Senior Technical Accountant

Full description

Business Unit Group Finance, Assurance & Enablement Job Family Finance Department Finance Job Type Classification Permanent Job Grade D3 Reporting To Head: Finance Number of Positions 1 Location - Town / City Parktown Job Advert Summary Management accounting today goes far beyond interpreting accounting standards. It’s about providing trusted technical advice, shaping commercial decisions, governing complex accounting treatments, and ensuring the business can navigate change, growth, and strategic transactions with confidence. We’re looking for a Senior Technical Accountant who understands that. Reporting to the Head Financial Reporting within Group Finance & Assurance , this role provides specialist technical accounting expertise across the Hollard Group. You'll play a critical role in assessing, interpreting, documenting, and governing the accounting treatment of complex insurance transactions, strategic initiatives, commercial deals, reinsurance arrangements, acquisitions, and emerging business ventures. What you'll be trusted to own This is more than a financial reporting role. It's about helping the business make informed commercial decisions through sound technical accounting advice while ensuring compliance with IFRS, regulatory requirements, and Group Accounting Policies. You'll: - Provide technical accounting guidance and advisory support across the Hollard Group. - Interpret and apply complex accounting standards, insurance accounting requirements, and regulatory frameworks. - Develop technical accounting opinions, position papers, and recommendations to support business decision-making. - Partner with Business Unit CFOs, Commercial Executives, Legal, Actuarial, and Finance teams to assess the accounting implications of strategic initiatives and commercial transactions. - Evaluate transaction structures, accounting alternatives, financial reporting impacts, and areas of judgement before commercial execution. - Provide specialist advice on insurance and reinsurance accounting matters, including treaty arrangements, facultative reinsurance, portfolio transfers, and profit commissions. - Assess the accounting implications of new insurance products, business models, partnerships, and distribution arrangements before implementation. - Support mergers, acquisitions, strategic investments, joint ventures, disposals, and transaction due diligence activities. - Review acquisition accounting treatments, purchase price allocations, goodwill recognition, and impairment considerations. - Maintain and enhance Group Accounting Policies, technical guidance documents, and accounting governance frameworks. - Monitor IFRS developments and lead impact assessments relating to new accounting standards and amendments. - Develop practical accounting frameworks, templates, controls, and implementation guidance to drive consistency across the Group. - Engage with external auditors, regulators, governance forums, Audit Committees, and Board structures on significant technical accounting matters. - Support finance transformation initiatives and provide technical accounting expertise on business and system change programmes. Required Knowledge and Experience What you'll bring A reputation for combining deep technical accounting expertise with commercial acumen, sound judgement, and the ability to provide practical solutions to complex business challenges. - 5–8 years post-qualification experience within a technical accounting, financial reporting, assurance, or advisory environment. - Financial services and/or insurance industry experience. - Strong technical accounting expertise and proven experience interpreting and applying IFRS. - Experience preparing technical accounting position papers and formal accounting opinions. - Experience engaging with senior stakeholders, governance forums, and external auditors. - A strong understanding of governance, risk management, and internal control environments. - Knowledge of insurance accounting principles and IFRS 17. - Experience with IFRS 9, IFRS 3, IFRS 15, IAS 28, IAS 32, IAS 36, IAS 37, and IAS 38. - Knowledge of reinsurance accounting, insurance product structures, and regulatory reporting requirements. - Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving, stakeholder engagement, and communication capabilities. - Experience in mergers and acquisitions, transaction support, finance transformation, or systems implementation will be advantageous. - A Big Four audit or advisory background will be advantageous. Educational Requirements Qualifications - Chartered Accountant (South Africa) – CA(SA). - Registered member of SAICA. - An IFRS Diploma or equivalent specialist technical accounting development programme will be advantageous. - A postgraduate qualification in Accounting or Financial Reporting will be advantageous.