Accountant

Full-time · Hybrid (2+ days in our Paarl office) 

 

Own the numbers that power something real

Kastelo is a fintech business on a mission: money should open doors, not close them. We build finance tools that are simple, honest, and actually feel good to use the opposite of the fine print and dead ends most people expect from money.

 

Our finance function is being built the right way, and we're looking for the person to help build it. This isn't a seat where you keep the books ticking over quietly in the background. It's a role with real surface area, real ownership, and a direct line to how the business runs.

 

Why this role exists

We need someone to own the full bookkeeping cycle end to end and to treat our numbers as something they're personally accountable for, not just something they process. As we grow, our finance operations need to be accurate to the cent, run on time without being chased, and get sharper every month. That's the outcome you'll own.

 

You'll work closely with our CFO, but you won't be micromanaged. We'll give you the whole cycle and back your judgement. In return, we need someone who steps into gaps, flags problems early, and builds better processes rather than living with clunky ones. We want someone excited about something new and the opportunity to grow.

 

What you will own

• Money in. Process monthly invoices on Xero (EFT, debit orders and card) and follow up until every one is accounted for. Issue invoices for monthly rentals, ad hoc sales and asset disposals. Keep aged receivables current and chase outstanding debtors proactively — before they become a problem.
• Money out. Load monthly and ad hoc payments on Standard Bank Business Online. Process bank statements on Xero and reconcile them — every line, every month. Compile and report Friday cash balances monthly.
• Payroll. Process monthly and ad hoc inputs and amendments on PaySpace, accurately and on time. Send the payment file, close the run, and post the salary journal. Submit the monthly EMP201 return to SARS, and handle the monthly retirement-annuity liaison with Sygnia for the team.
• VAT & compliance. Make sure every VAT invoice is captured correctly on Xero — no gaps, no guesswork. Analyse the VAT report before submission and confirm every entry stacks up. Prepare and submit the bi-monthly VAT201 return to SARS.
• Fixed assets & month-end. Maintain the Fixed Asset Register — additions, disposals and monthly depreciation journals. Process NCR loan interest and reconcile Xero balances against loan schedules. Reconcile selected balance-sheet accounts each month, handle other month-end journals as they arise, and assist the Finance Manager with management accounts and trial-balance consolidation.

 

What you will bring

You've done this before, and you can prove it. Specifically:

• 3–5 years of solid bookkeeping, where you've owned the full cycle yourself — not just a slice of it.
• Hands-on Xero — bank feeds, reconciliations and reporting.
• PaySpace (or a similar payroll platform) and confident South African VAT & PAYE know-how.
• Comfortable on Standard Bank Business Online, and well beyond basic Excel.
• A relevant diploma or degree — or a track record that speaks louder than a qualification.
• Bonus if you're comfortable working across multiple products and currencies and can pivot fast when the business needs it.

 

The type person who will thrive here

We have learned that technical skill isn't what makes this role work — fit is. The people who do brilliantly at Kastelo tend to be:

• Accurate by habit. You reconcile to the cent. Discrepancies bother you until they're resolved.
• Efficient, not rushed. You keep pace with a lean team without cutting corners on the work that counts.
• A direct, clear communicator. Whether you're chasing a debtor or coordinating with Sygnia, you're clear, professional and easy to deal with — approachable without being vague.
• Trustworthy. Payroll and sensitive financials stay exactly where they should — with you.
• Commercially curious. You want to understand the business behind the numbers, not just process them.
• Self-sufficient and high-agency. You flag problems early, own your deadlines, and don't need to be chased. When something looks hard, that's the start of the conversation, not the end of it.
• Here to build. You genuinely want to contribute beyond a job description — improving processes, spotting what's missing, and making the finance function better than you found it.

 

Our culture and values

Kastelo runs on a simple bet: a small team of people who own their work outright can out-think and out-ship a large team waiting for permission. That only works if everyone lives by three things:

• Think clearly. We understand the real problem before charging at it. Good enough for a bank is not good enough for us.
• Own the outcome. We see a gap and step into it. The outcome is yours start to finish — the thinking, the doing, the follow-through, and the honesty when something doesn't work.
• Say it straight. Hard feedback to your face, good words behind your back. We're honest with each other the same way we're honest with our customers — no hidden agendas, no fine print.

 

We hire slowly and deliberately. On a team this size, every person shapes the culture, so we set the bar high and back the people who clear it.

 

Why join us

• Real ownership. You'll own the finance operation, not a corner of it. Your work is visible, and it matters.
• A team that moves. No layers, no waiting for permission, no politics. Decisions happen, and things get built.
• A mission worth the effort. We're making money feel good and open doors — and finance is at the heart of that.
• Room to grow. Growth here is self-directed and well-backed. Bring the drive, and we'll give you the surface area.
• Sustainable pace. We move fast, but rested people think clearly. We value the long game over heroics.

 

Working arrangement

This is a full-time, hybrid role. You'll spend at least two days a week with the team in our Paarl office, with flexibility on the rest.

 

Ready to own it?

If you've read this and thought “that's me” — that you want to own the numbers behind something real, and build a finance function you're proud of — we'd love to hear from you.