Milicent Stols

Widely experienced and goal-oriented Accounts Payable Manager and Leader with a demonstrated track record of managing large teams.

Preparation and analysis of financial reporting to forecast financial position. 

Proven expertise in driving efficiency and productivity through evaluation of financial management systems and implementation of process improvements. 

Talented leader directing Accounts Payable and financial management teams to support achievement of overall corporate goals and objectives. 

Core competencies include: 

• Understanding and applying Accounts Payable Managerial skills
• SAP and BEST – Super user on Accounts Payable
• Analysing and reporting on expense variances. Actual vs. Budget
• Cash Management and forecasting
• Budget assistance
• Preparation of training manuals  
  Accounting disciplines GAAP, SOX, Corporate Governance
• Raising and managing provisions and accruals
• Legislation Compliance
• Efficiency Improvements
• Full creditors function
• Improvement mindset
• Attention to detail and ability to work accurately and deliver quality outputs
• Strong service delivery ethic
• Good problem-solving skills
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines
• Strong interpersonal, communication, influencing and relationship-building skills

My values include respect, innovation, excellence, integrity, discipline, gratitude, partnership, honour, empathy, humility, diligence, reliability. To serve those I lead and those less fortunate.

I provide excellence – I expect excellence.

Unitrade Management Services, Johannesburg, South Africa 

• Creditors/Accounts Payable Manager. 22 Feb 2018 to 31 March 2023 

Selected accomplishments: 

• Report directly to the Finance Executive
• Manage a team of 13
• Manage cashflow stringently on a daily basis – income vs. expenditure.
• Forecast monthly expenses timely and accurately in line with income avoiding overdraft situations
• Manage credit limits in line with monthly purchases 
• Reporting on Creditors functions balancing GL to AP
• Estimated book value R500 Million
• Manage claims and rebates raised and ensure resolution
• Paperless environment through improved efficiencies 
• Plan and organise own and subordinate’s workflow balancing the management of tasks Deadline environment enforced
• Prepare and provide training material 
• Ensure on the job training 
• Manage and ensure change.
• Discuss career planning
• Succession planning.
• Interview and recruit.
• Ensuring the accuracy  and management of the accounts payable Masterfile 
• Authorise bank entries
• Sign off payments 
• Authorise recons for payment.
• Segregation of duties 
• Adhere to formal controls 
• Minimising fraudulent activities.

Went to Mauritius with the intention of seeking employment and relocation.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

JD Group (Pty) Ltd, Johannesburg, South Africa 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

PRIOR

Stuttafords International Fashion Company, Johannesburg, South Africa 

Ster Kinekor Entertainment

A DIVISION OF PRIMEDIA (PTY) LTD

• Bookkeeper 9 June 2008 to 13 November 2008 (CONTRACT ASSIGNMENT ONLY)

Sterkinekor is leisure and entertainment focused business owned by the Primedia Group, a Johannesburg stock exchange listed public company.

Selected accomplishments:

Please note this was a contract position over their financial year end and was required to assist with problematic accounts and assisting in cleaning up of areas.

Selected accomplishments: 

• I reported directly to the CEO of Movie Stop on a daily basis. 
• Plan and organise my own workflow and leave, balancing the management of tasks meet all deadlines daily.
• Prepare accruals raised ensuring accuracy of expense coding, period and relevancy.
• Prepare expense account analysis by general ledger number and cost centres.
• Ensure that all fixed asset documentation is accurate, asset disposals, sales, merges forms attached if and when required.
• Reconciling balance sheet accounts, raising provisions, clearing provisions and monitoring those queries are resolved.
• Ensure that segregation of duties are in place at all times within my area and adhere to formal controls when going on leave to keep segregation of duties in place minimising fraudulent activities.
• Debtors  
• Creditors
• Reporting on franchise results per franchise
• Controlling of financial data on new franchise opening’s
• Month end reporting on Movie Stop
• Variance reporting actual vs. budget
• Stock control

Reason for leaving – Contract assignment. 

The Sisonke Partnership t/a IHD, Johannesburg, South Africa 

Selected accomplishments: 

• Report directly to the Finance Manager 
• Manage a team of 12
• Plan and organise my own and subordinates workflow 
• Plan leave
• Balance the management of tasks and staff to meet all deadlines daily.
• Draw up and evaluate – Job description, Performance Appraisals, KPI’s, IDP’s and monitor performance.
• Provide on the job training to all staff, identify learning gaps and follow up with additional training.
• Discuss career planning, introduce training where ability is shown and ensure that succession planning is in place at all times.
• Interview and recruit staff members.
• Perform control self assessments monthly to ensure the accuracy of the department.
• Test Effective Controls monthly ensuring compliance (SOX, GAAP and legislation). 
• Ensure all company policies are adhered to.
• Ensure the accuracy of the Accounts Payable module and the General Ledger and investigate imbalances and do the corrections.
• Responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the accounts payable masterfile and the legal custodian report for all active vendors.
• Authorise all accruals raised ensuring accuracy of expense coding, period and relevancy.
• Perform intercompany balancing within the Uti group ensuring exchange rates are used and confirmations are received.
• Responsible for setting up monthly deadlines timetables monthly in advance, distributing and communicating with all concerned and monitor that all deadlines are met.
• Prepare expense account analysis by general ledger number and cost centres.
• Ensure that all fixed asset documentation is accurate, asset disposals, sales, merges forms attached if and when required.
• Responsible for the EBMS flow processes in my area, ensuring that these are drawn up, reviewed and changes made if and when required.
• Responsible for learner guides in my area, ensuring that these are drawn up, reviewed and changes made if and when required.
• Assist in the budgeting process by providing information to managers, assisting in expense forecasts and setting budgets for selected cost centers.
• Reconciling balance sheet accounts, raising provisions, clearing provisions and monitoring that queries are resolved.
• Perform bank reconciliations, resolve queries and report of suspected fraudulent activities.
• Ensure that segregation of duties 
• Minimising fraudulent activities.
• Multiple cost centre and general ledger coding 
• Procurement Supervisor 1997 to 1999
• DC Services (Supervisory position) 1995 to 1997
• Credit Controller – 1 April 1994 to 1995.

Reason for leaving – Family responsibility 

First Paper House, Johannesburg, South Africa

First Paper House is a leading paper merchant specialising in coated, fine, local and imported paper.  First Paper House is part of Antalis. Prior to being owned 100 % by Sequana Capital, Antalis was the distribution division of the Arjo Wiggins Appleton Group, itself the result of the 1990 merger of Arjomari and Wiggins Teape. 

Selected accomplishments:

• Telesales
• Marketing of paper products telephonically
• Issuing sample paper to potential customers.
• Promoting new paper brands
• Working closely with graphic companies to promote paper.
• Quotes, invoicing, negotiating.

Reason for leaving – Career move (still finding my feet in my career path)

Body Decor, Johannesburg, South Africa 

Body Décor, Johannesburg SA was a small silkscreen printing company specialising in the silk-screening on fabric for the fashion industry.  The company was extremely small consisting of the owner, PA and approximately 15 general workers.  The company is no longer in operation.

Selected accomplishments: 

• Filing
• Faxing
• Typing
• Invoicing
• Debtors and creditors functions
• Quoting on jobs
• Canvassing to obtain new business
• Supervising of work flow
• Ensuring deadlines are met.

Reason for leaving – Maternity.  Stayed at home with first child

Cerebos Foods, Johannesburg, South Africa 

Cerebos foods is best known by the Cerebos Foods brand name salt. Cerebos foods are also instrumental in “no name” brand foods packaging.

Selected accomplishments:

• Collecting of outstanding money.
• Reconciling payments to statement.
• Raining claims
• Resolving queries

Reason for leaving – Career move (still finding my feet in my career path)

Affiliated Medical Administrators, Johannesburg, South Africa 

Affiliated Medical Administrators, Johannesburg, SA is a medical administration company that hosts a group of different medical aid schemes suited and catered around company needs and requirements predominantly focussing on medical aid schemes to suit the mining industry..  These included (but not limited to) Boart Medical Aid, Anglo and CEMAS, the largest scheme at the time.

Selected accomplishments:

• Adding new members to a medical aid group.
• Deleting members who resigned from the medical aid schemes.
• Amending dependants on the medical aid scheme.
• Reconciling of payments made to the schemes
• General correspondence
• Processing claims

Reason for leaving – Career move (still finding my feet in my career path)

EDUCATION

General Smuts High Schools, Johannesburg, South Africa 

IHD, Johannesburg. Other experience includes in-house training:

COMPUTER PACKAGES 

SAP - Excellent

Excel - Excellent

Word - Excellent

PowerPoint - Strong

Microsoft Mail

Internet

Navision

Dolfin

Netscape

Delta 1 (in-house AP)

PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Accomplishments.

• 2019 – Facilitated the use of BEST reconciling automation and was able to supply accurate details of potential liabilities
• 2019 – Introduced and managed and maintained debit balances reducing the book from over R6mil to R500k

REFERENCES

Provided on request to the recruitment agency

High School Certificate Matric (Grade 12)