Name: Wilma Rennet Wessels
Occupation: Occupation: Financial Systems and Procedures Manager
Describe a typical workday.
The day starts by replying to e-mails and meeting with staff members to obtain specifications for the website being designed. When that is completed and documented in a work flow diagram, I record all the processes and actions that will be taken to perform a specific task, ie I follow step by step what the person does, eg creditors clerks’ work – the creditors clerk will receive the mail first thing in the morning. The mail is opened and date-stamped. The mail is sorted alphabetically and distributed between the creditors clerks. The creditors clerk will then collate the invoices, delivery notes and purchase orders, the invoice will then be checked for accuracy in price and quantity. The invoices are batched and processed on the computer. All the information that is gathered is documented to ISO 9000 standard. It is verified to be correct and authorised by the required authority levels within that department for auditing purposes. Thereafter it is published on the intranet under the policies and procedures menu. The same procedure as above applies to the computer program being used by our company. I write the manuals for the finance department.
Is there a dress code where you work?
Yes, smart-casual, with a casual day on Fridays.
Describe your workplace.
Corporate environment. A luxury office building, close to shopping malls and banking facilities.
Who do you report to?
The management accounting executive.
What do you like most about your job?
A new challenge every day! I get to now the operation of the company, enabling me to make suggestions and recommendations on problem areas being experienced or encountered within the company.
What do you like least about your job?
Within large organisations, communication is always a problem. What I find frustrating is not being informed when policies or procedures are changed. This can result in information on the intranet being incorrect.
What do you have to study to qualify to do what you do?
I completed the Damelin Business Management and Advanced Business Management courses and am presently doing my Oxford Brookes University BCom degree at Damelin. Having this degree to my name will be a definite advantage.
What personal skills are most important to do your job well?
Communication skills and the ability to pay attention to detail are fundamental talents required for my job. Also imperative is the ability to be able to identify the key facts when putting together procedure documents.
What is the average starting salary in your job?
About R18 000 per month.
What advice would you give someone wanting to go into this job?
You must be computer literate. A general knowledge of accounting concepts is a must.
– The Teacher/M&G Media, Johannesburg, November 2001.