Senior Accountant

Pavago; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 500 000 - 700 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading accounting firm is seeking a Senior Accountant to lead accounting operations and ensure compliance with GAAP/IFRS. Responsibilities include managing full-cycle accounting processes, preparing financial reports, and mentoring junior staff. The ideal candidate possesses strong technical knowledge, with 4-5 years of experience, and proficiency in accounting software. This role offers a flexible, remote working environment.

Qualifications

• 4-5 years of progressive accounting experience is required.
• Proficiency in QuickBooks, NetSuite, Xero, or SAP.
• Experience in a SaaS, professional services, or real estate background is ideal.

Responsibilities

• Lead monthly/quarterly close cycles and ensure all entries are recorded.
• Generate P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.
• Support external audits by preparing required schedules.

Skills

GAAP/IFRS knowledge

Financial insights

Communication skills

Proactive risk identification

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance

Tools

QuickBooks

NetSuite

Xero

SAP

Advanced Excel

Job description

Job Title: Senior Accountant

Position Type: Full-Time, Remote

Working Hours: Flexible, aligned with U.S. client business hours

About Pavago

Pavago seeks a Senior Accountant to provide leadership in accounting operations, ensuring accurate financial reporting, compliance with GAAP/IFRS, and actionable insights for decision‑making. This role goes beyond transactional bookkeeping – it requires managing full-cycle accounting processes, supervising junior staff, and partnering with management to improve financial operations.

Responsibilities

• General Ledger & Journal Entries: Prepare and post journal entries for accruals, prepaids, fixed asset depreciation, payroll allocations, and intercompany transactions.
• Maintain reconciliations across 15-30 key balance sheet accounts (cash, AR, AP, inventory, deferred revenue).

Month‑End Close

• Lead monthly/quarterly close cycles.
• Prepare trial balances, ensure all entries are recorded, and complete close within 5-7 business days.
• Maintain detailed close checklists and ensure cross‑departmental sign‑offs.

Financial Reporting

• Generate P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.
• Prepare variance analyses comparing actuals vs. budget/forecast, and provide written commentary for leadership.
• Compile supporting schedules for auditors and board meetings.

Audit & Compliance

• Support external audits by preparing PBC schedules.
• Ensure tax filings (sales tax, property tax, corporate income tax) are accurate and timely.
• Document and enforce internal accounting policies.

Process Improvement

• Identify inefficiencies (manual reconciliations, duplicate entries) and recommend automation.
• Implement accounting best practices and update SOPs.

Team Support

• Review and approve work of staff accountants/bookkeepers.Mentor junior team members on reconciliation, reporting, and GAAP treatment.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Partner with FP&A on budget vs. actual reviews.
• Coordinate with operations and sales to align revenue recognition.

What Makes You a Perfect Fit

• Strong technical knowledge of GAAP/IFRS.
• Ability to manage detailed tasks while providing high‑level financial insights.
• Strong communicator with both finance professionals and non‑financial stakeholders.
• Proactive in identifying risks and recommending improvements.

Required Experience & Skills (Minimum)

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related.
• 4-5 years progressive accounting experience.
• Proficiency in QuickBooks, NetSuite, Xero, or SAP.
• Advanced Excel/Google Sheets (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, conditional formatting).

Ideal Experience & Skills

• CPA/ACCA certification.
• Experience with multi‑entity consolidations and foreign currency accounting.
• Background in SaaS, professional services, or real estate.
• ERP implementation or automation project experience.

What Does a Typical Day Look Like?

• Morning: Review bank feeds and reconcile overnight transactions in NetSuite. Post accrual entries for payroll and vendor invoices. Run exception reports to spot anomalies.
• Midday: Prepare draft P&L and review expense allocations against budget. Meet with operations to align on deferred revenue recognition for service contracts.
• Afternoon: Mentor a junior accountant on preparing a fixed asset depreciation schedule. Review their reconciliation for credit card transactions and provide feedback.
• End of Day: Update variance analysis template, prepare a summary memo for CFO, and document close checklist progress in Confluence.

Key Metrics for Success (KPIs)

• Month‑end close completed within 5 business days.
• 100% of audit requests delivered within deadline.
• Consistent variance commentary provided to leadership.

Interview Process

• Initial Phone Screen
• Video Interview with Pavago Recruiter
• Practical Accounting Task (e.g., reconcile sample accounts, prepare variance analysis from provided data)
• Client Interview
• Offer & Background Verification