Manufacturing Management Accountant

Square 1 Recruitment; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Square 1 Recruitment in Johannesburg, South Africa, is seeking a hands-on Management Accountant to join its Finance & Procurement team. This role combines financial accounting with cost accounting, inventory control and operational analysis, bridging finance and operations.

You will maintain accurate financial records while helping management understand manufacturing costs, variances, margins and opportunities to improve efficiency.

Qualifications

• Degree in Accounting or Finance; Honours advantageous.
• Minimum 5 years' experience within a manufacturing environment with costing.
• Strong knowledge of cost accounting, standard costing and manufacturing variances.
• Experience with inventory, raw materials, WIP and finished goods.
• Advanced Excel skills; Pastel experience would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Prepare monthly management accounts and management reporting within required month-end deadlines.
• Maintain and reconcile the general ledger, including accruals, prepayments and journals.
• Maintain standard costs across labour, materials and manufacturing overheads.
• Analyse manufacturing price, usage and efficiency variances and investigate the drivers.
• Ensure accurate valuation and reconciliation of raw materials, WIP and finished goods.
• Analyse inventory gains/losses, stock adjustments, scrap and obsolete stock.
• Assist with departmental P&L and gross margin analysis by product and department.
• Manage fixed assets and monthly depreciation.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, cost modelling and CAPEX analysis.
• Monitor operational measures that impact profitability, including production efficiency and downtime costs.
• Assist with VAT, Income Tax and PAYE submissions and ensure financial and regulatory compliance.
• Support internal and external audits and maintain strong financial controls.
• Work closely with management and operational teams to identify cost-saving and efficiency-improvement opportunities.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Analytical skills

Education

Degree in Accounting or Finance

Tools

Pastel

Job description

Johannesburg (South), South Africa | Posted on 14/10/2026

If you’re a Management Accountant who enjoys getting behind the numbers and understanding what is actually happening in a manufacturing operation, this could be a great opportunity.

We’re recruiting for an established manufacturing business looking for a hands-on Management Accountant to join its Finance & Procurement team. This role combines solid financial accounting with cost accounting, inventory control and operational analysis - so we’re looking for someone comfortable working with both the finance team and the operational side of the business.

You’ll take responsibility for maintaining accurate financial records while helping management understand manufacturing costs, variances, margins and areas where efficiencies can be improved.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Prepare monthly management accounts and management reporting within required month-end deadlines.
• Maintain and reconcile the general ledger, including accruals, prepayments and journals.
• Maintain standard costs across labour, materials and manufacturing overheads.
• Analyse manufacturing price, usage and efficiency variances and investigate the reasons behind them.
• Ensure accurate valuation and reconciliation of raw materials, WIP and finished goods.
• Analyse inventory gains/losses, stock adjustments, scrap and obsolete stock.
• Assist with departmental P&L and gross margin analysis by product and department.
• Manage fixed assets and monthly depreciation.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, cost modelling and CAPEX analysis.
• Monitor operational measures that impact profitability, including production efficiency and downtime costs.
• Assist with VAT, Income Tax and PAYE submissions and ensure financial and regulatory compliance.
• Support internal and external audits and maintain strong financial controls.
• Work closely with management and operational teams to identify cost-saving and efficiency-improvement opportunities.

Requirements

• Degree in Accounting or Finance; Honours would be advantageous.
• Minimum 5 years' relevant experience within a manufacturing environment, including hands-on costing experience.
• Strong practical knowledge of cost accounting, standard costing and manufacturing variances.
• Experience working with inventory, raw materials, WIP and finished goods.
• Solid general ledger, month-end and balance sheet reconciliation experience.
• Strong analytical ability with the confidence to investigate numbers and identify what is driving financial performance.
• Advanced Excel skills.
• Pastel experience would be advantageous.
• Comfortable working closely with factory/operations teams rather than operating purely within the finance function.
• Strong attention to detail, data integrity and the ability to work to tight month-end deadlines.

Salary & Benefits

Competitive salary package based on qualifications and experience.

This is an opportunity to take on a broad Management Accounting role where your work extends beyond producing financial reports. You’ll have direct exposure to the manufacturing operation and an opportunity to use financial information to influence cost control, margins and operational efficiency.