Group Financial Accountant

Newly created role of Group Financial Accountant for an expanding PE backed business in the Wakefield area. The purpose of this role is to help deliver a “Best in class” Financial and Management Accounting function across the business and help support and deliver a highly commercial finance strategy for ambitious and passionate operating business units. The role also has specific group wide responsibility for all technical and statutory accounting / reporting requirements across the Group. 

Key responsibilities will involve: 

Financial Reporting - Internal:

• Responsibility for the consolidation of the Management accounts and cashflow forecasts for the the Group for reporting upstream.
• Taking responsibility for the month end reporting requirement for the Group Central Overheads, including operating costs, liaising with functional budget holders to review monthly transactions and updated forecasts, budgets etc.
• Managing the Intercompany reconciliation process on a monthly basis to ensure account reconciliations are complete, agreed between counterparties and cleared down on a timely basis.
• Responsibility for the production and presentation of the monthly 13 week rolling cashflow report, ensuring clear understanding and communication of key variances and key messages, but joint responsibility with the Head of Transactional Services  or Head of FP&A for the numbers within the forecasts.
• Responsibility also for the preparation of the quarterly updated cashflow forecasts (3+9/6+6 and Budget).
• Ensure that monthly management accounts, Budgets and forecasts comply with accounting standards and business policies, and are delivered in a timely manner; explaining key variances, trends and outlook to the leadership team and Board.
• Prepare and maintain Group Board Report templates and schedules
• Support CFO provision of Board information

Compliance and external reporting

• Carry out all necessary actions to ensure that the company meets its financial and legal obligations.
• Ensure internal reporting around compliance with Loan note and Bank covenants are prepared for internal review and sign off by FD and CFO within agreed timelines.
• Prepare the Group’s audited financial statements to ensure that these are presented accurately and on time, with no audit adjustments.
• Coordinate and be the key contact for the external auditors and coordinate and take day to day ownership for the delivery of the annual audit process.
• Liaison with professional advisors on tax compliance matters.
• Ensure all the above responsibilities comply with GDPR legislation and policies.  

Other

• Support the Finance Director and CFO with ad hoc analysis and projects as required.

Skills and Experience required: 

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA or ACCA)
• Strong technical accounting knowledge
• Excellent analytical/ IT skills with experience of managing financial and management reporting, financial modelling, processes and systems.
• Extensive experience of Finance / ERP systems, as well as strong Excel and other Office software experience
• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• Planning, organising and adhering to tight deadlines
• Ability to use own initiative, and a problem solving mindset
• Flexible approach and a “can-do” attitude
• Excellent communicator, with the ability to deliver key messages both within written reports and in meetings.
• Business partnering ethos and team player
• Working capital management, driving performance to maximise cash generation
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders, customers and operational teams in a business
• Track record of delivering management accounts on time and to a high standard

A great opportunity to join an expanding PE backed business