The Accountant operates as the client's trusted professional - co-ordinating internally with the AFS, Tax, CIPC and Billing departments to ensure that every statutory and compliance obligation is met without the client needing to manage multiple contacts. This is a client-facing, deadline-driven role that demands both technical precision and professional communication. The Person: Degree in Accounting, Finance or equivalent.B.Com Honours in Accounting or equivalent Postgraduate qualification.CA (SA) or equivalent designation a strong advantage.Minimum 1 year practical accounting experience.Client-facing experience in a professional services environment preferred.Proficiency in at least one of: Xero, Pastel, Eureka. SARS eFiling experience required.Working knowledge of VAT Act, PAYE, UIF, SDL, CIPC requirements and annual compliance obligations.The Job: Report to the Monthly Accounts Manager: Monthly Processing & Management Accounts: Prepare monthly management accounts for each client in the assigned portfolio to an accurate, signed-off trial balance standard.Reconcile all balance sheet accounts monthly - bank, debtors, creditors, loans, payroll control and VAT control.Ensure the trial balance is complete and handed to the AFS department on time for annual financial statement preparation.Maintain client accounting records in Xero, Pastel, Eureka or the applicable system. VAT & Payroll Submissions: Prepare and submit monthly VAT returns (SARS e-Filing) accurately and on time for each applicable client.Prepare and submit monthly payroll reports, ensuring PAYE, UIF and SDL are correctly calculated and submitted.Reconcile VAT and payroll control accounts monthly and resolve any discrepancies before month-end close.Flag any VAT disputes, penalties or SARS correspondence to the Tax department immediately. Annual Compliance Co-ordination: Act as the internal co-ordinator for each client's annual compliance obligations - working with the relevant departments to ensure the following are completed on time:Annual Financial Statements (AFS department)Annual Income Tax Returns (Tax department)CIPC annual returns and company secretarial filingsBeneficial Ownership (BO) register submissionsReturn of Earnings (ROE) - Department of LabourDividends Tax declarations and submissions where applicableDonations Tax notifications where applicable Client Communication & Service Delivery: Serve as the first point of contact for all assigned monthly clients.Respond to all client queries.Apply the Two-Minute Rule: any task that can be completed in under two minutes must be done immediately and not deferred.Apply the Five-Minute Rule: any query or task that cannot be resolved within five minutes must be escalated immediately to a Supervisor, Manager or relevant Specialist.Communicate proactively with clients on upcoming deadlines, outstanding information requirements and any matters affecting their accounts. Internal Collaboration: Work directly with the AFS department to deliver complete, reconciled trial balances by agreed internal deadlines.Liaise with the Personal Tax and Company Tax departments on all tax-related matters for monthly clients.Co-ordinate with the CIPC team on annual statutory filings and company secretarial requirements.Escalate advisory matters, complex tax questions or unusual transactions to Senior Management or Partners. Systems & Tools Maintain proficiency in the firm's primary accounting platforms: Xero, Pastel and/or Eureka.Use firm practice management systems (including Clickify where applicable) to log work, track deadlines and report progress.Maintain client files, records and correspondence in accordance with firm document management standards. Firm Policy Compliance: Adhere to all firm service delivery standards including the email response policy, the Two-Minute Rule and the Five-Minute Rule.Actively participate in both bi-annual Training & Development sessions.Engage with the annual one-on-one session with the Group CEO as an opportunity to raise personal development goals, concerns and career direction.Represent the firm professionally in all client and internal interactions.Core Competencies: Technical accuracy.Client ownership.Deadline discipline.Communication.Self-driven development.Collaboration.Systems discipline.Professionalism.