Accountant

Red Ember Recruitment is seeking on behalf of our client an experienced and detail-oriented Accountant to join their finance team in Plattekloof. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring accurate, complete and timely financial reporting, with a strong focus on month-end accounting, reconciliation, tax and audit support, stock and cash-related financial controls, and management reporting. Key Responsibilities Financial Reporting & Month-End Close Prepare accurate monthly management accounts, income statements and balance sheet schedules. Process journals, accruals and provisions in line with month-end deadlines. Review general ledger transactions for completeness, accuracy and correct classification. Maintain supporting working papers for key financial reporting balances. Support the preparation of annual financial statements and related schedules. Reconciliations & Balance Sheet Control Prepare and review monthly balance sheet reconciliations, including creditors, stock, cash-book and VAT control accounts. Investigate reconciling items and resolve exceptions. Ensure reconciliations are properly supported and completed within agreed deadlines. Monitor the accuracy and integrity of financial transactions and account allocations. Maintain audit-ready reconciliation files. Tax, Statutory & Audit Support Prepare VAT reconciliations, submissions and payment packs for review. Assist with income tax, provisional tax and deferred tax calculations and schedules. Support SARS, external audit and statutory audit requests. Ensure tax and statutory records are complete, accurate and submitted on time. Track audit queries through to resolution. Stock, Inventory & Cost Controls Process and reconcile stock-related transactions. Support stock take procedures and analyse stock results. Investigate stock variances and provide explanations for management review. Maintain controls over inventory accounting, cost allocations and related journals. Assist operational teams with stock reporting. Budgeting, Forecasting & Management Analysis Assist with the annual budget process and periodic forecast updates. Prepare cost and revenue analysis to support management decision-making. Import approved budgets into the accounting system and validate accuracy. Prepare cash flow inputs and other management schedules. Highlight material variances, risks and opportunities to the Financial Manager. Systems, Compliance & Process Improvement Process financial transactions accurately using Sage Evolution and related systems. Identify opportunities to streamline, standardise and automate finance processes. Maintain compliance with company policies, internal controls and finance deadlines. Support continuous improvement of reporting templates, reconciliations and procedures. Safeguard the quality, integrity and confidentiality of financial data. Requirements BCom degree with completed articles. Minimum 5 years' post-article experience. Professional certification such as CA, AGA, SAIPA, CIMA, ACCA or equivalent will be advantageous. 5–8+ years' experience in treasury, revenue reconciliation, cash management or corporate finance. Experience within QSR, retail, FMCG or multi-unit franchise environments will be highly advantageous. Strong understanding of high-volume cash transactions and POS/merchant settlement processes. Advanced Excel skills – non-negotiable. High computer literacy. Strong reconciliation and financial technical skills. Sage Evolution experience will be advantageous. Retail experience will be advantageous. Payroll knowledge will be advantageous. Excellent English communication skills. Competencies Strong attention to detail and accuracy. Structured and organised approach. Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines. Strong communication and interpersonal skills. Results-driven and accountable. Self-starter who is adaptable, energetic and confident. Strong problem-solving and analytical ability. Ability to work effectively with multiple stakeholders.