Job Description

Purpose of the Role:

To oversee and manage the organisation's cost accounting systems and ensure accurate cost allocation, budgeting, and financial analysis to support strategic decision-making and operational efficiency. This role plays a critical part in identifying cost-saving opportunities, improving margins, and enhancing overall financial performance.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Cost Accounting & Analysis

Analyse gross margin performance by customer, product, or department. Identify cost drivers and make recommendations to improve efficiency. Maintain and update standard costing models. Analyse variances between standard and actual costs; investigate and report causes. Monitor and analyse cost movements in raw materials, labour, and overheads. Perform product costing and profitability analysis by SKU, process, or region. Evaluate BOM (Bill of Materials) and routing accuracy in ERP systems.

2. Budgeting & Forecasting

Assist in the preparation of annual budgets and rolling forecasts. Analyse budget vs actual expenditure and provide monthly variance commentary/ investigations. Collaborate with operations, procurement, and production to align cost planning with operational goals. Provide scenario analysis and modelling to support future planning.

3. Financial Reporting

Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual cost reports for management. Support month-end and year-end close processes with inventory and cost reconciliations. Ensure accurate inventory valuation and reporting per IFRS and company policy. Prepare management accounts, reports, dashboards, and KPIs to highlight performance trends. Analyse key variances in revenue, costs, and margins to support business decisions.

4. Internal Controls & Compliance

Ensure adherence to internal controls over costing, inventory, and procurement processes. Improve financial processes and controls. Support internal and external audit processes relating to cost accounting and inventory. Comply with IFRS, SARS, and other relevant South African financial regulations. Monitor inventory and stock movement to detect discrepancies or inefficiencies. Assist with the development of internal reporting tools and systems.

5. Business Partnering

Work closely with operational, procurement, and sales teams to provide financial insight. Act as a financial advisor on pricing, supplier negotiations, and investments. Communicate complex financial information in a clear and actionable manner.

6. Continuous Improvement

Identify opportunities for cost reduction and process optimisation. Work closely with production, logistics, and procurement to improve efficiency and reduce waste. Drive cost-related projects (e.g. cost-to-serve analysis, lean costing initiatives).

Key Requirements:

Qualifications:

BCom Accounting / Cost & Management Accounting / Financial Management (essential)

CIMA / SAIPA / SAICA professional qualification or in progress (advantageous)

Experience:

3-5 years' experience in a cost accounting role, preferably in manufacturing or FMCG

Strong working knowledge of ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Syspro, Sage, Oracle)

Solid understanding of cost allocation principles and IFRS

Technical Skills:

Advanced Microsoft Excel Skills Required

The role requires a high level of proficiency in Microsoft Excel, particularly in handling large and complex datasets. The successful candidate must demonstrate the ability to:

Import and manage large datasets from various external sources (e.g., CSV, database exports, ERP systems). Clean, transform, and structure data efficiently using Power Query (Get & Transform). Build and maintain advanced PivotTables and PivotCharts for multi-dimensional data analysis and consolidation. Use complex formulas, including nested IFs, INDEX/MATCH, SUMIFS, and array functions, to perform detailed calculations and trend analysis. Design and automate recurring reports using dynamic ranges, named ranges, and structured references. Understand and apply data validation, conditional formatting, and named ranges to ensure data integrity.
Experience with VBA macros for process automation will be considered an advantage but is not essential.

Experience with cost control systems, variance analysis, and budgeting tools Inventory and BOM costing expertise

Key Competencies:

Analytical thinking and attention to detail

Strong communication and interpersonal skills

Business acumen and commercial awareness

Problem-solving and process improvement focus

Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines

High level of integrity and professionalism

Remuneration & Benefits:

Market-related salary (based on qualifications and experience)

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent, Graduate

Education:

Bachelors (Required)
Experience:

Cost Accounting: 5 years (Required)
Language:

Afrikaans and English fluently (Required)
License/Certification:

CIMA / SAIPA / SAICA professional qualification (Required)
Location:

Cape Town, Western Cape (Required)
Work Location: In person

Application Deadline: 2025/08/08
Expected Start Date: 2025/09/01