Specialist Accountant - Accounts Payable

The Core Group; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 420,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

The Core Group, a leading technology distributor and retailer based in South Africa, seeks a technically strong, commercially minded Specialist Accountant to join the Accounts Payable team. You will drive accuracy, controls, and process improvements across local and foreign supplier payments in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.

The role requires strong accounting principles, experience with ERP systems, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while partnering with stakeholders across

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Accounting or Finance (BCom Accounting or similar preferred)

Responsibilities

• Ensure all supplier payments (local and foreign) and customer refunds are processed accurately and within agreed payment terms
• Ensure integrity and accuracy of the Accounts Payable function, including reconciliations, allocations, ageing analysis, and cashbook updates
• Review and monitor creditor ageing to proactively identify risks, outstanding items, and process gaps
• Ensure all invoices comply with VAT and statutory requirements prior to processing
• Maintain strong financial controls and governance within the AP process
• Assist with month-end, audit preparation, and finance reporting requirements
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes, improve efficiencies, and reduce manual intervention within the AP environment
• Drive process optimisation initiatives and assist with system enhancements and implementations
• Develop and maintain GL coding standards and ensure accurate allocation of expenses and cost centres
• Ensure accurate maintenance of vendor master data and banking information
• Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers, internal stakeholders, and cross-functional teams
• Ensure supplier queries and escalations are resolved professionally and within agreed turnaround times
• Partner with operational teams to resolve GRV, invoice, and reconciliation discrepancies effectively
• Ensure compliance with internal finance policies, controls, and statutory requirements
• Support audit requirements by ensuring documentation is complete, accurate, and readily available
• Maintain high levels of accuracy, attention to detail, and financial integrity across all AP processes
• Strong accounting and reconciliation capability
• High attention to detail and strong analytical thinking
• Ability to manage pressure and tight deadlines
• Process-driven with a continuous improvement mindset
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
• Hands-on leadership style with a willingness to support operationally when required
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving business environment
• Strong sense of ownership, accountability, and urgency

Skills

Attention to detail

Analytical thinking

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Communication skills

Education

BCom Accounting or similar

Tools

ERP system

Job description

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Core Group is a group of companies representing some of the world’s leading technology brands across Sub-Saharan Africa.

As a market leader in consumer electronics distribution and retail, we partner with globally recognised brands to deliver world-class technology solutions across retail, enterprise, education, and commercial channels throughout Africa.

Our business operates in a fast-paced, high-volume, and highly entrepreneurial environment where innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement are part of our everyday culture.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are looking for a technically strong, commercially minded, and detail-oriented Specialist Accountant to join our Accounts Payable team.

We are looking for an individual who can bring strong accounting principles, process improvement capability, leadership support, and operational finance expertise into a complex and high-volume environment.

The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring the integrity, accuracy, and efficiency of the Accounts Payable function across both local and foreign suppliers, while also driving process optimisation, controls, reporting accuracy, and continuous improvement initiatives within the department.

This role requires someone who is comfortable working under pressure, managing multiple priorities, driving accountability within the team, and partnering closely with both operational and finance stakeholders across the business.

REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Accounting or Finance (BCom Accounting or similar preferred)

Experience

• Minimum 5 years’ experience within an Accounts Payable or Finance environment.
  
• Strong understanding of accounting principles, creditor processes, reconciliations, and financial controls
• Experience working in a high-volume, deadline-driven environment
• Exposure to foreign creditors, forex payments, and large supplier accounts advantageous
• Strong ERP/system experience essential

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Accounts Payable & Financial Control

• Ensure all supplier payments (local and foreign) and customer refunds are processed accurately and within agreed payment terms
• Ensure integrity and accuracy of the Accounts Payable function, including reconciliations, allocations, ageing analysis, and cashbook updates
• Review and monitor creditor ageing to proactively identify risks, outstanding items, and process gaps
• Ensure all invoices comply with VAT and statutory requirements prior to processing
• Maintain strong financial controls and governance within the AP process
• Assist with month-end, audit preparation, and finance reporting requirements

Process Improvement & Systems

• Identify opportunities to streamline processes, improve efficiencies, and reduce manual intervention within the AP environment
• Drive process optimisation initiatives and assist with system enhancements and implementations
• Develop and maintain GL coding standards and ensure accurate allocation of expenses and cost centres
• Ensure accurate maintenance of vendor master data and banking information

Stakeholder & Supplier Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers, internal stakeholders, and cross-functional teams
• Ensure supplier queries and escalations are resolved professionally and within agreed turnaround times
• Partner with operational teams to resolve GRV, invoice, and reconciliation discrepancies effectively

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with internal finance policies, controls, and statutory requirements
• Support audit requirements by ensuring documentation is complete, accurate, and readily available
• Maintain high levels of accuracy, attention to detail, and financial integrity across all AP processes

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• Strong accounting and reconciliation capability
• High attention to detail and strong analytical thinking
• Ability to manage pressure and tight deadlines
• Process-driven with a continuous improvement mindset
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
• Hands-on leadership style with a willingness to support operationally when required
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving business environment
• Strong sense of ownership, accountability, and urgency