Accountant- IFRS 17

Role Overview

This position sits within the finance and reporting function of a life insurance company, where you will be accountable for maintaining accurate ledgers, completing reconciliations, and preparing financial reports that meet IFRS 17 standards. Your daily focus will be on ensuring that all accounting data flows correctly from source systems into the general ledger, that technical provisions and insurance revenue figures are correctly calculated and documented, and that regulatory deadlines are met without compromising data quality. The work matters because the figures you produce directly inform external disclosures, statutory filings, internal decision-making, and auditor confidence in the company’s financial integrity.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare and post journal entries related to insurance contracts, premiums, claims, and reinsurance under IFRS 17, ensuring completeness and accuracy in the general ledger.
• Perform monthly, quarterly, and annual reconciliations between source data, actuarial outputs, and the financial accounting system, investigating and resolving variances promptly.
• Draft financial statement disclosures and supporting schedules in line with IFRS 17 requirements, including insurance service result, discount rates, and risk adjustment components.
• Support the period-end financial close process by providing accurate IFRS 17 data to internal stakeholders and confirming that all control checkpoints are satisfied before reporting.
• Prepare regulatory reports and returns required by the insurance regulator, ensuring submissions are complete, timely, and aligned with prescribed formats.
• Collaborate with the actuarial team to validate cash flow projections, best-estimate liabilities, and other inputs used in IFRS 17 calculations, flagging any anomalies.
• Facilitate internal and external audits by producing clear working papers, responding to queries, and documenting accounting judgements and assumptions.
• Participate in IFRS 17 system changes, user acceptance testing, and data validation activities to improve reporting processes and system efficiency.

Requirements & Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Commerce, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• A recognised professional accounting qualification such as CPA-K, ACCA, or equivalent; active membership in ICPAK or another professional accounting body is strongly preferred.
• Between two and four years of relevant experience in finance, accounting, or financial reporting, ideally within a life insurance or broader financial services environment.
• Practical exposure to IFRS 17 accounting, implementation, or reporting, including an understanding of general measurement models and disclosure requirements.
• Hands-on experience with period-end close, balance sheet reconciliations, preparation of financial statements, and completion of statutory or regulatory returns.
• Strong working knowledge of ERP and general ledger platforms, combined with advanced Microsoft Excel skills for data manipulation, scenario analysis, and reporting.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with actuaries, finance systems teams, and other cross-functional stakeholders to ensure data consistency and clarity.
• Prior involvement in supporting internal or external audit processes and responding to financial reporting questions with precision and professionalism.
• Experience in IFRS 17 system implementation, user acceptance testing, data validation, or process enhancement initiatives is a considerable advantage.