Factory Accountant
Job Description
RCL FOODS is a deeply rooted South African food manufacturer that produces some of the country’s most-loved brands: Yum Yum peanut butter, Nola mayonnaise, Ouma rusks, and Sellati sugar, just to name a few. At the heart of our culture and strategy is our Purpose – WE GROW WHAT MATTERS – which encapsulates our belief in collectively doing that little more to create a positive impact that matters.
The Talent Acquisition Team is recruiting for a Factory Accountant. The role will be situated within the Spreads Operating Unit and report to the Commercial Manager. The role is based in Boksburg. The purpose of the rolw is to Lead Factory Cost control and governance. Analyse factory costs and material cost impact. Build factory and material budgets with heads of department.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Lead the quarterly budgeting and forecasting process for all material costs.
- Review, validate, and approve commodity oil pricing before SAP upload.
- Conduct quarterly reviews of input costs, including packaging and other ingredients.
- Assess Purchase Price Variance (PPV) reasonability in collaboration with the Commodity Team.
- Maintain and update SAP costing data for all Product Cost Estimates (PCE).
- Verify and validate quarterly pricing updates within SAP costing processes (CK40N).
- Perform quarterly reconciliations of PCE results and provide detailed variance analysis.
- Update external SDO costings and review variable SDO charge-out rates on a quarterly basis.
- Develop detailed Factory and Boiler House budgets in partnership with Factory Management teams.
- Implement governance and reporting frameworks to improve cost control, financial visibility, and accountability across Factory and Commercial teams.
- Lead monthly reporting on factory financial performance against budget and key targets.
Fuel for Growth Programme
- Track and report monthly on Fuel for Growth initiatives by engaging with department stakeholders to monitor project savings and budget performance.
- Provide accurate month-end tracking and reporting of savings achieved against approved project budgets.
- Ensure ongoing visibility of opportunities, risks, and cost-saving initiatives.
Month-End Reporting & Analysis
- Review factory expenditure before month-end close to ensure alignment with approved budgets and investigate variances.
- Monitor and track factory costs related to contracted services and projects.
- Prepare detailed monthly factory cost reports, including variance analysis and commentary from operational teams.
- Partner with Factory Managers to review key cost drivers, monitor budget adherence, and identify risks to achieving financial targets.
- Escalate significant cost concerns and financial risks to the Commercial Manager.
- Maintain and update the consolidated Opex Tracker for reporting requirements.
- Conduct SKU profitability and cost-impact analysis, including waste, over-spend, and under-spend allocations.
- Review and validate charge-outs to SDO and Unilever.
- Prepare detailed material and factory cost reconciliations by line item for management reporting (MIS).
- Review Meadowland cost centres and general ledger accounts for month-end accruals in conjunction with the Management Accountant.
Continuous Improvement, Audit & Governance
- Review and update factory engineering scrap factors annually to ensure costing accuracy.
- Evaluate production line efficiency rates annually and ensure COPA rates accurately reflect profitability allocations.
- Review weighted average costing within Bills of Materials (BOMs) to ensure current pricing is maintained.
- Support the capital expenditure (CAPEX) approval process.
- Assist with internal and external audit requirements and queries.
- Create and maintain Bills of Materials (BOMs), innovation updates, and specification amendments within SAP based on approved R&D workflows.
- Review and update SDO charge-out calculations, including variable steam charges and fixed-charge recoveries, in collaboration with Engineering teams and in line with established review cycles
Minimum Requirements
Bcom /CIMA/Bcompt or NQF Level 7 Advanced Diplomas
Sap Experience preferably with Copa +5 years
Costing and Factory Budget Experience +5years
Excel proficient
