Production Accountant

Unilever is currently hiring for a Production Accountant  

Reports to: Supply Chain Finance Manager

Scope: South Africa

Location: Boksburg Powders Factory Boksburg

Terms & Conditions: Full-time

With 3.4 billion people in over 190 countries using our products every day, Unilever is a business that makes a real impact on the world. Work on brands that are loved and improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We are driven by our purpose: to make sustainable living commonplace, and it is our belief that doing business the right way drives superior performance. At the heart of what we do is our people – we believe that when our people work with purpose, we will create a better business and a better world. 

At Unilever, your career will be a unique journey, grounded in our inclusive, collaborative, and flexible working environment. We don’t believe in the ‘one size fits all’ approach and instead we will equip you with the tools you need to shape your own future.

JOB PURPOSE

This role is required to maintain strong accounting controls aligned with the Unilever’s Global Financial Controls Framework (GFCF).

This role will manage P&L and Balance sheet aspects relating to Boksburg Powders Factory . The role in a member of the site Leadership team and executes both performance management and controls and governance activities such as budgeting/forecasting and tracking progress against forecasts in P&Ls, stock controls, CAPEX and audit management.

The role supports the production with financial insights to deliver key projects and business cases aligned to business targets to drive a cost competitive Supply Chain organisation. This role drives Sourcing Unit cost optimisation, delivering the Net Productivity agenda and driving down waste at the factory and 3P sites.

The role requires the candidate to build and manage relationships with key stakeholders in the Supply Chain organisation and wider Unilever business and at third parties.

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE

Assess adequacy of existing controls in factory and 3P in relation to identified business risk. Develop efficient controls, adequate to address identified risk in line with GFCF.

• Ensure adequate and frequent cost controls (at the appropriate level of detail) to ensure accuracy of financial records and drive accountability in financial spend.

• Ensure robust controls over forecasting process; refreshing inputs in line with business forecasting rhythm, obtaining inputs from accountable cost centre owners in the relevant level of detail to obtain clarity of spend and association of spend to forecast business activities.

• Driving the control and governance agenda at production sites for operational teams to understand that controls are embedded in all business processes to protect business value and safeguard assets and business performance. Highlighting that controls are everyone’s responsibility and holding team members accountable accordingly.

• Maintain balance sheet hygiene and integrity of income statement by ensuring accuracy of transactions (value and recognition timing) and correct classification of items given ageing and supporting documentation.

• Drive delivery of timely and accurate reporting requirements

• Ensure compliance with Unilever Standard Chart of Accounts (SCOA)

• Assist in execution of audit requests; internal and external audits and SOX testing.

• Ensure journals, write offs and provisions are done in accordance with Schedule of Authority.

• Observe and support in execution of stock counts.

Drive a cost competitive and agile Supply Chain organisation through Sourcing Unit cost optimization

• Deliver net productivity agenda (SC Controllable costs) in line with business targets.

• Evaluate and advise on optimal SKU sourcing options (factory vs 3P vs import)

• Provide insightful analytics on cost drivers to enable fast decision making on levers for cost reduction.

• Deliver the business waste reduction programme for factory and its 3P

• Review, challenge and monitor all Capital Expenditure proposals (CEP) per the annual budget.

• Assist in benchmarking activities to ensure competitiveness of production costs.

• Lead continuous improvement and automation initiatives in Supply Chain Finance and at production sites to improve efficiency and ensure cost optimisation.

Manage Production budgets and stock flows and balances.

• Drive annual budget process in accordance with global product costing guidelines for Unilever factories.

• Drive forecast process in line with S&OP principles for factory and 3P.

• Update master data information for products sourced from 3P/ CM

• Variance analysis of budget/forecast over and under spends done weekly/monthly.

• Maintain solid understanding of volume movements to ensure accurate forecasting of costs and allocation to P&L line items

• Manage stock in various locations on site and off site at third parties.

• Report on performance vs business cases

Steer Business Performance and provide Decision support

• Report on performance versus business targets, highlighting gaps to target for fast decision making.

• Drive accurate forecasting to enable decision making across the business on resource allocation to optimise results

• Guide and support the delivery of key projects in the pipeline, whilst actively ensuring that all appropriate government incentives are maximised on.

• Drive accountability for impact and outcome.

Experiences & Qualifications

• 3-5 years Experience in Supply Chain or Factory Finance required

• Financial Accounting qualification or good progress toward CIMA OR a CA advantageous

• Strong analytical capabilities with bias to drive action

• Good time management skills

• Agility and proactivity

• Ability to prioritise effectively and communicate clearly

• Ability to manage upwards

• Ability to steer conversations and influence

• Understanding or ability to quickly grasp financial principles in the end-to-end Supply Chain, identify and drive relevant value-creating choices and decisions

• Ability to manage and work under pressure, individually and collaboratively to meet tight deadlines

Skills

• Advanced Microsoft Excel, SAP PM/FI and PA knowledge desirable

• Digital native

• Stakeholder Management Strong work ethic, great attitude, self-starting & initiative-taking mind-set, resilience in the face of pressure, strong team player

Leadership

• You are energized by delivering fantastic results. You are an example to others – both your results and your resilience. You are constantly on the lookout for better ways to do things, engaging and collaborating with others along the way.

• As an individual you are the one responsible for your own wellbeing and delivering high standards of work. You must also focus on the Consumer and what they need. You are humble and have your head up, looking around to interpret evidence and data smartly, spot issues and opportunities to make things better.

Critical Behaviours

• Care deeply: caring deeply about how consumers experience our brands every day, everywhere; about our people’s growth and development, and our impact on the planet. You care about your performance, to a point where it hurts when you don’t win.  Always brings their best self. Has emotional intelligence to take feedback, manage mood and motivations and build empathy for others. Sets high standards for themselves. Has humility, understanding that leadership is service to others, inside and outside of Unilever.

• Focus on what counts: we set clear and stretching goals and recognise maximum performance impact.  Generates intensity and focus to motivate people to deliver results at speed.

• Stay three steps ahead: we think boldly and creatively to make breakthroughs in performance. We are always curious and confident – anticipating and staying ahead of consumer needs and external trends to beat the competition. Approaches delivery with an iterative and incremental, test - do - learn approach. Has an owner’s mindset, using data and insight to make decisions.

• Deliver with excellence: we deliver everything we do with excellence and pace. We take personal ownership and hold each other to account – always finding a way to do what we said we will do.  Takes personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results.

Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.