

5.Risk and Compliance Responsibilities:

Includes (but are not limited to) the following tasks:

• Compliance Tasks: Perform routine compliance checks and adhere to company risk and compliance processes and policies.
• Record Keeping: Maintain organized records of compliance documents and reports.
• Documentation Support: Assist in maintaining compliance documentation and records.
• Monitoring Tasks: Help monitor compliance tasks and assist with quality control processes.
• Compliance Culture- Working in tandem with the compliance colleagues to support a culture that is centered around good governance and compliance.

Strategic Expectations

• Share insights to enable development of new processes and procedures that will create business efficiency and support delivery of client excellence in service.
• Maintain awareness of industry, regulatory, jurisdictional, and other trends that could affect the business.
• Contribute to the creation, development and implementation of new products and solutions to accommodate the businesses continuous changing needs.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with operations staff, business users, project, and implementation managers to achieve desired and elegant solutions.

Required Skills &Experience

Are you getting excited? We are! Before we get too carried away, there are a few requirements you’ll need to check off before you can apply for the position:

• A tertiary accounting qualification (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent), preferably SAIPA qualified.
• A minimum of 3-5 years of experience in an internal accounting function.
• Proven experience and a strong technical aptitude for working with accounting systems (Business Central preferred).
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, especially Excel. Familiarity with Power Query, Power Automate, or similar technologies is advantageous.
• Fluent in English, with excellent verbal and written communication abilities.
• Comfortable working with individuals across different time zones and geographic locations.
• Commitment to maintaining accuracy in all financial records and processes.
• Ability to proactively identify issues and implement solutions to improve financial operations.
• Strong teamwork and communication skills to collaborate effectively across departments and geographic locations.
• Willingness to work in a dynamic environment with changing priorities and requirements.