Financial Controller Highclere Castle & Estate

Highclere Castle & Estate has an exciting opportunity for a full time Financial Controller

Highclere Castle is a globally recognised brand and one of the most famous historic houses in England. The Castle has become well known as the location of the successful TV series Downton Abbey and attracts thousands of visitors and many events throughout the year. Highclere is also a working estate with its own farming and property management business.

We are seeking an experienced and dedicated qualified accountant to manage a small accounts team. This role will be responsible for the accounting for all entities at Highclere, including the Castle and the wider farming and property businesses within the Estate.

Responsibilities

• Manage day to day accounting for 4 entities, including supervision of accounts department
• Responsibility for review and posting of transactions including purchase ledger, sales ledger, bank reconciliation and journals.  Use and management of in-house system which deals with multiple online ticket events and handles incoming cash and reconciliation with the bank
• Preparation of monthly Management Reports with supporting information
• Preparation and review of monthly and quarterly VAT returns
• Analysis and reconciliation of sales data
• Finance responsibility for system changes and improvements
• Oversight and responsibility for payroll processing and HR documentation

Qualifications and experience required for this role:

• Qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA) with previous experience in a similar role essential
• Must be highly motivated with the ability to prioritise, manage own workload and work under pressure to meet deadlines
• Ability to learn quickly, with a high level of attention to detail and an analytical mind
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written
• High level of integrity and enthusiasm to provide the highest quality service at all times with a “Can Do” attitude and strong work ethic
• Computer literate with sound knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word and a high level of capability in Excel. Exposure to a range of different accounting packages would be an advantage.
• Experience of SME and owner managed businesses preferred