Background

Our client is an established real estate developer in East Africa. They are looking for a dynamic and Senior Accountant who will be responsible for managing and overseeing accounting operations for the company including property development, property management, rental income, construction projects, and investment properties.The role will ensure accurate and timely financial reporting, effective financial controls, compliance with applicable accounting standards and tax regulations, and reliable financial information to support management decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Accounting & Reporting

• Maintain accurate and complete accounting records in accordance with applicable accounting standards and company policies.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements and management reports.
• Perform month-end and year-end closing activities, including journals, accruals, provisions, prepayments, depreciation, and other adjustments.
• Prepare and review general ledger reconciliations and investigate discrepancies.
• Monitor the accuracy and completeness of financial transactions across the business.
• Prepare schedules and supporting documentation for external and internal audits.
• Ensure proper accounting treatment for property acquisitions, disposals, development costs, investment properties, and capital expenditure.

Real Estate & Property Accounting

• Maintain accounting records for individual properties, projects, and developments.
• Monitor rental income, service charges, deposits, tenant receivables, and other property-related income.
• Reconcile property management accounts and ensure timely posting of tenant and landlord transactions.
• Track property operating expenses, maintenance costs, utilities, management fees, and other property-related costs.
• Monitor construction and development project costs against approved budgets.
• Maintain accurate records of work-in-progress, capitalized development costs, and completed projects.
• Support accounting for property acquisitions, disposals, transfers, valuations, and investment properties.
• Prepare property-level profitability and performance reports.

Accounts Receivable & Payable

• Oversee accounts receivable and payable processes.
• Monitor tenant and customer balances and follow up on outstanding receivables.
• Review supplier invoices, payment requests, and supporting documentation.
• Ensure appropriate approvals and accurate coding of expenses.
• Perform supplier and tenant statement reconciliations.
• Monitor aged receivables and payables and report significant issues to management.

Budgeting & Financial Analysis

• Assist in preparing annual budgets and periodic forecasts for properties and development projects.
• Compare actual results against budgets and investigate significant variances.
• Prepare monthly variance analysis and management commentary.
• Provide financial analysis to support property acquisitions, developments, disposals, and investment decisions.
• Develop property-level financial models and reports where required.
• Support cash-flow forecasting and liquidity management.

Tax & Regulatory Compliance

• Assist with preparation and filing of applicable tax returns and statutory reports.
• Ensure compliance with relevant tax laws, accounting standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain accurate tax schedules and supporting documentation.
• Liaise with tax advisors, auditors, regulators, and other external stakeholders as required.
• Monitor changes in accounting and tax legislation affecting the real estate business.

Internal Controls & Audit

• Implement and maintain effective accounting and financial controls.
• Review processes to identify financial and operational risks.
• Ensure appropriate segregation of duties and authorization controls.
• Coordinate internal and external audit requirements.
• Follow up on audit findings and ensure timely implementation of agreed corrective actions.
• Identify opportunities to improve accounting processes, reporting accuracy, and operational efficiency.

Cash & Treasury Management

• Monitor bank balances and daily cash positions.
• Prepare and maintain bank reconciliations.
• Assist with cash-flow forecasting and payment planning.
• Monitor project and property-related cash requirements.
• Ensure timely settlement of approved supplier, contractor, tax, and other obligations.

Qualifications & Professional Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Commerce, or a related field.
• Professional accounting qualification such as CPA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent is strongly preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant accounting experience, preferably within real estate, property management, construction, investment, or a related industry.
• Demonstrated experience in financial reporting and general ledger management.
• Experience with property, project, or development accounting is highly desirable.
• Experience managing audits, tax compliance, budgeting, and financial analysis.
• Strong knowledge of accounting principles and financial reporting.
• Good understanding of real estate accounting, including property development costs, investment properties, rental income, and capital expenditure.
• Strong Excel skills, including PivotTables, lookups, financial analysis, and reporting.
• Experience with ERP/accounting systems such as Xero or Sage
• Ability to analyze large volumes of financial data and identify discrepancies.
• Good understanding of budgeting, forecasting, cash-flow management, and financial controls.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong financial and commercial awareness.
• Excellent organization and time-management skills.
• Ability to meet strict reporting deadlines.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of responsibilities.
• High level of integrity, confidentiality, and professionalism.
• Ability to work effectively with property managers, project managers, contractors, auditors, management, and external stakeholders.
• Strong commitment to continuous improvement.

• Maintain accurate and complete accounting records in accordance with applicable accounting standards and company policies.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements and management reports.
• Perform month-end and year-end closing activities, including journals, accruals, provisions, prepayments, depreciation, and other adjustments.
• Prepare and review general ledger reconciliations and investigate discrepancies.
• Monitor the accuracy and completeness of financial transactions across the business.
• Prepare schedules and supporting documentation for external and internal audits.
• Ensure proper accounting treatment for property acquisitions, disposals, development costs, investment properties, and capital expenditure.
• Maintain accounting records for individual properties, projects, and developments.
• Monitor rental income, service charges, deposits, tenant receivables, and other property-related income.
• Reconcile property management accounts and ensure timely posting of tenant and landlord transactions.
• Track property operating expenses, maintenance costs, utilities, management fees, and other property-related costs.
• Monitor construction and development project costs against approved budgets.
• Maintain accurate records of work-in-progress, capitalized development costs, and completed projects.
• Support accounting for property acquisitions, disposals, transfers, valuations, and investment properties.
• Prepare property-level profitability and performance reports.
• Oversee accounts receivable and payable processes.
• Monitor tenant and customer balances and follow up on outstanding receivables.
• Review supplier invoices, payment requests, and supporting documentation.
• Ensure appropriate approvals and accurate coding of expenses.
• Perform supplier and tenant statement reconciliations.
• Monitor aged receivables and payables and report significant issues to management.
• Assist in preparing annual budgets and periodic forecasts for properties and development projects.
• Compare actual results against budgets and investigate significant variances.
• Prepare monthly variance analysis and management commentary.
• Provide financial analysis to support property acquisitions, developments, disposals, and investment decisions.
• Develop property-level financial models and reports where required.
• Support cash-flow forecasting and liquidity management.
• Assist with preparation and filing of applicable tax returns and statutory reports.
• Ensure compliance with relevant tax laws, accounting standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain accurate tax schedules and supporting documentation.
• Liaise with tax advisors, auditors, regulators, and other external stakeholders as required.
• Monitor changes in accounting and tax legislation affecting the real estate business.
• Implement and maintain effective accounting and financial controls.
• Review processes to identify financial and operational risks.
• Ensure appropriate segregation of duties and authorization controls.
• Coordinate internal and external audit requirements.
• Follow up on audit findings and ensure timely implementation of agreed corrective actions.
• Identify opportunities to improve accounting processes, reporting accuracy, and operational efficiency.
• Monitor bank balances and daily cash positions.
• Prepare and maintain bank reconciliations.
• Assist with cash-flow forecasting and payment planning.
• Monitor project and property-related cash requirements.
• Ensure timely settlement of approved supplier, contractor, tax, and other obligations.

• Proficiency in financial reporting
• Real estate accounting
• Tax compliance
• Financial reporting
• General ledger management
• Property, project, or development accounting
• Managing audits
• Tax compliance
• Budgeting
• Financial analysis
• Accounting principles
• Financial reporting
• Real estate accounting
• Property development costs
• Investment properties
• Rental income
• Capital expenditure
• Excel skills (PivotTables, lookups, financial analysis, reporting)
• ERP/accounting systems (Xero, Sage)
• Analyzing large volumes of financial data
• Identifying discrepancies
• Budgeting
• Forecasting
• Cash-flow management
• Financial controls
• Analytical skills
• Problem-solving skills
• High level of accuracy
• Attention to detail
• Financial and commercial awareness
• Organization skills
• Time-management skills
• Meeting strict reporting deadlines
• Communication skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently
• Ownership of responsibilities
• Integrity
• Confidentiality
• Professionalism
• Ability to work effectively with property managers, project managers, contractors, auditors, management, and external stakeholders
• Commitment to continuous improvement

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Commerce, or a related field.
• Professional accounting qualification such as CPA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent is strongly preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant accounting experience, preferably within real estate, property management, construction, investment, or a related industry.
• Demonstrated experience in financial reporting and general ledger management.
• Experience with property, project, or development accounting is highly desirable.
• Experience managing audits, tax compliance, budgeting, and financial analysis.
• Strong knowledge of accounting principles and financial reporting.
• Good understanding of real estate accounting, including property development costs, investment properties, rental income, and capital expenditure.
• Strong Excel skills, including PivotTables, lookups, financial analysis, and reporting.
• Experience with ERP/accounting systems such as Xero or Sage
• Ability to analyze large volumes of financial data and identify discrepancies.
• Good understanding of budgeting, forecasting, cash-flow management, and financial controls.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong financial and commercial awareness.
• Excellent organization and time-management skills.
• Ability to meet strict reporting deadlines.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of responsibilities.
• High level of integrity, confidentiality, and professionalism.
• Ability to work effectively with property managers, project managers, contractors, auditors, management, and external stakeholders.
• Strong commitment to continuous improvement.