Senior Financial Accountant

Derivco; Durban; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Derivco in Durban is seeking a Senior Financial Accountant to act as a technical authority within the Group Finance team. You will own month-end close for your scope, lead statutory reporting, manage external audits and advise the Group CFO.

Coaching juniors and strengthening controls are key parts of the role. The ideal candidate holds a CA(SA)/ACCA/CIMA, with 6–8 years of progressive financial accounting experience, IFRS/local GAAP expertise and strong ERP skills.

Qualifications

• Professional accounting qualification: CA(SA), ACCA or CIMA.
• 6-8 years of progressive financial accounting experience.
• Expert knowledge of IFRS, local GAAP and relevant tax legislation.
• Experience coordinating statutory audits end-to-end.

Responsibilities

• Prepare complex journals, assess accruals and review inter-entity transactions to reflect IFRS/local GAAP.
• Manage month-end close for your scope and investigate variances for audit-ready records.
• Lead statutory reporting for assigned entities across jurisdictions.
• Coordinate external audits and respond to auditor queries end-to-end.
• Prepare VAT returns and income tax reconciliations.
• Provide technical commentary on performance and risk to the Group Finance Director.
• Strengthen financial controls and governance documentation.
• Coach junior team members and review their work.
• Leverage AI and automation to improve processes.

Skills

ERP proficiency

Analytical skills

Technical accounting judgement

Multi-entity experience

Education

CA(SA)/ACCA/CIMA

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Are you a qualified accountant who thrives on technical complexity and takes pride in getting the numbers exactly right? As Senior Financial Accountant, you'll be a key technical authority in our Group Finance team, making sure our financial reporting is accurate, compliant and audit-ready across multiple entities and jurisdictions.

You'll own month-end close for your scope, lead statutory reporting for assigned entities, manage the external audit process, and act as a trusted adviser to the Group Finance Director. You'll also coach and review the work of junior team members, raising the technical standard of the wider finance function.

What you'll do

• Technical accounting: Prepare complex journals, assess accruals and review multi-entity transactions so the Group's financial statements accurately reflect its position under IFRS and local GAAP.
• Month-end close: Manage the close process for your scope, review balance sheet reconciliations, and investigate material variances to produce reliable, audit-ready records.
• Statutory reporting: Lead the preparation or review of statutory accounts for assigned entities, meeting filing deadlines across jurisdictions.
• Intercompany: Resolve complex inter-entity matters, including intercompany transactions, recharges and reconciliations, to support accurate consolidated reporting.
• External audit: Manage auditor queries, prepare technical accounting papers and coordinate documentation so audits are completed to standard and on time.
• Tax compliance: Prepare and review VAT returns and income tax reconciliations, making sure all obligations are met accurately and on time.
• Management insight: Analyse financial data and prepare technical commentary on performance, significant movements and risk areas for the Group Finance Director.
• People development: Review and approve reports, reconciliations and submissions prepared by junior colleagues, and provide coaching that builds their technical capability.
• Controls and improvement: Strengthen financial controls and governance documentation, and contribute to Group Finance improvement projects that make our processes more efficient and consistent.
• Technology & Automation: Experience using AI-powered tools and automation technologies to improve financial processes, enhance reporting efficiency, strengthen analytical insights, and support decision-making will be advantageous.

What you'll bring

• A professional accounting qualification such as CA(SA), ACCA or CIMA (essential)
• 6-8 years of progressive financial accounting experience, including significant post-qualification experience in statutory reporting and complex accounting environments
• Expert knowledge of IFRS, local GAAP and relevant tax legislation, with a track record of applying technical judgement to complex transactions in multi-entity groups
• Proof of ownership of month-end close, balance sheet integrity and variance investigation
• Hands-on experience coordinating statutory audits end to end
• Experience reviewing the work of junior team members and providing technical guidance
• Strong ERP and accounting software skills, along with sharp analytical, critical thinking and report-writing abilities.

Who you'll work with

Internally, you'll partner with the Group Finance Director, Finance Managers, the Financial Planning and Analysis team, and Governance, Risk and Compliance. Externally, you'll work with auditors, tax advisers and authorities, banking institutions and regulatory bodies.