Accountant

SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:

A prominent insurance underwriting manager in South Africa is seeking a skilled Full Time Accountant to join their finance team in Roodepoort, Johannesburg. This role offers a unique chance to contribute to the financial accuracy of a dynamic organization operating at the forefront of the insurance sector. By focusing on premium debtors reconciliation and claims process reviews, you’ll play a pivotal role in ensuring clean, audit-ready financial records for a business managing complex premium and claims flows across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

This permanent role is ideal for a detail-oriented accounting professional eager to tackle high-impact reconciliation projects in a fast-paced environment. If you’re passionate about precision, insurance finance, and process improvement, this role is your opportunity to make a tangible difference. The client is seeking a goal driven individual who can be mentored into a Senior Accountant in due time. 

Job Summary

As the Intermediate Accountant, you’ll focus on reconciling premium debtors accounts, clearing backlogs, and reviewing claims management processes to enhance financial accuracy and control. Reporting to the Financial Manager with oversight from the Financial Director, you’ll investigate variances, propose adjustments, and ensure compliance with insurance regulations. Your work will directly support audit readiness and operational efficiency, leveraging data from the company’s insurance platform and advanced Excel skills to deliver a reliable debtor position.

Key Responsibilities

1. Premium Debtors Reconciliation

   • Perform detailed reconciliations of premium debtor accounts, focusing on backlog clearance across SSA clients.

   • Investigate discrepancies between premiums charged, commissions paid, and cash received, liaising with brokers for clarity.

   • Extract and process reports from the insurance platform into Excel for accurate reconciliations.

   • Recommend and document correcting journal entries or system adjustments with clear audit trails.

2. Claims Process Review & Control

   • Analyze the claims management workflow to ensure robust controls and compliance with SSA insurance regulations.

   • Test claims transactions to verify validity, authorization, and supporting documentation.

   • Identify gaps in the claims control environment and propose process improvements for audit readiness.

   • Ensure claims payments align accurately with premiums, recoveries, and commissions in financial records.

3. Documentation & Reporting

   • Maintain detailed documentation of reconciliation processes, findings, and adjustments for transparency.

   • Prepare periodic progress reports for the Financial Manager and Financial Director, highlighting reconciled balances and unresolved items.

   • Support the finance team with additional debtor/creditor reconciliations as needed.

4. Process Improvement

   • Provide actionable recommendations to streamline debtor reconciliation and claims processes.

   • Document standardized procedures to prevent future backlogs and enhance efficiency.

   • Contribute to audit preparation by ensuring all financial records are accurate and compliant.

Qualifications, Experience & Skills

• Education: Diploma or degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field (required).

• Experience:

  • 2–5 years in debtors reconciliations, preferably in insurance, underwriting, or financial services.

  • Familiarity with insurance premium flows (premiums, commissions, underwriter settlements) is a plus.

• Skills:

  • Advanced Excel proficiency (e.g., lookups, pivot tables, reconciliations).

  • Strong accounting and reconciliation skills with a focus on accuracy and detail.

  • Ability to work independently, managing high volumes of data in a fast-paced environment.

  • Excellent communication for liaising with brokers, internal teams, and reporting to management.

  • Problem-solving mindset with a proactive approach to identifying and resolving variances.

  • Knowledge of SSA insurance regulations (e.g., FSCA compliance) is advantageous.

Why Join Our Client's Team?

• Impactful Work: Play a critical role in ensuring financial accuracy for a leading insurance underwriting manager in SSA’s dynamic market.

• Career Growth: Gain hands-on experience in insurance finance, with exposure to complex premium and claims workflows.

• Supportive Environment: Work under experienced financial leadership in a collaborative, high-energy team.