Who are we?
Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. We're experts helping clients adapt and thrive in a changing world. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mind-set, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 23,000 employees and spanning 56 countries.
Our people are our biggest asset as well as our largest shareholder group and are everything that makes us unique; our inclusive culture, the quality service we offer our clients, and our continued growth, all come from our people-first approach. There’s no such thing as individual success. We all need to play our part, contributing our skills and experience to make a true difference. That’s Howden.
Why work at Howden?
We have always been employee-owned and driven by entrepreneurial spirit. Right from the beginning, we've focused on employing talented individuals and empowering them to make a real difference to the company, whilst building successful and fulfilling careers at the same time. Simply put, we hire talented specialists and give them what they need to make a difference for clients. Always have, always will.
People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It’s what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down disappointed head-hunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work/life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden
What we're looking for:
We're looking for a new member of our Group accounting team, who will be responsible for assisting with the monthly group IFRS 16 reporting process and the preparation of accounting papers and technical research projects. It is a very exciting time to join Howden to take a front row seat during a period of transformational change. This role would suit a person who likes to tackle accounting challenges but would also enjoy working with other teams (UK and internationally) both from finance and other areas of the business (e.g. IT, operations). It provides a blend of BAU month-end processes with one-off project based and transformational change work.
What you'll be doing
IFRS 16 reporting:
* Assist in providing IFRS16 reporting solution post implementation support to local teams
* Scope to assist with system improvements and testing
* Assist in monthly reporting and review of leases (entire Group)
* Provide guidance to teams with Group reporting and local application including the ongoing support to divisions (group wide project)
* Distinguish between straight forward lease queries which can be resolved independently and complex questions that require input from more senior team members
Key Accountabilities (What you are measured on)
* Timely and accurate production of accounting papers
* High quality outputs presented in a concise and easy-to-follow manner
* Timeliness of quarterly balance sheet reconciliations and quality of documentation of issues and their resolution
* Quality and speed of guidance provided (thinking about “number of emails avoided”)
* Identify and improve month-end, quarterly and annual processes
* You will also need to efficiently co-ordinate with local and divisional teams throughout the month end cycle or M&A projects.
Which skills, experiences and interests would a typical candidate already have:
Financial reporting
* Knowledge of IFRS (UK GAAP and relevant UK Law to a lesser extent)
* Experience with US GAAP reporting and SOX would be desirable but not essential
* Direct exposure (or demonstrated interest) with some of the following topics:
* Higher weighting
* Leases IFRS 16 (and differences from IAS 17)
* Acquisition accounting (IFRS 3 - determining consideration, review opening balance sheet, understanding fair value adjustments, determining goodwill)
* Intangibles assets (IAS 38 internally developed assets, software implementation costs)
* Valuations (concepts and interaction with different accounting standards)
* Lower weighting
* Financial instruments (IFRS 9)
* Share based payments (IFRS 2)
* Previous exposure to preparation or audit of consolidated accounts of a multi-currency Group and understanding consolidation accounting and interrelation between local (statutory) and group reporting would be a significant asset
* Some experience working with general ledger or consolidation systems would be very beneficial
Project management and communication
* Good project management – build / understand the plan, execute plans, follow up, anticipate risks and issues, communicate status and progress
* Problem solving capability
* Able to discuss accounting concepts and requirements with non finance people
* Able to work to deadlines whilst maintain quality of deliverables, anticipating issues with the timelines
* You will need to consider information provided to you with a level of professional scepticism, and a personal drive for producing high quality work
* Most importantly, you'll need to learn quickly, build relationships with colleagues from different areas of business, be a team player and adapt (and help others adapt) to a constantly evolving business environment and Group structure
Professional Qualifications
* Graduate level education (or equivalent), minimum 2.1
* Qualified accountant: newly qualified with up to 1 years PQE, preferably ACA/ CA (SA)
What do we offer in return?
A career that you define.
Our business succeeds by allowing our people to make a mark in the areas they care about most: personal development, volunteering, and fundraising for charity, or creating new insurance products that address society’s greatest challenges.
And we know that separate home and work lives don't really exist. If you're happy and healthy at home, you're more likely to be happy and fulfilled at work – and vice versa. That's why we do our best to support our people in every aspect of their lives.
Diversity and Inclusion
At Howden we value diversity - there is no one Howden ‘personality type’. Instead, we’re looking for individuals who share the same values as us:
* Our successes have all come from someone brave enough to try something new
* We support each other, in the small everyday moments and the bigger challenges
* We are determined to make a positive difference, at work and beyond
We consider our people our chief competitive advantage and as such we treat colleagues, candidates, clients, and business partners with equality, fairness, and respect – regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or family circumstances.
Reasonable adjustments
We're committed to providing reasonable accommodations at Howden to ensure that our positions align well with your needs. Besides the usual adjustments such as software, IT, and office setups, we can also accommodate other changes such as flexible hours* or hybrid working*.
If you're excited by this role but have some doubts about whether it’s the right fit for you, send us your application – if your profile fits the role’s criteria, we will be in touch to assist in helping to get you set up with any reasonable adjustments you may require.
*Not all positions can accommodate changes to working hours or locations. Reach out to your Recruitment Partner if you want to know more.
Our sustainability promise
We’re on a life-long journey to become an ever-more sustainable group. It's a commitment to taking care of our people and the world we live in, to doing good business, and to making a positive impact wherever we can. Our governance processes, company policies, and review systems are all geared towards our goal of making a positive impact in the world. You can read more about our sustainability work here.