Pingo: Financial Accountant

Role Purpose

The purpose of a Financial Accountant is to leverage specialised tactical knowledge of the financial activities across business entities as a key success factor in providing support to a variety of financial, operational and project scenarios. This role also guides the team for accurate financial execution, process refinements and general financial input. Key objective of the role is ensuring the completeness, accuracy, and recoverability of all revenue generated from driver and asset-related billing arrangements. Tasks include reviewing cost allocations, posting journals, and financial analysis. .  

Role Description

• Gather and develop monthly financial records, focusing on accurate balance sheet reconciliations and optimising the allocation of income statement line items.
• Investigate and categorise departmental cost allocations, amending as necessary to ensure optimal and appropriate cost distribution throughout the organisation.
• Review and post journals related to accruals and provisions, diagnosing any discrepancies to maintain accuracy and ensure timely posting.
• Analyse actual expenditures against budgeted amounts, exploring deviations and gathering insights on the underlying reasons for variances.
• Monitor and conduct a detailed review of the monthly trial balance, resolving any outstanding queries prior to the month-end close and submission.
• Advise on and ensure compliance with financial internal controls, maintaining accurate record-keeping processes.
• Implement and recommend improvements where warranted.
• Diagnose current financial processes and procedures, recommending, implementing, and enhancing them, while ensuring appropriate documentation for compliance and efficiency.
• Develop and assist in the drafting of finance policies and procedures, researching best practices to ensure alignment with current standards.
• Provide financial analysis and insights on an ad-hoc basis, supporting informed decision-making across various organisational levels.
• Conduct research on technical accounting considerations, investigating to assure compliance with relevant regulations and standards.
• Engage with external audit teams to facilitate and motivate a clean and effective annual audit process.
• Collaborate and support various finance-related projects with the management accountant, contributing to the improvement of overall financial objectives.
• Supervise the administration, financial governance, and control of billing and recovery processes relating to all Driver (Independent Contractor) and Vehicle Lease Agreements.
• Investigate billing discrepancies and disputes and collaborate with operational, payroll, fleet, and driver management teams to ensure timely resolution.
• Ensure the continuous review, enhancement, and automation of driver billing and recovery processes, including identifying system improvement opportunities and supporting SAP enhancements and integrations with Fleet Management and Driver Management platforms.
• Conduct review and testing of enhanced development in UAT prior to release to production.

Qualifications and experience

• Diploma or Degree in BCom Finance, Accounting, Commercial or equivalent - (essential). 
• CA(SA) or equivalent professional qualification – (beneficial).
• +5 years of commercial experience as a Financial or Management Accountant or equivalent role - (essential).
• Familiarity with financial internal control frameworks and best practices - (essential).
• Solid Advanced Excel, Accounting package exposure (SAP) - (essential).
• Previous SAP experience, Microsoft Office applications - (preferred).
• Experience within the FMCG, retail sector or similar - (preferred).

Key competencies and work ethic:

• Self-motivated and driven with strong integrity - take accountability for actions and mistakes.
• Independent problem solver and analytical thinker 
• Teamwork and positive partnerships – a strong team player
• Operational efficiency – someone who can spread themselves across multiple tasks simultaneously by working smartly, efficiently and effectively. Diligently staying on top of the details and understanding how they fit into the big picture.
• Time management - ability to prioritise a high volume of activities simultaneously in an unpredictable environment.
• Adapting and responding to change - Ability to work under pressure and in a fast paced, changing environment.
• Exceptional communication - approachable with excellent listening skills, adopt a range of communication styles to facilitate successful outcomes within the team and cross-functionally in a matrix structure.
• Writing and reporting skills - understands the importance of accuracy, succinct messaging
• Innovative and solution-orientated – creating and applying sound judgment and the ability to generate solutions that serve the flow of work and meeting deadlines. Curious, goal-oriented and highly self-motivated with a passion for driving transformative change.
• Ability to work well under pressure and adapt to changing business needs and priorities.
• Adapting and responding to change - Ability to work under pressure in a fast paced, changing environment.
• Financial Accounting expertise - curiosity to research best practices and an ongoing learning mindset.

Our Group and all its operating companies is committed to creating, embracing, and preserving a diverse workplace that values the unique talents, perspectives, backgrounds, and abilities that enrich our organisation. A place where everyone matters and feels included.

We are committed to Employment Equity when recruiting internally and externally.

Please take note that by responding to this application and providing your personal information, you confirm your express and informed consent for Shoprite Checkers (Pty) Ltd and all its subsidiaries and affiliates companies to process your personal information for the Company to consider your application for this position. All Personal Information which you provide to the Company will be used and/or retained only for the purposes for which it is collected, whereafter it will be permanently destroyed. Your information is only retained if it is required by law or where you have given consent to us to retain such information for an extended period.

If you don’t hear from us within 14 days, please consider your application unsuccessful. Any personal information collected as part of your application will be destroyed, securely, in accordance with South African legislation.