Supply Chain Finance Accountant Inland

Unilever; Midrand; On-site; ZAR 500 000 - 700 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading multinational company is seeking a Supply Chain Finance Accountant in Midrand, South Africa. This role demands expertise in maintaining accounting controls, managing financial records, and supporting production teams with insights to enhance decision-making. Candidates should possess 3–5 years of relevant experience and a financial accounting qualification. Strong analytical skills and the ability to manage financial aspects in a supply chain environment are essential for success in this impactful role.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in Supply Chain or Factory Finance.
• Strong analytical capabilities with a bias to drive action.
• Ability to prioritise effectively and communicate clearly.

Responsibilities

• Maintain strong accounting controls for financial insights.
• Ensure accuracy of financial records and accountability.
• Support audit requests and compliance with standards.

Skills

Advanced Microsoft Excel

SAP PM/FI and PA knowledge

Stakeholder management skills

Strong work ethic

Agile mindset

Education

Financial accounting qualification

Tools

SAP

Job description

Supply Chain Finance Accountant

Unilever is currently hiring for a Supply Chain Finance Accountant in South Africa. The role reports to the SC Finance Manager and is based at the Boksburg Factory.

Job Purpose

This role is required to maintain strong accounting controls aligned with Unilever’s Global Financial Controls Framework (GFCF). It involves managing P&L and balance‑sheet aspects for the Lords View Factory and supporting the production team with financial insights to deliver key projects and business cases aligned to business targets, driving a cost‑competitive Supply Chain organisation.

Responsibilities

• Assess adequacy of existing controls in the factory and 3P sites relative to identified business risk and develop efficient controls consistent with GFCF.
• Ensure adequate and frequent cost controls to guarantee accuracy of financial records and accountability in financial spend.
• Maintain robust controls over forecasting, obtaining inputs from cost centre owners and ensuring clarity of spend and association to forecast business activities.
• Drive the control and governance agenda at production sites, embedding controls in all business processes and holding team members accountable.
• Maintain balance sheet hygiene and income‑statement integrity by ensuring accurate transaction recording (value, timing) and correct classification of items with supporting documentation.
• Deliver timely and accurate reporting requirements.
• Ensure compliance with Unilever’s Standard Chart of Accounts (SCOA).
• Assist in execution of audit requests (internal, external, SOX).
• Ensure journals, write‑offs and provisions comply with Schedule of Authority.
• Support execution of stock counts.
• Deliver net‑productivity agenda (SC controllable costs) in line with business targets.
• Evaluate and advise on optimal SKU sourcing options (factory vs 3P vs import).
• Provide analytics on cost drivers to enable fast decision making on cost‑reduction levers.
• Deliver the business waste‑reduction programme for factory and its 3P sites.
• Review, challenge and monitor all Capital Expenditure proposals per the annual budget.
• Assist in benchmarking to ensure competitiveness of production costs.
• Lead continuous improvement and automation initiatives in Supply Chain Finance and at production sites.
• Drive annual budget and forecast processes in accordance with global product costing guidelines and S&OP principles.
• Update master data for products sourced from 3P/CM.
• Conduct variance analysis of budget/forecast over‑ and under‑spends weekly/monthly.
• Manage stock across various on‑site and off‑site locations.
• Report performance versus business cases and targets, highlighting gaps for fast decision making.
• Provide decision support for key projects, ensuring government incentives are maximised.
• Drive accountability for impact and outcome.

Experiences & Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in Supply Chain or Factory Finance.
• Financial accounting qualification; progress toward CIMA or CA is advantageous.
• Strong analytical capabilities with a bias to drive action.
• Good time‑management skills.
• Agile and proactive mindset.
• Ability to prioritise effectively and communicate clearly.
• Ability to manage upwards and steer conversations; influence stakeholders.
• Quick grasp of financial principles in end‑to‑end Supply Chain to drive value‑creating decisions.
• Ability to manage and work under pressure, individually and collaboratively, to meet tight deadlines.

Skills

• Advanced Microsoft Excel, SAP PM/FI and PA knowledge desirable.
• Digital native.
• Stakeholder management skills.
• Strong work ethic, great attitude, self‑starting, initiative‑taking, resilient under pressure, and a strong team player.

Leadership

• Energised by delivering results; example to others with resilience and continuous improvement.
• Own personal wellbeing and deliver high‑standard work while focusing on consumer needs and making evidence‑based decisions.
• Humble, proactive, and interprets data smartly to spot issues and opportunities.

Equal Opportunity & Diversity

Unilever is an equal‑opportunity employer and committed to diversity and inclusion. We invite applications from all candidates representing diverse age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief. When appointing potential candidates, the South African Employment Equity and Broad‑Based Black Economic Empowerment Legislation will be considered.

This role is office‑based in Johannesburg and requires 100 % of the time on site.

Unilever is required by law to verify your ability to work lawfully in South Africa. If you are a foreign national, you may be asked to provide supporting documents.

Unilever is committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future for our employees, consumers, partners and communities.