SAIPA Trainee Accountant

Stonehage Fleming; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Corient is seeking a Trainee Accountant to join our team in Cape Town as part of the SAIPA training programme. You will maintain accounting records for offshore and onshore trusts and companies, prepare timely financial statements, and collaborate with team members across Cape Town and Johannesburg, as well as external stakeholders.

The role requires engagement with the Trust Administrator and other offices to ensure accurate reporting, tax compliance, and timely updates for clients.

Qualifications

• SAIPA-accredited degree with core SAIPA subjects including Financial Accounting, Taxation, and Auditing.
• Knowledge of IFRS for SMEs and trusts/investments.
• Ability to prepare financial statements and maintain trial balance.

Responsibilities

• Maintain accounts up to trial balance and prepare onshore financial statements.
• Maintain entity ledgers and ensure up-to-date records.
• Coordinate with external service providers for reports, tax, and statutory returns.
• Liaise with Trust Administrator and Middle Office for supporting documents.
• Provide client reporting packs and meeting preparation.
• Prepare reports for local and international tax purposes.

Skills

IFRS for SMEs

Trusts understanding

Investments knowledge

Financial statement interpretation

Caseware

Xero

Microsoft Office

Education

SAIPA-accredited degree

Tools

Caseware

Xero

Microsoft Office

Job description

At Corient, we help high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families to enjoy a full life, while enabling them to preserve their wealth for future generations, and provide for the people, causes and communities they care about. We focus on exceeding expectations, simplifying lives, and establishing legacies that last for generations. We are always looking for talented and motivated individuals to join our team. If you want to work for a company that values your contributions and supports your growth, we would like to meet you.

OVERALL, PURPOSE AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

The Trainee Accountant role forms part of the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) three-year training programme and is based in Cape Town. The position operates within a team located across Cape Town and Johannesburg and reports to the Client Accounting Team Leader.

The role is responsible for maintaining the accounting records of offshore and onshore trusts and companies, as well as preparing accurate and timely financial statements. Success in this position requires regular collaboration and engagement with team members in both Cape Town and Johannesburg, the wider Family Office team, clients, the off shore accounting team, and various external stakeholders.

Principal Elements & Accountabilities

• Accounts maintenance of relevant information to trial balance level as well as the preparation of onshore financial statements
• Maintaining entity ledgers on a regular basis ensuring they are up-to-date
• Providing external service providers with relevant information to allow them to prepare financial reports, tax and other statutory returns for our clients within strict deadlines
• Liaising with the Trust Administrator and Middle Office Team to ensure adequate supporting documents are in place for various updates in clients.
• Provision of relevant reports for client reporting purposes including client meeting preparation.
• Provision of reporting for local and international tax purposes

Qualifications And Experience

A degree with the following core subjects from a SAIPA accredited Tertiary Institution:

• Financial Accounting 3;
• Taxation 1;
• Auditing 1 OR Internal Auditing 2 OR Internal Control and Code of Ethics;
• Corporate Law 1 OR Commercial Law 2; and
• Management Accounting:

Skills

• This position requires a good understanding of the following:
• Accounting knowledge and competence including IFRS for SMEs, basic understanding of trusts and investments, understanding and the interpretation of financial statements
• Technical experience in Caseware, Xero and Microsoft Office beneficial

COMPETENCIES AND BEHAVIOURS

• Energetic: Self-motivated and self-manages with a good work ethic (attitude), schedules and manages workload effectively, thinks ahead, sets plans to achieve goals
• Results orientated: Delivers work of a high standard, output is accurate and error free; owns delegated tasks and pays attention to detail, takes prompt action and sees tasks through to completion
• Resourceful problem solver: Considers the wider consequences of each decision, gathers and analyses information to find creative solutions
• Team player: Supports and works towards team goals, shares information, is helpful and cooperative, works effectively with people outside the immediate team
• Efficient and effective communicator: Communicates clearly and concisely with clients and colleagues of all levels, listens effectively, has well-presented written communication and the ability to deal with sophisticated clients
• Client focused: Understands and satisfies client needs at all times, takes full responsibility and accountability for all client matters including delegated tasks