Financial Accountant

As a Financial Accountant you will work in an established ambitious organisation that is constantly evolving internationally and growing its people to meet the challenges. You will work and interact with internal stakeholders HR, IT, Business Development, other departments as well as with colleagues in our international network of offices, external parties such as banks, authorities and accountants. You are responsible for a range of duties from supporting the commercial development of the firm to the management and maintenance of detailed accounting and regulatory records, production of statutory accounts and maintaining a range of external relationships. The ideal candidate has an extensive experience in book keeping and everyday operational finance matters, with approx. 5+ years of practical working experience in an accounting department of a law firm and the desire to add value to the service offering of the team.

Key Areas Of Responsibility

• Providing financial support for the local management team, which will include assistance with monitoring of the annual budget and provision of variance updates, interpreting centrally provided financial data on KPIs including around billing and cash;
• Working with local teams to ensure cost control and accurate accounting of costs;
• Working with local management and central credit control for debt management;
• Interpreting centrally provided financial data on KPIs including around billing and cash.

Accounting, Control & Compliance

• Maintaining the local accounting records, processing month end journals, providing monthly analysis on figures and preparing the annual consolidation package for the local entity
• Partner accounting ensuring that Capital, Interest, and partner drawings are accurately reflected in the Partnership accounts;
• Assisting to establish an adequate system of internal control and compliance with Group accounting policies on a range of issues;
• Processing of monthly payroll and recording in accounting records;
• Assisting to comply with Law Society of South Africa accounting rules or equivalent company requirements around client money management;
• Submitting local tax and regulatory reporting, VAT, PAYE and annual returns.

Skills, Experience And Characteristics

• You will possess approx. 5+ years of relevant experience and appropriate accounting qualification;
• You have excellent knowledge of Excel;
• You have gained experience in a finance function of an International organisation;
• You have a strong knowledge of local accounting rules, VAT legislation and preferably of International Financial Reporting Standards;
• Has a strong knowledge of local statutory reporting requirements;
• Experience with SAP will be an advantage;
• You have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, and are fluent in English;
• You are a self-starter, who is able to work on their own initiative as well as being part of a team, and you have a strong client service orientation;
• You feel comfortable operating in sometimes ambiguous situations, demonstrating a flexible and collaborative personal working style;
• You feel comfortable multi-tasking and working to conflicting timescales on multiple priorities in a robust and fast-paced environment;
• You possess the interpersonal skills and experience to work with colleagues throughout the International firm.