The Senior Accountant is responsible for the day-to-day financial operations, ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and compliance with established financial procedures. Their focus is on the tactical execution of financial tasks and providing reliable financial data.

Primary Roles & Accountabilities (Operational):

Financial Record Keeping & Transaction Management:

• • General Ledger Management: Maintaining the general ledger, ensuring accurate and timely recording of all financial transactions (e.g., sales, purchases, payroll, expenses).
  • Accounts Payable & Receivable: Managing the accounts payable (supplier invoices, payments) and accounts receivable (customer invoicing, collections) functions efficiently. This includes ensuring timely payment to suppliers and prompt collection from customers.
  • Payroll Processing: Overseeing or directly managing the payroll process, ensuring accurate calculation of salaries, wages, deductions, and timely payment to employees.
  • Bank Reconciliations: Performing regular bank reconciliations to ensure that all bank transactions are accurately reflected in the company’s books.

Financial Reporting & Analysis (Detailed Operational):

• • Month-End & Year-End Close: Managing the month-end and year-end closing processes, including preparing journal entries, accruals, prepayments, and balance sheet reconciliations.
  • Management Accounts: Preparing detailed monthly management accounts (e.g., income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement) for internal review, highlighting operational performance.
  • Cost Accounting: For SCA, this is crucial. The Senior Accountant would be responsible for:
    • Tracking and analysing direct costs (materials, labour) and indirect costs (overhead) associated with each sign project.
    • Calculating job costing for specific projects to determine profitability.
    • Analysing variances between actual costs and budgeted/standard costs for production runs.
    • Managing inventory valuation and tracking for raw materials and finished goods.
  • Variance Analysis (Operational Level): Analysing day-to-day operational variances against budgets and providing explanations to the FD / CEO. For example, why a particular project went over budget on materials or labour.
  • Fixed Asset Register: Maintaining an accurate fixed asset register, including depreciation calculations for machinery, vehicles, and office equipment.

Compliance & Internal Controls (Implementation):

• • Tax Compliance: Preparing and filing all necessary tax returns (e.g., VAT, PAYE, corporate income tax) accurately and on time, working closely with the FD for strategic tax planning.
  • Internal Control Implementation: Implementing and adhering to the internal controls established by the CEO / FD, ensuring compliance with company policies and procedures.
  • Audit Support: Assisting with internal and external audits by providing necessary documentation, explanations, and support.

Cash Flow Management (Daily/Weekly):

• • Monitoring Daily Cash Flow: Tracking daily cash inflows and outflows to ensure sufficient liquidity for operational needs.
  • Short-term Cash Flow Forecasting: Assisting the CEO / FD with short-term cash flow forecasts (e.g., weekly or monthly) to manage immediate liquidity requirements.

System & Process Improvement (Operational):

• • Accounting Software Proficiency: Being highly proficient in the company’s accounting software and ERP system.
  • Process Efficiency: Identifying opportunities to streamline and improve day-to-day accounting processes and procedures, potentially through automation or better use of technology.
  • Documentation: Developing and maintaining documentation for accounting processes and procedures.

Team Support & Mentorship:

• • Supervision of Junior Staff: If applicable, supervising and guiding any junior accounting staff or bookkeepers.
  • Support to Operations: Providing financial data and support to operational departments as needed, such as cost reports for production managers or expense analyses for sales teams.