SAICA Trainee Accountant

The Sanlam CA Training Programme is guided by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) regulations, which requires practical experience to obtain the prescribed technical and professional competence in the value creation process. We are seeking Africa’s brightest minds to apply for this opportunity to embark on a journey of personal and professional growth, ending in CA(SA). If you have the passion, desire and character to pursue your TOPP Articles at Africa’s largest insurer, then this is the opportunity for you!

Who are we?

Sanlam was established as a life insurance company in South Africa but has since transformed into a diversified financial services group that operates across the African continent, India, Malaysia, and selected developed markets, with listings on Johannesburg, A2X, and Namibian stock exchanges. In 2018 the Group celebrated its centenary as well as 20 years since demutualisation and listing in South Africa and Namibia. Sanlam is one of the largest internationally active insurance groups in the world with a presence in 31 countries and has the biggest non-banking financial services footprint on the African continent.

The Group's five business clusters (Sanlam Life and Savings, Sanlam Investment Group, Sanlam Allianz, Sanlam FinTech and Santam) house the Group's business operations. The Group Office provides strategic direction and support to the four clusters, assisting them in realising their strategies and meeting their business objectives. The Group Office is responsible for governance and for the Group's centralised functions, which include Finance, Actuarial and Risk Management, Strategy, Human Resources, Market Development, and Sustainability.

What will you do?

During the trainee accountants three years as part of the Sanlam CA Training Programme, the trainees will be placed on rotations within Group Office and the different clusters within the Sanlam Group to obtain the relevant exposure to achieve the prescribed SAICA competencies. Through the different rotations, trainees will be given opportunities to be part of the Sanlam value creation process and obtain exposure to the following competencies:

• Ethics & Citizenship
• Business acumen
• Decision-making acumen
• Relational acumen
• Digital acumen
• Business & Finance Strategy
• Internal audit
• Governance
• Reporting
• Taxation

What will make you successful in this role?

• Complete the formal educational programme which includes practical experience and training (from Sanlam as a Training Office) as prescribed by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), in order to qualify as a Chartered Accountant (SA).
• Assist with the annual reporting process.
• Demonstration of high levels of professionalism and attitudes as well as technical abilities.
• Assist with ad-hoc projects.

Qualification and Experience

• Certificate in the Theory of Accountancy (CTA) or a Post-Graduate programme recognised by SAICA as a prerequisite for admission to the Initial Assessment of Competence (IAC).
• Academic performance record average of at least 60%.
• Experience belonging to a university/community organisation i.e. non-profit, society, club.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Applications (advantageous).

Knowledge and Skills

Sound level knowledge in the following core areas:

• Taxation
• Managerial Accounting
• Internal and External Audit

Personal Attributes

• Self development – Contributes independently
• Decision quality – Contributes independently
• Financial acumen – Contributes independently
• Optimises work processes – Contributes independently

Core Competencies

• Care – Contributes independently
• Collaboration – Contributes independently
• Innovation – Contributes independently
• Integrity – Contributes independently

Our commitment to transformation

African Foreign Nationals who meet the minimum criteria will be considered as part of the recruitment process. The Sanlam Group is committed to achieving transformation and embraces diversity and our Employment Equity plan and targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. This commitment is what drives us to achieve a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace as we believe that these are key components to ensuring a thriving and sustainable business in South Africa.

Build a successful career with us

We’re all about building strong, lasting relationships with our employees. We know that you have hopes for your future – your career, your personal development, and achieving great things. We pride ourselves on helping our employees to realise their worth. Through its business clusters – Sanlam Life and Savings, Sanlam Investment Group, Sanlam Allianz, Sanlam FinTech, Santam as well as the Group Office – the group provides many opportunities for growth and development.

Turnaround times

The shortlisting process will only start once the application due date has been reached. The time taken to complete this process will depend on how far you progress and the availability of managers. The application due date is 31 May 2025.