Group Financial Accountant

Our client, a large utilities business, are recruiting a Group Financial Accountant.  This is a great opportunity to be add real value to a leading North West based FTSE listed PLC. Reporting directly to the Group Finance Manager, this high profile role will play a critical part in the continued success of the business.

The key purpose of the role is to provide support in developing and maintaining an outstanding level of financial and regulatory reporting within the group, in terms of uniformity, integrity, timeliness and quality that meet all the needs of the business and reflect changes as it develops.

The successful candidate needs to deliver an outstanding level of financial management and business partnering to ensure that the financial impact and financial considerations are effectively integrated within the overall management process. There is also responsibility to provide advice and technical support to the Finance Department and the wider organisation on both statutory and regulatory basis supporting the strategic decision making process.

An abridged list of responsibilities includes:

• Provide support for the statutory reporting process for the operating and holding companies.
• Provide support for the regulatory reporting process, including the implementation of the RIIO accounts.
• Preparation of Accounting and Board papers to support the reporting process.
• Provide technical accounting support to the Finance department and the wider organisation.
• Support the financial controls across the Group; assist to develop and maintain the Financial Control Manual.
• Work with the Systems Accountant to ensure the SAP security structure us aligned with the business requirements.
• Work closely with CFO and CEO directorates and the other Operational Finance managers, playing a lead role in the day-to-day financial management of the assigned directorates.
• Manage the inputs to the business plan, budget and forecasts for the CFO and CEO directorates, ensuring consistency of assumptions with other areas of the plan.
• Establish, develop and manage a high quality finance business partnering service for the assigned directorates.
• Undertake ad-hoc investigation or special work into areas of concern or uncertainty with the financial or management results. 

The successful candidate will be ACA/ACCA qualified ideally from a practice background with strong corporate reporting skills and the ability to pro-actively highlight issues to meet the needs of the audience.

They will hold strong analytical skills with the ability to communicate effectively with all members of the organisation in order to explain variances and underlying trends. By doing this, they will be able to influence senior members of staff without formal reporting lines. Knowledge of the latest UK GAAP/IFRS/IAS standards is ideal and knowledge of SAP is desirable.

This company offers fantastic career progression through various outlets in the finance department. This role will be well suited to an individual looking to make a first time move from practice into a commerce and industry environment. Salary is £40,000- £45,000 with potential 10.5% bonus with other benefits including private healthcare and a brilliant pension scheme.