Accountant (Fixed term contract until 31st December 2026)

Reporting to the Head of Finance, you will work with budget holders to prepare budgets, monitor performance and identify improvements, producing timely management accounts, requiring strong communication with non-financial managers. You will oversee AP/AR and other finance system projects.

Requirements

Role Specific Requirements

• Complete all month-end processes, including journals, accruals, prepayments, recharges and updates to fixed assets.
• Raise AR invoices
• Check and confirm time entries recorded in the Timesheet system by operational staff.
• Perform monthly payroll review to confirm financial integrity.
• Maintain a robust PO system, ensuring controls are adhered to. Maintain Chart of Accounts.
• Bank reconciliations and cash management.
• Perform and evidence balance sheet reconciliations, investigating and documenting variances.
• Prepare monthly Management Accounts with robust commentary and variance analysis, challenging actuals against budgets/forecasts.
• Prepare KPI reporting, e.g. analysis on purchase orders, project overspends, etc.
• Prepare management information and analysis for quarterly Estates meeting (Group)
• Prepare management information and analysis as required by SMT and the principal.
• Prepare annual budgets and dynamic forecasts, reviewing monthly budgets/forecasts with budget holders.
• Maintain partnerships with budget holders, reviewing and challenging performance against budgets/forecasts on a regular basis.
• Prepare monthly cash flow for submission to Group.
• Manage credit card programmes ensuring robust controls.
• Prepare and analyse monthly monitoring of key projects and business streams across the Estates.
• Prepare information for tax returns, e.g. VAT, P11D and Partnership Tax returns.
• Maintain asset register and asset tagging, ensuring this aligns with Estate wide insurances.
• Support the Head of Finance in improving accounting, cash flow, budgeting/forecasting and reporting processes to ensure they meet business needs and comply with policies and audit requirements.
• Continuously developing own skills & knowledge, undergoing training where necessary.
• Handle and update system changes as required.
• Any other ad hoc duties and projects, as required.

Additional Responsibilities

Company Culture / Standards:

• Demonstrate and uphold the Estates’ values, principles and priorities.
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships across the Estates, family office entities and third parties.
• Proactively promote and maintain high standards across the Estates, taking the initiative to resolve issues or escalate any areas that do not meet required standards.
  

Training & Development:

• Complete all mandatory compliance training within deadlines.
• Committed to continuous development of own skills and knowledge, undergoing training when necessary.

Manager Responsibilities:

• Ensure work undertaken/produced by you and the wider team complies with regulations and standards.
• Manage your workload and time to complete aims and objectives and priorities.
• Adopt a working practice of continuous improvement.

Person specification / Core Competencies

Qualifications & Skills:

• Qualified CIMA/ACA/ACCA, or equivalent.
• Previous experience as a Management Accountant.
• Strong Excel skills.
• Experience with Epicor - desirable not essential
• Previous exposure to VAT.

Personal Attributes:

• Able to build relationships and explain financial matters to non-financial managers.
• Logical and solutions focused, self-motivated and competent
• Able to operate in a changing environment and proactively drive change.
• Enjoys challenges, finds solutions and takes ownership
• Able to prioritise and work within a timely manner to deadlines.
• Excellent organisational skills and confident communication skills
• Willing to take responsibility and ownership for tasks
• Strong sense of discretion, appreciating the confidentiality of the work
• Keen to suggest improvements to ways of working and a willingness to embrace new working practices
• Ability to work autonomously whilst possessing strong teamwork skills

Benefits

• Pension Scheme
• Life Assurance
• Private medical and dental cover
• 27 days holiday (plus bank holidays)
• Learning and Development opportunities
• Cycle to work scheme
• Electrical Vehicle scheme
• Employee Assistant Programme
• Access to product discount