JOB PURPOSE
- To provide accurate, timely and efficient accounting support across the Company's construction projects, real estate developments, property management operations and corporate activities.
- The Accounts Assistant will be responsible for maintaining accurate financial records, processing accounts payable and receivable, supporting project and property accounting, undertaking reconciliations, monitoring collections and payments, maintaining proper documentation and supporting financial reporting, statutory compliance and internal controls.
- The role is critical in ensuring that all financial transactions are properly supported, accurately recorded, appropriately allocated to the relevant project, property, cost centre or business unit, and processed in accordance with Company policies and accounting procedures.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
General Accounting & Bookkeeping
The Accounts Assistant will:
- Record and post financial transactions accurately and on a timely basis.
- Maintain accurate general ledger and subsidiary ledger records.
- Prepare and process payment vouchers, receipt vouchers, journal vouchers and other accounting documents.
- Verify that all transactions have appropriate supporting documentation and approvals.
- Ensure transactions are correctly coded to the relevant project, property, department, cost centre or account.
- Maintain proper filing and retrieval systems for financial documents.
- Assist with monthly, quarterly and annual accounting close processes.
- Identify and report accounting discrepancies, unusual transactions and control weaknesses.
- Assist the Accountant/Finance Manager in maintaining accurate books of accounts.
- Ensure accounting records are complete, current and audit-ready.
Construction & Project Accounting
The Accounts Assistant will support the financial administration of construction and development projects by:
- Maintaining project-specific accounting records and schedules.
- Recording project expenditure against approved budgets and cost codes.
- Processing and tracking invoices from contractors, consultants, suppliers and service providers.
- Verifying invoices against purchase orders, contracts, delivery notes, certificates, work completion documentation and approvals.
- Maintaining project expenditure trackers and commitments schedules.
- Assisting in monitoring project costs against approved budgets.
- Preparing project expenditure reports and supporting project cost analysis.
- Identifying and escalating unexplained cost variances or expenditure outside approved budgets.
- Maintaining records of project advances, retentions, deposits and contractor payments.
- Supporting reconciliation of contractor and supplier accounts.
- Assisting with documentation required for project audits and financial reviews.
- Liaising with the project and procurement teams to resolve invoice and payment discrepancies.
Property Management Accounting
The Accounts Assistant will support accounting activities relating to properties managed by the Company, including:
- Recording and allocating rental income received from tenants.
- Preparing and issuing rent invoices, statements and payment schedules as required.
- Maintaining accurate tenant ledgers.
- Updating rent collection schedules and monitoring outstanding balances.
- Assisting with rent arrears follow-up and reporting.
- Recording service charges, utilities, parking income and other property-related revenue.
- Monitoring tenant deposits and other amounts held on behalf of tenants or property owners.
- Processing property-related expenses including maintenance, repairs, utilities, security, cleaning and other operating costs.
- Preparing property income and expenditure schedules.
- Assisting in preparation of landlord/property owner statements.
- Reconciling tenant, landlord and property accounts.
- Supporting the Property Management team with finance-related queries.
- Ensuring property transactions are correctly allocated to the relevant property and tenant account.
Accounts Payable & Supplier Management
The Accounts Assistant will:
- Receive, verify and process supplier and contractor invoices.
- Confirm invoices are supported by valid documentation and appropriate approvals.
- Maintain an updated accounts payable register.
- Prepare payment schedules and payment vouchers for review and approval.
- Reconcile supplier statements against Company records.
- Follow up on discrepancies, credit notes and outstanding supplier documentation.
- Monitor due dates and support timely settlement of approved invoices.
- Maintain accurate records of contractor and supplier balances.
- Ensure payments are not duplicated or processed without appropriate authorization.
- Maintain proper documentation of all payments made.
Accounts Receivable, Billing & Collections
The Accounts Assistant will:
- Prepare and process customer, tenant and property-related invoices.
- Record receipts accurately and promptly.
- Allocate receipts to the correct customer, tenant, project or property account.
- Maintain accurate debtors' records and ageing schedules.
- Prepare regular outstanding receivables reports.
- Support collection efforts by following up on overdue accounts.
- Investigate unidentified, underpaid, overpaid or unapplied receipts.
- Assist in resolving customer and tenant account queries.
- Escalate long-outstanding or disputed balances to the Accountant/Finance Manager.
- Support the preparation of collection performance reports.
Bank, Cash & Reconciliations
The Accounts Assistant will:
- Perform daily, weekly and monthly bank reconciliations.
- Reconcile company, project, property and other designated bank accounts.
- Maintain accurate petty cash records.
- Verify petty cash requests, vouchers and supporting documents.
- Conduct regular petty cash reconciliations.
- Investigate and report unreconciled items and discrepancies.
- Reconcile customer, tenant, supplier and other subsidiary accounts.
- Ensure reconciling items are investigated and cleared promptly.
- Maintain proper documentation of all reconciliations.
Statutory Compliance & Audit Support
The Accounts Assistant will:
- Support preparation of statutory tax schedules and returns as assigned.
- Assist in maintaining documentation relating to VAT, withholding tax, PAYE and other applicable statutory obligations.
- Ensure supporting documents for statutory submissions are properly maintained.
- Assist in responding to internal and external audit queries.
- Prepare schedules and supporting documents required during audits.
- Maintain an organized and audit-ready financial records system.
- Immediately escalate any potential compliance issue to the Accountant/Finance Manager.
Financial Reporting & Management Support
The Accounts Assistant will:
- Assist in preparation of monthly management accounts and financial reports.
- Prepare schedules relating to revenue, expenditure, receivables, payables and cash balances.
- Assist in preparing project and property financial reports.
- Support budget monitoring and variance analysis.
- Assist in preparation of cash flow information and payment forecasts.
- Provide accurate financial information required by management.
- Highlight material variances, unusual transactions and financial risks.
Internal Controls, Risk Management & Confidentiality
The Accounts Assistant will:
- Comply strictly with the Company's financial policies, procedures and approval limits.
- Ensure segregation of duties is maintained in financial transactions.
- Safeguard financial records, payment instruments and confidential information.
- Ensure no payment or transaction is processed without proper authorization and supporting documentation.
- Report suspected fraud, theft, financial irregularities, manipulation of records or unauthorized transactions immediately.
- Maintain confidentiality of Company, client, tenant, supplier and project financial information.
- Support implementation and strengthening of financial controls.
- Participate in periodic verification of assets, project expenditure and financial records.
- Ensure financial information is not altered, concealed or manipulated.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
Academic Qualifications
- Diploma in Accounting, Finance, Commerce, Business Administration or a related field from a recognized institution.
- CPA (PART 1) or equivalent professional accounting qualification is an added advantage.
- Relevant professional membership will be an added advantage.
Experience
- Minimum 1 year experience in accounting or finance.
- Experience in construction, real estate development, property management or project-based businesses will be a strong advantage.
- Experience handling supplier/contractor accounts, project costs, rent collections or property accounts will be an added advantage.
