Job Overview

Accounts Team Leader Job Vacancy at Thomson Safaris

Position: Accounts Team Leader

The Accounts Team Leader supports the Finance Manager in the effective operation of the Finance and Accounts functions. The role is responsible for supervising day-to-day accounting activities, ensuring accurate financial records, timely preparation of management accounts, compliance with statutory requirements, and maintenance of strong internal controls. The position acts as the primary operational lead of the Accounts team and provides reliable financial information to support management decision making.

Duties and Responsibilities

Financial Reporting & Accounting Operations

• Assist in the preparation of monthly management accounts including Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss, and Cash Flow statements for review by the Finance Manager.
• Ensure monthly accounts are prepared accurately and on time, with all anomalies identified, investigated, and resolved.
• Maintain the General Ledger and oversee daily review of transactions posted in QuickBooks to ensure accuracy, completeness, and authenticity.
• Assist with budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow monitoring, providing input and variance analysis as required.
• Support the Finance Manager in the preparation of financial information for quarterly and annual reporting.

Team Leadership & Supervision

• Lead, plan, direct, and coordinate the activities of the Accounts team to ensure tasks are completed efficiently and in line with policies and procedures.
• Provide guidance, coaching, and performance monitoring for Accounts staff.
• Ensure clear task allocation, adherence to deadlines, and maintenance of high professional standards within the team.

Reconciliations & Internal Controls

• Review and oversee debtors and creditors accounts, ensuring reconciliations are performed regularly and discrepancies resolved promptly.
• Review and oversee bank and cash reconciliations to ensure sufficient funds are available for daily operations
• Review cost of trip variances and follow up with responsible COT-accountants to ensure issues are resolved within agreed timelines.
• Assist in the review, implementation and enforcement of accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls as established by Management.
• Maintain accurate records of fixed assets and support periodic asset verification exercises.
• Support monthly stock reconciliations and quarterly balance sheet reconciliations.

Payables, Payments & Procurement Support

• Review supplier invoices and LPOs before the payment approval is granted in line with delegated authority limits.
• Monitor accounts payable aging and support timely settlement of supplier obligations.

Payroll & Statutory Compliance

• Ensure payroll postings and related entries are correctly recorded in QuickBooks.
• Ensure timely payment of statutory obligations including PAYE, SDL, NSSF, VAT, service levies, provisional tax, and other statutory liabilities, for review and approval by the Finance Manager.
• Maintain proper documentation to support statutory filings and inspections.

Audit & Compliance Support

• Assist in internal, external, and tax audits by preparing schedules, reconciliations, and supporting documentation.
• Assist in the implementation and follow-up of audit recommendations under the guidance of the Finance Manager.
• Assist in ensuring compliance with IFRS, Tanzania tax laws, and internal company policies within the Accounts function.

Cross-Functional Support

• Assist with follow up with internal departments to resolve accounting and payment related issues.
• Assist in Maintaining working relationships with banks, suppliers, and service providers on routine operational matters, and when necessary, escalating key issues to the Finance Manager.

Other Duties

• Perform any other accounting or finance-related duties as assigned by the Finance Manager in line with the assistant nature of the role.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or related field.
• CPA(T) professional certification
• Minimum 5+ years of progressive accounting experience, including team supervision or leadership responsibility.
• Strong working knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and financial reporting practices.
• Knowledge of tax compliance and regulatory frameworks
• Proficiency in QuickBooks accounting systems.
• Proven experience managing month-end and year-end closing processes, account reconciliations, and financial reporting.

• Assist in the preparation of monthly management accounts including Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss, and Cash Flow statements for review by the Finance Manager.
• Ensure monthly accounts are prepared accurately and on time, with all anomalies identified, investigated, and resolved.
• Maintain the General Ledger and oversee daily review of transactions posted in QuickBooks to ensure accuracy, completeness, and authenticity.
• Assist with budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow monitoring, providing input and variance analysis as required.
• Support the Finance Manager in the preparation of financial information for quarterly and annual reporting.
• Lead, plan, direct, and coordinate the activities of the Accounts team to ensure tasks are completed efficiently and in line with policies and procedures.
• Provide guidance, coaching, and performance monitoring for Accounts staff.
• Ensure clear task allocation, adherence to deadlines, and maintenance of high professional standards within the team.
• Review and oversee debtors and creditors accounts, ensuring reconciliations are performed regularly and discrepancies resolved promptly.
• Review and oversee bank and cash reconciliations to ensure sufficient funds are available for daily operations
• Review cost of trip variances and follow up with responsible COT-accountants to ensure issues are resolved within agreed timelines.
• Assist in the review, implementation and enforcement of accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls as established by Management.
• Maintain accurate records of fixed assets and support periodic asset verification exercises.
• Support monthly stock reconciliations and quarterly balance sheet reconciliations.
• Review supplier invoices and LPOs before the payment approval is granted in line with delegated authority limits.
• Monitor accounts payable aging and support timely settlement of supplier obligations.
• Ensure payroll postings and related entries are correctly recorded in QuickBooks.
• Ensure timely payment of statutory obligations including PAYE, SDL, NSSF, VAT, service levies, provisional tax, and other statutory liabilities, for review and approval by the Finance Manager.
• Maintain proper documentation to support statutory filings and inspections.
• Assist in internal, external, and tax audits by preparing schedules, reconciliations, and supporting documentation.
• Assist in the implementation and follow-up of audit recommendations under the guidance of the Finance Manager.
• Assist in ensuring compliance with IFRS, Tanzania tax laws, and internal company policies within the Accounts function.
• Assist with follow up with internal departments to resolve accounting and payment related issues.
• Assist in Maintaining working relationships with banks, suppliers, and service providers on routine operational matters, and when necessary, escalating key issues to the Finance Manager.
• Perform any other accounting or finance-related duties as assigned by the Finance Manager in line with the assistant nature of the role.

• Proficiency in QuickBooks accounting systems.
• Strong working knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and financial reporting practices.
• Knowledge of tax compliance and regulatory frameworks.
• Proven experience managing month-end and year-end closing processes, account reconciliations, and financial reporting.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or related field.
• CPA(T) professional certification
• Minimum 5+ years of progressive accounting experience, including team supervision or leadership responsibility.