Accountant

Job Description

Group Accountant
Department:* Finance & Accounts

*Reports To:* Finance Manager

*Location:* Dubai, UAE

Job Summary

We are looking for a responsible and detail-oriented Group Accountant to manage and oversee the accounting and financial activities of a privately held Dubai-based group of companies and associated entities.

The role is responsible for maintaining accurate financial records, managing day-to-day accounting operations, ensuring tax and regulatory compliance, and providing timely financial information to management for decision-making. The Group Accountant is expected to exercise independent professional judgment on routine accounting matters and to escalate to management only where a business decision is required.

Key Responsibilities

– Handle day-to-day accounting and bookkeeping for all assigned companies and entities.

– Maintain accurate records of sales, purchases, expenses, income, receivables, payables, and bank transactions.

– Prepare and maintain monthly financial reports and management accounts within agreed deadlines.

– Perform bank and credit card reconciliations and ensure all transactions are properly recorded and supported.

– Review a high volume of card and cash expense submissions from multiple staff; follow up on missing documentation and enforce submission deadlines and standards.

– Set, communicate, and enforce the expense reporting procedures followed by non-finance staff across entities and locations, with authority to reject non-compliant submissions and escalate repeated issues to management.

– Control petty cash floats across locations, including replenishment against receipts and periodic cash counts.

– Monitor accounts receivable and accounts payable and follow up on outstanding payments.

– Prepare payment runs for management approval and release; maintain proper authorization and supporting documentation for all transactions.

– Obtain and compare supplier quotations for maintenance, vehicles, and other significant purchases, and recommend options to management.

– Prepare and submit VAT returns and ensure compliance with UAE VAT requirements.

– Handle Corporate Tax matters, including registration, calculations, return preparation, and filing as required.

– Prepare audit-ready financial statements and manage the annual external audit for audited entities.

– Coordinate with external auditors, tax consultants, banks, and other financial service providers.

– Maintain fixed asset, vehicle, lease, and contract registers and recurring-payment schedules.

– Assist management with budgeting, cash-flow monitoring, financial analysis, and forecasting.

– Operate and improve the group’s automated accounting workflows (bank feeds, invoice capture, subscription billing).

– Identify accounting discrepancies or financial issues and report them to management promptly.

– Maintain confidentiality of all financial information.

Qualifications & Requirements

– Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.

– Professional certification (ACCA, CMA, CPA, or equivalent), completed or in progress, preferred.

– Minimum 5 years of accounting experience, including UAE experience with hands-on VAT and Corporate Tax filing.

– Experience as the sole or lead accountant for multiple companies/entities preferred.

– Audit background or experience managing an external audit preferred.

– Good understanding of general accounting principles and financial reporting.

– Experience with cloud accounting software (Zoho Books or similar) and Microsoft Excel.

– Ability to make sound accounting judgments independently and take ownership of outcomes.

– Confident, assertive communicator able to coordinate with and follow up on multiple staff and external parties.

– Experience guiding and supervising non-finance staff on financial procedures and reporting requirements.

– Strong attention to detail, organization, and time management.

– Ability to work independently, meet deadlines, and maintain strict confidentiality.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Accounting & Bookkeeping | VAT | Corporate Tax | Financial Reporting | Bank & Card Reconciliation | Accounts Payable & Receivable | Petty Cash Control | Expense Process Control | Procurement Support | Cash Flow | Compliance | Audit | Management Reporting | Multi-Company Accounting

Confidentiality

Due to the nature of the position, the employee will have access to sensitive company and business financial information. Strict confidentiality and professional discretion are required at all times.

Requirements added by the job poster

• Bachelor’s Degree