Financial Accountant (Employee Benefits)

About Discovery

Discovery’s core purpose is to make people healthier and to enhance and protect their lives. We seek out and invest in exceptional individuals who understand and support our core purpose, and whose own values align with those of Discovery. Our fast-paced and dynamic environment enables smart, self-driven people to be their best. As global thought leaders, Discovery is passionate about innovating in order to not only achieve financial success, but to ignite positive and meaningful change within our society.

About Discovery Corporate & Employee Benefits

Discovery Corporate and Employee Benefits is the first and only employee benefits provider to be shaping employee behaviour, creating healthier and wealthier workforces. It is an exciting business to be in as we reimagine the way retirement savings and life insurance is brought to companies and employees.

Key Purpose

The Financial Accountant is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of fund and management company accounting activities, including reconciliations, tax and regulatory submissions, audit support, bank and general ledger controls, supplier process administration, and financial reporting for Discovery Employee Benefits. The role is accountable for maintaining complete and accurate fund and entity financial records, ensuring timely reconciliations, conducting analytical reviews, and preparing comprehensive supporting working papers. The incumbent proactively resolves financial and operational queries, ensures compliance with regulatory and internal control requirements, and contributes to the continuous improvement and efficiency of finance processes and reporting practices.

Areas of responsibility may include but not limited to

• Umbrella Fund product accounting: Prepare monthly fund account reconciliations, perform analytic reviews, investigate variances and ensure fund balances are supported by complete working papers.
• Annual audit and financial statements: Prepare annual audit working papers, supporting documentation and financial statements for the Discovery Life Umbrella Pension and Provident Funds, and resolve audit queries timeously.
• Tax administration and query resolution: Calculate tax liabilities, complete and submit tax returns monthly, bi-annually and annually, and provide analysis and support on tax-related queries.
• Regulatory reporting: Prepare and submit regulatory returns, including QAAR, Regulation 28 and C48, and support related fund and regulatory query resolution.
• Banking and cash controls: Prepare monthly bank reconciliations, monitor bank accounts and FSCA account balances, investigate exceptions and support clearing of unallocated transactions.
• Asset allocation and commission projects: Prepare asset allocation reporting and support projects relating to commission payments, reconciliations and process alignment.
• Management company accounting: Prepare monthly management accounts, detailed general ledger reconciliations, analytic reviews, actual versus budget comparisons and financial reporting packs.
• Account management and intercompany control: Reconcile Discovery Employee Benefits Account Management balances to the general ledger and bank accounts, and manage clearing of intercompany loan accounts.
• Invoice and supplier management: Support invoice processing, supplier liaison, query resolution and related controls to ensure accurate and timely payment administration.
• Board reporting and process insight: Gather and validate board report inputs, develop a deep understanding of finance processes and recommend practical improvements where control gaps or inefficiencies are identified.
• Stakeholder engagement and internal audit support: Engage with Finance, Operations, Tax, Internal Audit and External Audit stakeholders to resolve queries, provide evidence and maintain high-quality documentation.

Personal Attributes

• Integrity, honesty and reliability
• Highly motivated self-starter who takes initiative
• Ability to plan and control work-flow to effectively manage the team’s deadlines
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
• Ability to apply knowledge in a practical setting
• Strong numerical and verbal reasoning skills
• Ability to work independently and within a team environment
• Problem solving

Education and Experience

EMPLOYMENT EQUITY   
                             
The Company’s approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply.