Management Accountant

Management Accountant 

Birmingham, United Kingdom

Circa £40,000 per annum

The Energy Systems Catapult is one of a network ten elite technology and innovation centres set up by Innovate UK.

The Catapults are places where the best of the UK’s innovative businesses and researchers work together to bring new products and services more quickly to commercialisation. Focusing on areas with great market potential, Catapults will open up global opportunities for the UK and generate economic growth for the future.

The Energy Systems Catapult works with companies that are focused on exploiting the new product and services opportunities created by the need to transform global energy systems. It will create a critical mass for business and research innovation, focusing on electricity, heat and combustible gases.

The Finance Department

The Finance Department comprises a Head of Finance and a supporting team of Accountants and Administrators providing a service to the Catapult to enable it to work effectively with its customers, suppliers, stakeholders and partners.

The Team provide the full range of financial support, including the preparation of monthly management accounts and associated information; annual reports and accounts; budgets; forecasts; cash management; transactions management; financial analysis and modelling; financial support to budget holders, projects and staff; liaison with external advisers, auditors and accountants; tax administration and other statutory requirements.

Payroll is outsourced but the finance team maintain the link with the external providers and supply all relevant information in conjunction with HR.

 Key Objectives

•    Production monthly management accounts and associated reports for management and Board and continually make recommendations for improvement.

•    Business partnering with budget holders and staff.

•    Preparation of grant claims & contract invoices.

•    Variance analysis, actions to address and forecast outturns with budget holders.

•    Budget setting and support to HoF working with budget holders.

•    Work closely with and support financial reporting as required.

•    Decision and bid proposal support.

•    Support development and implementation of financial policies, procedures and guidance for users.

•    System and process improvement including working with HoF and IT on finance systems (esp. Sage 200 and Coretime timesheet system).

•    Preparation of VAT returns.

•    Bank and ledger reconciliations.

•    Payroll administration with outsourced providers.

•    Any other duties as required.

 Key Work Tasks

•    Monthly management accounts and associated reconciliations.

•    Budget model and reporting, including audit trail.

•    Building good relationships with business partners including senior management team, heads of function and managers.

•    Financial policies and procedures – implementation and guidance to users.

•    Automating month end and associated reporting.

•    Mapping management accounts information into other reports for funders Bid support.

 Essential Skills & Capabilities

•    Team working

•    Attention to detail.

•    Able to deliver to deadlines and quality.

•    Accustomed to working in agile, dynamic and sometimes ambiguous environments.

•    Good relationship building.

•    Excellent communication skills – orally and in writing.

•    Graduate and qualified accountant.

•    Process improvement experience.

•    Excellent Excel skills and able to present clear and meaningful information for all users.

 Desirable Skills & Capabilities

•    Presentation skills

•    Project accounting and grant claims experience

•    Report writing

•    Sage 200 experience

•    Experience of reporting on time sheet systems