Job Description

Job Purpose

This dual-purpose role requires a versatile finance professional to provide transactional leadership and act as the finance support in managing a strategic project to establish new legal entities across various African territories within the VE Lubricants function. You will be responsible for ensuring robust financial framework, rigorous financial controls, compliance with IFRS/local regulations, and the smooth execution of day-to-day accounting functions.

Requirements

Principal Accountabilities

Key Project Responsibilities: African Entity Setup

• Entity Onboarding: Support the groundwork for new market entry, including researching local tax laws, statutory requirements, and banking regulations in specific African regions.
• Compliance Framework: Establish internal controls and risk management frameworks tailored to new regional offices to prevent fraud and ensure business resilience.
• Tax & Regulatory Setup Manage the initial setup for VAT, withholding tax (WHT), and social security contributions in new jurisdictions.
• System Implementation Oversee the integration of new entities into the Group’s ERP accounting systems (e.g. SAP).
• Intercompany Structure: Design and implement intercompany recharge processes and transfer pricing policies between the parent company and African entities.
• Project management: managing project deliverables and budgets.

Core Accounting Functions

• Financial Recording and Reporting: Prepare accurate monthly management accounts, balance sheets, and income statements for all allocated entities.
• Review Opex expenditure for accurate allocation and validity.
• Reconciliations Perform monthly balance sheet recons (bank, supplier, and intercompany reconciliations) to ensure data integrity.
• C ash Flow Management Monitor liquidity health and update cash requirement forecasts to meet obligations.
• Audit & Governance: Facilitate internal and external audits by preparing detailed audit schedules and responding to findings.
• Asset Management: Maintain up-to-date fixed asset registers, including tracking capital expenditure and processing movements.

Job Knowledge, Skills & Experiences:

• Education: Degree in Commerce/Accounting; Professional qualification (e.g., CA, ACCA, CIMA) preferred.
• Experience: Minimum 8 years in financial accounting and tax compliance, ideally within a multi-entity or group environment with exposure to African markets.
• Technical Proficiency Advanced Excel and experience with SAP systems.
• Critical Competencies: Strong commercial acumen, adaptability to changing regulatory landscapes, and the ability to work in multicultural environments. Continuous improvement focus, continuously seek opportunities to enhance accounting processes and systems for efficiency and accuracy.