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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION: 
Chartered Financial Administrator 
DESIGNATION ID DESIGNATION TITLE
1322  Chartered Financial Administrator 
PROFESSIONAL BODY DESIGNATION STATUS
CIBA - Chartered Institute for Business Accountants (Formerly SAIBA)  Registered 
SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
SAQA 08145/24  2025-03-20  2030-03-19 


DESCRIPTION:
The Chartered Financial administrator is ideal for persons that are in the beginning stages of their career as an accounting and financial professional and who works in a bookkeeping, accounting or finance environment. This designation mainly requires basic business and financial administration knowledge with a distinct focus on accounting for transactions in the primary books of record and administration of supporting documentation.

A CFAdmin is required to have a good understanding of the accounting framework and be able to understand the complexities of accounting for various types of entities. Furthermore a CFAdmin should be able to ensure that source documents are captured correctly and be able to deal with exceptions. The CFAdmin is able process complex transactions, perform complex reconciliations and compile complex deliverables accurately as well as review these deliverables received from a bookkeeper.

The CFAdmin should be able to apply complex Value Added Tax principles to the bookkeeping environment and its integration with accounting for transactions.Furthermore, the CFAdmin has a non-complex understanding and application of Corporate and Individual taxes. Depending on the underlying qualification and/or experience of the CFAdmin he/she should have skills with regards to non-complex elements of financial management (management reporting and cash flow) or Business Management (such as in depth, specialised skills in compiling of a business plan). 
AWARDING CRITERIA
For the Professional Designation to be awarded, professionals must comply with the following minimum requirements: 
Underlying Registered Qualification or Part Qualification:
The Chartered Financial Administrator, CFAdmin designation is awarded to persons with one of the following
qualifications:
  • Certificate: Accounting Level 05 80189
  • Diploma in Public Sector Accounting Level 05 20353
  • Higher Certificate in Accounting Level 05 Various
  • Higher Certificate in Accountancy Level 05 99552
  • Higher Certificate in Accounting Practice Level 05 102038
  • Higher Certificate in Tax Administration Level 05 99384
  • Higher Certificate: Bookkeeping Level 05 Various
  • Higher Certificate: Commerce: Cost and Management Accounting Level 05 21077
  • Higher Certificate: Commerce: Financial Accounting Level 05 21078
  • National Certificate: N6 Financial Management Level 05 66998
  • National Certificate: N6 Business Management Level 05 66995
  • National Diploma: Technical Financial Accounting Level 05 36213
  • Occupational Certificate: Financial Administrator Level 05 91994
  • Occupational Certificate: Management Accounting Officer Level 05 112824 
    		•
    Experiential Learning or Experience
    CIBA requires that applicants confirm 12 -18 months' relevant experience.

    The candidate is expected to demonstrate that he/she has obtain the required qualification, experience and skills as required by the CIBA Chartered Financial Administrator Competency Framework. The Competency Framework was developed by performing a comparison study on professional accounting body qualification frameworks, experience requirements and assessments. It represents a synthesis of current best practice. The CIBA Competency Framework identifies and examines the necessary competencies that a potential financial administrator needs to develop as they develop their skills within the workplace. The competencies are those that distinguishes qualified financial administrators from unqualified financial administrators.

    A candidate does not need to be currently employed as a financial administrator but should be able to demonstrate the required competencies
    within the five roles of financial administration, namely:
  • Maintaining financial records,
  • Managing costs and finance,
  • Calculating and filing tax returns,
  • Evaluate information systems and data security,
  • Managing people.

    Assessments are conducted in two parts. CIBA evaluators verify the information presented by the candidate and an external assessor is appointed to perform a verbal assessment, if the experience was gained other than within a CIBA Approved Training Office (ATO).

    CIBA may decide to use any of the following optional assessment methods:
  • written exam marked by an examiner,
  • verbal assessment performed by an assessor,
  • Essay reviewed by an assessor,
  • portfolio of evidence reviewed by an assessor,
  • time sheets reviewed by an assessor.

    Qualifications + Experience + Assessment => Designations + CPD 
    		•
    Competency Assessment
    Competency Framework. The Competency Framework was developed by performing a comparison study on professional accounting body qualification frameworks, experience requirements and assessments. It represents a synthesis of current best practice. The CIBA Competency Framework identifies and examines the necessary competencies that a CFAdmin needs to develop as they develop their skills within the workplace. The competencies are those that distinguishes qualified financial administrators from the unqualified financial administrators. A candidate does not need to be currently employed as a financial administrator but should be able to demonstrate the required competencies within the two roles of the financial administrator, namely:
  • Maintaining financial records,
  • Managing costs and finance,
  • Calculating and filing tax returns,
  • Evaluate information systems and data security,
  • Managing people.

    Assessments are conducted in two parts. CIBA evaluators verify the information presented by the candidate and an external assessor is appointed to perform a verbal assessment, if the experience was gained other than within a CIBA Approved Training Office (ATO).

    Assessments are conducted in two parts. CIBA evaluators verify the information presented by the candidate and an external assessor is appointed to perform
    an oral assessment, if the experience was gained other than within a CIBA Approved Training Office (ATO). CIBA may decide to use any of the following optional assessment methods:
  • written exam marked by an examiner,
  • verbal assessment performed by an assessor,
  • essay reviewed by an assessor,
  • portfolio of evidence reviewed by an assessor,
  • time sheets reviewed by an assessor.

    02. Assessments that are conducted through structured interviews which require each candidate to respond to questions from relevant topics or subject areas as reflected in the Competency Framework and must apply what he or she has learnt to a scenario. Responses are marked within score sheet.
    The oral assessment is conducted in terms of the CIBA Assessment Policy and is used to judge:
  • Knowledge (relay the theory),
  • Understanding (reference an example), and
  • Problem solving and other abilities (explain a new or innovative application). 
    		•
    Designation RPL Statement
    This Designation may be awarded through Recognition of Prior Learning. 
    RETAINING CRITERIA
    In order to ensure the currency of professional knowledge and to retain the Professional Designation, the professional must comply with the following minimum requirements: 
    Code of Conduct
    Members must adhere to the Professional Body Codes of Conduct and Ethics. 
    Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
    Persons that have been awarded the designation Chartered Bookkeeper designation are required to engage in continuous professional development (CPD).
    This is how CIBA ensures our designations are highly regarded by employers and presents a competitive advantage to our members.

    Continuous quality confirmation is a hallmark of the designation, gives credibility and is valued by clients and employers.
    The CIBA CPD programme consists of:
  • Ethics: An annual CIBA course in ethics. This must be repeated annually.
  • Knowledge and skills: A Chartered Financial Administrator needs to log 15 hours CPD per annum. CPD is a means to update knowledge required within a specific occupation. 
    		•
    Fees
    Ensure that the annual membership fee is paid. 


    PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION PROGRESSION PATHWAY
    (The Designation being reported on here is shown in italics.)

    Sequence Designation ID Designation Title
    11323Chartered Bookkeeper
    21322Chartered Financial Administrator
    3521Chartered Business Accountant in Commerce (Chartered BAC)
    4520Chartered Business Accountant in Practice (Chartered BAP)
    5769Chartered Financial Manager (Chartered FM)
    6631Chartered Chief Financial Officer (Chartered CFO)


    PROFESSIONAL BODY WEB ADDRESS:
    For more information on this Professional Designation, please visit http://www.saiba.org.za