About this role
Job Information
- Job Opening ID ZR_17500_JOB
- Hours of Work Part-time
- Location Type In Office
- Industry Automotive
- Job Type Independent Contract
- Salary R40 000 retainer (negotiable depending on qualifications and experience)
- Remuneration Term Per Month
- Date Opened 23/10/2026
- Please note We know how much effort goes into every application. While we would love to respond to every one, the volume we receive makes this difficult. Our highest placement success is with candidates who have 3+ years of relevant experience. Parenting breaks don't count against you. If you have not heard from us within 21 days, we have been unable to move forward with your application for this role.
- State/Province Western Cape
- City/Town Paarl
- Country South Africa
Job Description
Under this engagement, the contractor will provide dedicated financial leadership, day-to-day accounting control, and operational process enhancement for an established industrial supplier serving the automotive and mining sectors. Availability: 24 hours per week, on-site Monday to Thursday, 09:00 to 15:00 at the Paarl office, with quarterly travel to Johannesburg for stock count oversight.
The primary objective of the role is to directly support the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) by taking complete ownership of day-to-day finance, protecting liquidity through disciplined working capital management, delivering accurate management accounts, and embedding robust operational checks and balances across the organization.
Contract Term
Initial engagement: 24 hours per week (Monday to Thursday, 09:00–15:00)
Work arrangement: On-site (Paarl office), with required travel to the head office in Johannesburg once per quarter
Schedule: Fixed part-time schedule (no weekend, public holiday, or December commitments)
Contract type: Independent Contractor
Scope of Services
- Cash Flow Management & Working Capital Oversight
The contractor will:
Exercise active daily control over accounts receivable (AR) and accounts payable (AP).
Drive debtor collections systematically to reduce days sales outstanding (DSO) and preserve operational liquidity.
Manage supplier payment terms and creditor disbursements to optimize working capital cycles.
Conduct regular bank reconciliations and cash flow forecasting to safeguard daily liquidity.
- Financial Accounting & Management Reporting
The contractor will:
Maintain and reconcile the complete general ledger across all balance sheet and income statement accounts.
Prepare accurate monthly management accounts, P&L statements, and financial commentary for the CEO.
Deliver timely insights into gross margins, departmental spending, and inventory holding costs.
Travel to the Johannesburg head office once per quarter to oversee, reconcile, and audit physical stock counts.
- Internal Controls & Process Optimisation
The contractor will:
Review existing accounting workflows, identifying control gaps and single points of operational failure.
Design, implement, and enforce robust internal checks and balances across procurement, invoicing, and dispatch.
Streamline transaction processing using existing ERP and accounting systems to reduce manual interventions.
- Tax Compliance & Risk Mitigation
The contractor will:
Manage South African tax compliance workflows, ensuring precise calculation and reconciliation of input and output VAT.
Oversee submissions, declarations, and administrative requirements via SARS eFiling.
Proactively identify, track, and mitigate financial, operational, and commercial risks across supply chain operations.
- Cost Control & Commercial Value Creation
The contractor will:
Scrutinise operational expenditures to identify waste, inefficiencies, and margin erosion.
Partner with the CEO to evaluate supplier pricing, negotiate favourable commercial terms, and implement cost-saving initiatives.
Support data-driven commercial decisions tailored to the automotive and mining supply chain landscape.
Deliverables
The contractor will provide:
Weekly Deliverables
Working capital snapshot outlining bank balances, debtor aging status, and priority creditor payment schedules.
Bank reconciliations and transaction capture updates across active accounts.
Operational risk and cash flow alert log flagging any overdue accounts, margin dips, or system bottlenecks.
Monthly Deliverables
Monthly management accounts pack (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow summary, and key financial ratios).
Input and output VAT reconciliation statement and SARS eFiling confirmation receipts.
Overhead variance analysis detailing cost-control progress against budget.
Internal control improvement summary noting implemented process fixes and workflow enhancements.
Quarterly Deliverables
On-site quarterly Johannesburg physical stock-take reconciliation report, highlighting variances, shrinkage, and valuation adjustments.
Requirements
Required Skills & Experience
The contractor should demonstrate:
Relevant financial qualification (e.g., BCom Accounting or related degree) OR a minimum of 15 years of progressive, practical accounting experience.
Demonstrated track record managing full-function general ledgers, reconciliations, and management accounting cycles.
In-depth, practical understanding of South African tax compliance, specifically VAT reconciliations and SARS eFiling execution.
Strong commercial acumen gained within industrial supplies, technical manufacturing, automotive, mining, or supply chain distribution.
High emotional intelligence, calm demeanour, and practical problem-solving style suited to collaborating closely with an entrepreneurial founder/CEO.
Ability to work on-site at the Paarl office 4 days per week (Monday to Thursday, 09:00–15:00) with quarterly travel availability to Johannesburg.
Preferred Experience
Preference will be given to candidates with:
Advanced expertise in Microsoft Excel (complex formulas, VLOOKUPs, pivot tables, and financial modeling).
Hands-on experience with South African ERP or accounting suites (e.g., Sage Pastel Partner, Sage Evolution).
Experience leading physical warehouse stock counts, valuation adjustments, and inventory write-down analyses.
Benefits
-
Exceptional work-life balance with fixed, reduced working hours (Monday to Thursday, 09:00 – 15:00).
-
Guaranteed extended year-end break with no December work required, as well as no public holiday or weekend commitments.
Work Type & Location:
On-site at the Paarl office.
Employment Type:
Independent Contractor (Part-Time Hours: 24 hours per week).