Accountant - Central Accounting at MultiChoice Group

The MultiChoice Group is a broad-based multinational media and entertainment group headquartered in South Africa, Dubai and Netherlands with principal operations in pay television, video entertainment, advertising and content security serving rapidly growing base of 13.5 million households. Eminent brands within the group include DSTV, GOTv, SuperSport, M-net, DSTVnow, Showmax and Europe based content security leader Irdeto. Key areas of operations are:

• Storytelling ranging from content creation, production and aggregation including the best global general entertainment, sport and eminent African content library, delivered to customers
• Pay Television: direct-to-home satellite and digital terrestrial television services;

• SVOD: subscription video on demand services across multiple online platforms with a focus on library and local content in developing markets, and
• Advertising: providing dynamic media solutions; handling commercial airtime, on-air sponsorships, content integration, and online sales across a variety of 130+ channel brands on linear TV, VOD, social media, and digital platforms.

The group’s strength lies in its focus on local language and culture, its entrepreneurial spirit and the quality of its workforce. MultiChoice Group (MCG) has a successful history of identifying trends early, adapting them for the markets in which it operates and leveraging them to maximum advantage. The group generates revenues primarily through subscription model, with a growing contribution from advertising revenue. Its key objectives are to:

• Expand Pay TV, SVOD subscriber base and advertising sales
• Focus on investment and technology
• Maintain a local approach
• Provide quality service
• Attract innovative and motivated employees

Key Customers

Central Accounting Financial Manager, Central Accounting Senior Financial Manager, MCSA/DMS/Mnet/SuperSport Head of Finance and Financial Accountant

Location: Based in South Africa, Johannesburg, Randburg

Purpose of the Position: Recording Journals, Performing Reconciliation and Producing Reports

Key Performance Objectives

Tasks

Controls, Governance & Policies

• Responsible for the development/creation, implementation and maintenance of system of robust controls, procedures and policies
• Responsible for monitoring compliance to accounting policies
• Support the Finance Shared Services Innovation team in governance initiatives
• Ensure compliance to policies, internal control and external audit
• Identification of control weaknesses and recommendations for improvements
• Support internal audit, ensure that any findings are resolved
• Ensure that all external audit findings are addressed and relevant controls / remediation put in place
• Assist in improvement and development of processes and systems for accounting purposes
• Work with cross functional teams in the shared services and business to ensure compliance, accuracy and efficiency in financial areas

Month End Close Activities

• Recommend to management any updates to accounting policies related to Intercompany & Central Accounting processes
• Responsible for the Intercompany and month end close process
• Responsible for intercompany confirmations and clearing mismatches
• Responsible for preparing balance sheet reconciliations, ensuring relevant supporting documentation to substantiate the balances, identification of issues and action plans to resolve
• Consulting with the Tax Team on applicable matters related to month end close
• Working with business partners and other Finance Shared Services departments to ensure an accurate and efficient month end close
• Responsible for ensuring all transactions in the GL are accurate and complete and uploaded in HFM
• Responsible for preparation of the Income Statements, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow and Supporting Notes
• Resolving queries received from business partners
• Analysis of trial balance, explanation / commentary for movements compared to previous months
• Analysis of income statement accounts
• Analysis of expense accounts for tax submission to SARS
• Liaising with the Financial Managers and Financial Accountant in resolving management accounting queries
• Standardisation of Chart of Accountants and drive correct classification of GL accounts across the business

Year End Activities

• Preparation and building of Annual Financial Statements, Interim financial statements and disclosures that comply with IFRS
• Preparation of annual and interim reporting packs
• Assist in the external audit process, assisting in resolving queries and review of audit schedules
• Prepare audit schedules relating to Intercompany, accruals, prepayments, provisions etc.

Adhoc

• Review of processes, identification and implementation of efficiencies. Assess process and identification of manual/inefficient processes
• Support the Finance Shared Services Innovation team in process efficiencies
• Adhoc projects

Qualifications

• BCom in Accounting (Honours)

Experience / Skills

• Minimum 3 years’ relevant experience in a similar role
• Sound knowledge of IFRS and Taxation rules
• SAP system experience
• Hyperion Financial Management
• Advanced excel skills
• Intercompany accounting experience would be advantageous

Behavioural Competencies

• Speed and accuracy with figures
• Stakeholder management
• Attention to detail
• Proactive and ability to plan ahead
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and pressurised situations
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Excellent communication skills- upward, downward and lateral
• Problem solving

Technical Competencies

• Speed and accuracy with figures
• Ability to think and move quickly in a dynamic fast moving environment
• Customer orientated focus
• Systematic and analytical
• Ability to prioritise in order to meet multiple deadlines