Manager-Tax & Accounting Advisory
The Role
The Accountant is responsible for the accurate and timely running of Tarra Agility Africa’s internal finance function credit control, accounts receivable, accounts payable, petty cash and day-to-day bookkeeping under the supervision of the Partner & CFO.
The measure of success in this role is straightforward: the firm’s money is collected on time, its obligations are met on time, its records are clean and current, and the partners no longer need to chase any of it. This is an internal finance role; it does not involve client advisory work.
Key Responsibilities
Credit control and accounts receivable
- Prepare and issue client invoices and fee notes promptly once billing has been approved by the responsible partner or associate.
- Maintain the debtors ledger and produce a weekly aged receivables report for the CFO, flagging accounts that need partner attention.
- Follow up outstanding balances by email and telephone in line with the firm’s credit control procedure, keeping a clear record of every contact made and every commitment received.
- Allocate receipts accurately against invoices and reconcile client statements on request.
- Escalate disputed, distressed or long-overdue accounts to the CFO with a recommended course of action rather than letting them age quietly.
- Support the associates with fee-note queries and billing narratives, without engaging clients on the substance of their matters.
Accounts payable
- Receive, verify and record supplier invoices, checking them against purchase approvals, contracts or quotations before processing.
- Prepare payment runs and payment schedules for review and authorisation by the CFO in line with the firm’s approval limits.
- Maintain the creditors ledger, reconcile supplier statements, and resolve discrepancies directly with suppliers.
- Monitor recurring commitments — rent, service charge, subscriptions, insurance, professional body fees, utilities and retainers — and ensure they are paid on time and correctly coded.
- Process staff expense claims and reimbursements against the firm’s expenses policy.
Petty cash and banking
- Operate the petty cash float on an imprest system, with supporting documentation for every disbursement.
- Reconcile petty cash at the agreed interval and present it for spot-checking by the CFO.
- Prepare bank reconciliations for all firm accounts monthly, and investigate and clear unmatched items.
- Prepare banking, mobile money and card transaction records for review, and maintain custody of financial documents securely.
Bookkeeping, records and month-end
- Post transactions accurately to the firm’s accounting system and maintain a complete, well-filed audit trail.
- Assist the CFO with month-end close, including accruals, prepayments, and schedules supporting the management accounts.
- Maintain the fixed asset register and support periodic asset verification.
- Prepare routine finance reports for the partners — cash position, receivables, payables and expenditure against budget.
- Assist with the annual audit by preparing schedules and responding to auditor queries under the CFO’s direction.
Compliance and statutory obligations
- Prepare statutory returns and remittances for review and filing — PAYE, VAT, withholding tax, instalment tax, NSSF, the statutory health contribution, the Housing Levy and NITA — in accordance with the applicable filing calendar.
- Maintain records that support the firm’s tax positions and keep the KRA iTax portal, payment records and certificates in order.
- Assist with payroll preparation and reconciliation as directed by the CFO, treating all payroll information as strictly confidential.
- Keep abreast of changes in tax rates, filing deadlines and statutory rules relevant to the firm, and bring them to the CFO’s attention.
Controls, systems and improvement
- Apply the firm’s financial policies and internal controls consistently, and report any breach, irregularity or suspected fraud to the CFO immediately.
- Where the firm handles client funds, observe strictly the separation between firm money and client money and the record-keeping rules that apply to it.
- Propose practical improvements to finance processes, templates and systems, particularly where they reduce manual effort or shorten collection time.
- Support the administration team on procurement records, supplier onboarding documentation and office finance queries.
Profile & Qualifications
- Accuracy and attention to detail, with the discipline to reconcile rather than estimate.
- Sound written and spoken communication — credit control requires firmness delivered courteously, and much of it will be in writing to clients.
- Organisation and self-management: this is the firm’s only dedicated finance role below the CFO, so the calendar of obligations must be run without prompting.
- Discretion and integrity in handling confidential financial, payroll and client information.
- Willingness to raise problems early, including bad news, and to ask when something is unclear.
The judgement to work comfortably alongside associates and administrative colleagues, and to hold a line on process without friction.
Performance measures
| Measure | Target |
| Debtor days on client fee notes | [Reduced to days within 6 months] |
| Fee notes issued after matter billing sign-off | Within [2] working days, 95% of the time |
| Supplier invoices processed | Paid within agreed terms; no avoidable late-payment charges |
| Bank, petty cash and client account reconciliations | Completed and reviewed by the [5th] working day of each month |
| Statutory returns and remittances | Filed and paid on time, with no penalties or interest |
| Partner time released from finance administration | [Target hours per month, reviewed at 6 months] |
Working arrangements
- Reports to the Partner & CFO, with a weekly finance review meeting and an agreed monthly reporting pack.
- Standard working hours are [Monday to Friday, 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.], with additional hours occasionally required at month-end, year-end and audit.
- [State any hybrid or remote arrangement, or confirm the role is office-based given cash and document custody responsibilities.]
- Benefits include [medical cover, pension/provident fund arrangement, leave entitlement, professional subscription and CPD support, examination leave].
Applications comprising a curriculum vitae and a short covering letter should be sent to careers@tarraagility.com with the subject line “Accountant — Tarra Agility Africa” by [closing date]. Please state your current and expected remuneration and the details of [two/three] professional referees.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Tarra Agility Africa is an equal opportunity employer; canvassing will result in automatic disqualification.
