Accounting Manager at BIC

Job Description

MAIN PURPOSE:

Reporting to the Finance Director- BIC East Africa, the successful candidate will be able to show ambition to take ownership of the General Ledger of the business and support the business in enhancing and improving current finance operations and controls. The candidate will have a willingness to learn and grow within a consumer goods business providing professional support to the business to help achieve the goals and strategy set by the group. A person who constantly strives for improvement of self and others will fit the requirements.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES / TASKS

• Accomplishes accounting human resources objectives by recruiting, training, coaching and counselling employees; performance management of employees if required; communicating job expectations; planning, monitoring, appraising and reviewing job contributions; enforcing policies and procedures;
• Achieves accounting operational objectives by contributing accounting information and recommendations to strategic plans and reviews; resolving problems; completing audits; determining system improvements; implementing change;
• Manage the monthly, quarterly and year-end financial close process; coordinating the processing of financial data; preparing special reports;
• Maintains accounting controls by maintaining a chart of accounts within Group Policy; defining accounting policies and procedures within Group Policy in accordance with IFRS;
• Manage day-to-day operations of the finance department including preparation of annual financial statements; ensure reporting deadlines are met and all local statutory filings are completed, ensure internal control compliance including transaction validity, estimate measurability and fair reporting;
• Ensure that the Group capital expenditure policy is enforced;
• Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; and/or participating in professional organizations;
• Establishes financial status by developing, implementing and managing processes for collecting, analyzing, verifying, and reporting financial information;
• Manage and supervise daily operation of accounts payable, accounts receivable, cashbook and general ledger;
• Ensure adequate cash flow to meet the organization's needs by daily cash management; ensure timely collections from customers, manage payables very closely ensuring suppliers are paid per agreed trading terms and limited COD payments.

KEY PERFOMANCE INDICATORS

• Proactive employee management ensuring sufficiently motivated and engaged team
• Maintenance of the accounts receivable outstanding days within Group policy guidelines;
• Financial statements are signed no later than 3 months after completion of the external audit, tax returns filed timeously;
• Month-ends are completed by no later than 1 business day prior to when the P&L is due;
• Effective and efficient resolution of queries;
• Timely completion of external audit.

Qualifications

EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance/Accounting
• Any additional accounting degree/course is a strong plus

EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 5-8 years prior work-related experience within Finance Department;
• FMCG / Audit or similar industry experience preferred but not essential
• Excellent fundamental accounting skills
• Computer Literacy - Experience in Microsoft Suite (MS Word, Excel Advanced a must, Outlook and PowerPoint);
• Prior experience in ERP SAGE / Accpac or comparable accounting experience is advantageous;

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

• Compliance: Meets accounting financial standards by monitoring expenditures, identifying variances, implementing corrective actions;
• Time Management: Effective time management, work efficiently in a demanding, fast paced environment with tight deadlines;
• Attitude: Must demonstrate initiative, must be able to maintain a positive working relationship when addressing problems and providing solutions, ability to communicate effectively with both external (customers and vendors) and internal customers (finance, sales, manufacturing, human resources, customer service, marketing and supply chain); 
• Key Strengths: Must possess a proactive work ethic, including the ability and desire to take ownership of process improvement and other projects when identified, effective problem solver, extremely detailed oriented, ability to work both independently and in a team environment, strong interpersonal skills, effective in motivating to achieve top performance.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.

Additional Information

BIC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strongly commit to hiring people with different backgrounds and experiences to help us build better products, make better decisions, and better serve our customers.  We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability status, or similar characteristics. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need. 

BIC is not seeking assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this employment opportunity. Regardless of past practice, all resumes submitted by search firms to any team member at BIC via email, or directly to a BIC team member in any form without a valid written search agreement in place for that position will be deemed the sole property of BIC, and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by BIC as a result of the referral or through other means.