Senior Accounting Officer

The Senior Accounting Officer is the primary accounting lead for DFO's complex external client portfolios.

The role combines technical precision with genuine client care: accurate books, timely filings, clean reconciliations, and professional relationships - delivered consistently, under the strategic oversight of the CFO.

This person supervises the Client Accountant (Junior), reviews and approves their output before it reaches clients, and contributes to the accounting SOPs that keep the team running well.

They work independently on their day-to-day responsibilities and bring the CFO in for strategic questions, unusual risks, and matters beyond their current authority.

We are looking for someone who is technically excellent, calm under pressure, and genuinely invested in the clients they serve.

The right person will find this role demanding and deeply satisfying in equal measure.

% Time

Prepare, review, and validate financial statements for complex external clients: balance sheets, P&L, and cash flow reports.

Ensure compliance with UAE accounting standards and each client's reporting schedule.

Review and approve junior output before client delivery.

Manage accounts payable and receivable across multi-entity client structures in Zoho Books.

Oversee inter company transactions and eliminations.

Maintain accurate, audit-ready records at all times.

Self-review daily before closing off entries.

Act as the primary point of contact for assigned complex client accounts.

Acknowledge client messages the same day they are received, during working hours.

Communicate proactively - flag issues before clients discover them.

Build professional, trust-based relationships that reflect DFO's standard of care.

Client communication outside working hours follows the protocol agreed with the CFO.

Own the full UAE VAT cycle for assigned clients: registration, monthly or quarterly filings, reconciliation, and routine FTA correspondence.

Prepare Corporate Tax schedules and supporting documentation.

Support external auditors with organized, complete files.

Escalate FTA risks or audit flags to the CFO promptly.

Review the Client Accountant's output daily and provide specific written feedback.

Contribute to accounting SOPs when gaps are identified - flag the gap and propose the fix.

Process improvement is a contribution here, not a primary accountability.

Quality of output matters more than quantity of documentation.

Manages inter company transactions, consolidations, and multi-currency books without guidance.

Identifies structural errors before they reach the client.

Files independently and handles routine FTA correspondence with confidence.

Identifies compliance risks early and brings them to the CFO with context.

Builds professional, trust-based relationships with complex clients.

Communicates proactively during working hours.

Clients feel well-served without being over-promised.

Reviews output with genuine scrutiny.

Provides specific, written feedback.

Develops the junior's skills through structured guidance, not just task assignment.

Remains composed when clients raise concerns or deadlines compress.

Does not internalize client pressure or allow it to affect accuracy or professional judgment.

Brings issues to the CFO early, with context and a proposed resolution.

Knows the boundary between what they can resolve independently and what requires oversight.