Head of Accounting

SUMMARY:
Head of Accounting

POSITION INFO:
Career Opportunity: Head of Accounting (Cloud Practice) Location: Johannesburg (On-site) Employment Type: Permanent, Full-Time Email your CV to: Role Overview We are looking for a high-energy, solutions-oriented Head of Accounting to lead and scale the cloud-accounting and compliance division of a fast-growing, entrepreneurial financial advisory firm. This is a senior leadership role responsible for managing a team of accountants, overseeing workflow efficiency across a diverse SME client portfolio, and ensuring high-quality client delivery. The ideal candidate will have deep technical knowledge of IFRS for SMEs and a proven track record of leading teams within a fast-paced professional accounting practice environment. Key Responsibilities Team Leadership & Mentorship: Lead, develop, and manage a team of accountants; allocate capacity, manage workloads, and foster a high-performance culture aligned with modern standard operating procedures (SOPs). Compliance & Quality Assurance: Oversee the end-to-end delivery of monthly bookkeeping, payroll pipelines, and VAT compliance services. Ensure client books are kept \"AFS drafting ready\" at all times. Financial Reporting: Supervise and review the preparation of annual financial statements and Independent Reviews in accordance with IFRS for SMEs before final technical sign-off. Client Portfolio Management: Act as a senior point of contact for entrepreneurial business owners, building trusted relationships and ensuring proactive, clear financial communication. Operational Control: Monitor team KPIs, track workflow\/WIP using modern practice management tools, and ensure billing targets and client deadlines are consistently met. Non-Negotiable Requirements Education: Completed BCom Accounting or BCompt degree (Honours or relevant post-graduate qualification is a strong advantage). CA(SA) or AGA(SA) is beneficial but not essential. Experience: 5 to 7 years of relevant accounting experience, with at least 5 years strictly in a supervisory or management role within a professional accounting practice\/outsourced agency framework. Systems Mastery: Advanced, hands-on proficiency with Xero (non-negotiable), Dext, Draftworx, and PaySpace. Comfort with practice management tools like Karbon is highly advantageous. SME Core Depth: Comprehensive technical understanding of financial reporting frameworks for small-to-medium enterprises and hands-on management of multi-client statutory deadlines. Key Attributes: Exceptional people management skills, an entrepreneurial mindset, strong attention to detail, and a clear, confident communication style. Email your CV to: