Senior Accountant

Job Description
Kearney, Senior Accountant, Dubai Office

About the job
As the senior accountant in our Dubai office, you will be supporting the local leadership and consultants with a focus predominantly on the Middle East region. As part of the Finance team, you will be responsible for:

1. Performing financial accounting procedures which includes GL maintenance and month end tasks, maintenance of the Accounts Payables processes from supplier invoicing through to the payments.
2. Assisting the tax manager to ensure compliance with tax legislation and the timely filing of all tax returns.
3. Support internal/external and tax audits.
4. Assisting in the treasury function with respects to cashflow management and bid and performance bond issuance.

Reporting directly to the ME Finance Manager and functionally to the Regional Finance Director - MEA. The position also works closely with Finance teams in Dubai, South Africa, shared services team (India) and Chicago; as well as other local functions such as HR, Staffing, Office Management, and Legal. The ME finance team consists of 11 members.

Key responsibilities

Accounting & AP

1. Performing financial accounting procedures such as raising month end journals which include AP accruals, prepayments, fixed asset depreciation, payroll, intercompany process, etc.
2. Preparation of relevant balance sheet reconciliations, ensuring that supporting papers are available to support balances.
3. Ensuring compliance with internal controls and policies as well as regulatory and statutory requirements.
4. Ensuring the completeness of the AP process through liaising with share services teams and the local AP analysts.
5. Supporting the team in preparation of local content/ICV certificates in KSA, UAE and Qatar and IKTVA for KSA.
6. Assisting with internal/external audits by providing the requested documents and ensuring that it is clear and concise for the auditors to understand.

Taxation

1. Assisting in the preparation of VAT and WHT tax return by ensuring that supporting documents are tax compliant at the point of entry into the system and that they are filed accordingly.
2. Coordinating with the tax advisors to ensure timely filing of accurate WHT and VAT returns by providing documentation for the VAT and WHT submissions.
3. Assisting in any tax audits should they arise.
4. Keeping up to date with new tax regulations within the region.

Treasury

1. Ensuring that all transactions going through the bank account are recorded in the cash clearing account and are cleared timely by FST.
2. Timely review of bank reconciliations prepared by FST.
3. Taking full responsibility for the issuance of Bid and Performance bonds on projects through liaising with the consultants for missing information, dealing with local/global banks and Kearney Group Treasury team to ensure that bonds are issued on time.
4. Maintaining an up-to-date database and tracker of all bonds issued and ensuring that the bonds are cancelled on time.

Who you are
After nearly 100 years, we know this business is fundamentally about making connections between facts, figures, insights, strategies, tools, technologies and above all, people. That’s why, we look for proactive, positive, and flexible individuals who are always unapologetically their unique selves.

We want to hear from you if you:

1. Have a university degree or equivalent and are studying for, or completed an internationally recognized Certified/Chartered accountant qualification such as ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA.
2. Have a minimum 3 years of Big 4 and/or management accounting management experience in a sizeable global organization in the Middle East region, including General Ledger and AP Processing experience.
3. Have strong knowledge of regulatory compliance and accounting standards.
4. Have good knowledge of audit and tax.
5. Possess strong excel and database skills, and a good working knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite.
6. Are conversant with modern accounting software systems and workflow, ideally SAP R3 financial application experience preferred.
7. Have strong accounting, analytical, numerical, and structural skills.
8. Have excellent verbal and written communication skills in English. Arabic is desirable.
9. Are commercially minded and are willing to be hands on where necessary in various areas of the accounts but also able to operate effectively amongst consultants.
10. Have strong organization skills.
11. Are a team player, and can work independently.
12. Are a self-driven, highly motivated team player who understands the implications of collaborating in a truly global environment.
13. Have an ability to maintain the highest degree of precision even under significant time pressure.

What we can offer you
Every day, our people work to be the difference for our clients, our communities, and our colleagues. Helping them to make an impact, they are sustained by a competitive remuneration package plus comprehensive benefits and perks, including but not limited to:

1. Generous retirement/pension savings contributions.
2. Comprehensive medical insurance for employees and their families.
3. Structured and on-the-job learning and development opportunities.
4. Personalized opportunities to help you chart a unique career journey to pursue your own personal and professional goals.