Senior Accountant

The Accounting Development team provides technical accounting expertise to support the business and colleagues across the Finance community. The team is a centre of excellence and is pivotal in supporting the demands of a constantly changing business and external environment. In particular, the team is involved in the following key activities:

• Technical accounting - the team provides input and advice on accounting for changes, whether driven internally (new products or transactions) or externally (new accounting standards, exposure drafts or other relevant publications including from Legal/EU/FSA and industry bodies). The team is responsible for monitoring, reviewing, and interpreting the impacts of changes to accounting standards or other changes impacting accounting and reporting and engaging with other areas to ensure appropriately implemented. The team provides high quality technical accounting support for key transactions and projects, which in the past has included, for example, business mergers and acquisitions by the Group.
• Year end and half year – Accounting Development plays a key role in the planning, control and review processes for the production of year end and half year published accounts. The team is responsible for the set up of the accounts to ensure they are compliant with accounting standards, other relevant guidance or best practice as appropriate. The team is also the key liaison point for accounting matters with the External Auditors and is responsible for papers presented to the Audit Committee outlining all key accounting considerations relevant to the accounts.
• Business Partnering – the team is required to build strong relationships with other areas of Finance and the business, to ensure timely and effective engagement on key accounting matters.
• Accounting education and awareness – the team is responsible for organising CPE sessions to provide technical updates to the qualified Accountant population, as well as other smaller knowledge management sessions.

Additionally, Accounting Development has direct responsibility for some complex accounting areas such as pensions and provides a 'back check' review process for the Structured Finance Committee to confirm continued correct accounting on complex accounting structures such as securitisations.

The role is technically demanding, but with a need for a real commercial perspective. We are looking for a qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA) with appropriate post qualified experience & intellectual curiosity, a detailed knowledge of accounting standards and experience of preparing statutory accounts. The successful candidate will have a key role within a small specialist team and will be a team player.

You will be able to:

• Deal with complex information and accounting issues in order to debate and present appropriate solutions.
• Be commercially aware and be able to view issues from different perspectives and drive and implement appropriate solutions to meet business needs.
• Build effective relationships with Internal Stakeholders and External Advisors.
• Communicate effectively, tailoring written and verbal communication to audience needs.
• Produce clear and concise papers, with an ability to explain complex issues and ideas in a straight forward manner.
• Manage workload to deliver against challenging and sometimes conflicting deadlines.
• Collaborate effectively within the team to seek input and share ideas.

To apply, please press the Apply online button.