The Senior Management Accountant provides strategic financial insights to drive business performance by analyzing costs, preparing budgets, and optimizing profitability. This role bridges finance and operations, leveraging data analytics and business intelligence tools to support executive decision-making in South Africa’s competitive market. Key Responsibilities
1. Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

• Lead annual budgeting and quarterly forecasting processes
• Develop rolling cash flow projections and working capital models
• Perform variance analysis (actual vs. budget) with actionable insights

2. Cost Management & Profitability Optimization

• Analyze product/service line profitability
• Implement activity-based costing (ABC) for complex operations
• Identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising quality

3. Management Reporting

• Prepare monthly management packs for executives
• Design KPIs/dashboards (Power BI, Tableau) for operational teams
• Report on B-BBEE expenditure and compliance

4. Business Partnering

• Advise department heads on financial implications of decisions
• Support pricing strategies and contract negotiations
• Evaluate CAPEX proposals (NPV, IRR, payback periods)

5. Process Improvement & Systems

• Automate reports using ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics)
• Streamline month-end close processes
• Implement AI-driven forecasting tools

6. Compliance & Governance

• Ensure IFRS compliance for management accounts
• Maintain internal controls over financial reporting
• Assist with external audits

Required Skills & Competencies
Technical Skills
✅ Advanced Financial Modeling (3-statement, scenario analysis)
✅ Cost Accounting (standard costing, variance analysis)
✅ ERP Systems (SAP FICO, Oracle Financials, Sage)
✅ Data Analytics (Power BI, SQL, Advanced Excel - Power Query, XLOOKUP)
✅ Regulatory Knowledge (Companies Act, IFRS, VAT Act)
Soft Skills
✔ Business Acumen – Linking numbers to operational drivers
✔ Communication – Presenting complex data simply
✔ Problem-Solving – Identifying root causes of variances
✔ Stakeholder Management – Influencing non-finance leaders Qualifications & Certifications
Mandatory:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance (BCom, CTA)
• Completed SAICA/SAIPA articles (or equivalent)

Preferred:

• CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants)
• CA(SA) with management accounting experience

Experience Requirements

• Senior: 8+ years (business partnering at executive level)