Job Title: Financial Accountant
Overall purpose of role
To provide financial accounting and control services to all Ongo group companies
To lead on matters relating to statutory accounting, tax and the external audit for the Group and all entities within the Group
To lead and manage the group’s VAT processes and returns, ensuring compliance with VAT legislation and meeting reporting deadlines
To support the Financial Controller with the management of the group’s insurance cover and claims, embedding risk management within the process and supporting risk management across the group
To be Ongo’s finance team’s lead on work involving setting of service charges
To identify and support with the introduction of efficiencies in working practices and procedures across the finance team
Engage with other areas of the finance function and the business at all levels and external partners as required on such matters to provide a first-class service to all parts of the Ongo group
We offer all our employees a great package of benefits too, including:
Competitive salary £47,500 which is bench marked against other employers
Enrolment on our Aviva pension scheme (9.5% employer contribution)
30 days holiday (plus extra days off for Bank Holidays/Birthdays)
Health care scheme
Flexible/agile working, plus the option to work from home if your role allows
Enhanced maternity/paternity pay
Continual professional development including management development.
A dedicated health and wellbeing programme (access to a variety of support and free benefits)
Time out of work to carry out volunteer opportunities
Main Responsibilities
Financial / Statutory Accounting:
To lead on all matters relating to the production of the annual statutory accounts of all entities within the Ongo Group and all required consolidations within that Group:
o Maintain a detailed knowledge of all accounting and reporting requirements that apply to all entities within the Group or to the group itself, including but not limited to Regulatory requirements, company law, charitable law, current financial reporting standards
o Review the year end reporting packs prepared by other members of the finance team to ensure that they can be relied upon as a basis for producing the statutory accounts
Management of all statutory adjustments required to enable the production of the final accounts
o Produce the annual financial statements including all relevant disclosures in the formats prescribed for all entities by relevant regulatory and statutory requirements
o Produce consolidated group accounts in the format required by legislation
Drafting of all required narrative reports and agreement of same with the relevant Board Members and executive officers
o Produce all governance documents required to allow the timely completion and signing of the annual financial statements. Collaborate with the governance team to ensure appropriate documentation is prepared within a timely manner, meeting all deadlines
o Liaise with the wider finance team to ensure accurate reporting of opening balances
o Consider any recommendations to enable more efficient or accurate reporting in future years and discuss the same with the wider finance team
o Work alongside other members of the finance team to support with the preparation of the Regulator’s Financial Forecast Return
Prepare the annual Financial Viability Assessments for submission to the Regulator
Prepare the returns required by the Group’s bankers
Produce the data required by Housemark around pay and non-pay costs
Calculate the entries to be included within the Group’s Annual report and liaise with the PR team as appropriate
Calculate the entries required for the Charites Commission Annual Return
Ensure that appropriate technical advice is both sought and applied on all technical accounting matters for all entities within the Group
External Audit
Management of the external audit relationship:
Organisation and management of the annual audit to ensure the audit can proceed efficiently and conclude within the agreed timescales, resulting in the timely production of the (unqualified) audit reports
Liaise with staff across the group to obtain information requested by the auditors
Maintaining ongoing relationships with the external auditors throughout the year.
Financial Control
To ensure that strict financial control is maintained across the accounts of all entities within the Group:
o Maintain awareness of Ongo’s framework of financial control and assurance applied across all entities of the Group and support with compliance therewith
o Support with any processes of verification and validation of control and reconciliation duties carried out by other finance staff across the Group, and to carry out such reconciliations and corrections as may be required
o Carry out the reconciliation of all inter-company transactions and balances across the Group on an annual basis, ensuring that no imbalances in inter-company accounts exists at the close of any accounting year
o Ensure that reconciliation of all bank accounts is completed at each financial year close
o Management of the annual pension valuation process and incorporation of results into the annual financial statements.
o Production of relevant reports for issue to the Head of Service, the Executive Team and the Boards such that assurance is gained that an appropriate level of financial control is being applied.
VAT / Taxation
o Maintain the knowledge required ensuring full compliance by the Group and its entities with VAT and corporation tax regulations.
o Oversee the production of the VAT returns of the Group (three schemes including a group scheme with partial exemption implications) and provide appropriate technical guidance as required to those involved in the production of VAT returns and transactional processing.
o Ensure accuracy of the VAT returns, their timely preparation and preparation appropriate of the relevant calculations to provide assurance over the entries contained thereon prior to submission to HMRC. Ensure all returns are submitted by the deadlines.
o Calculation of the annual VAT adjustment and ensure its inclusion on each June’s VAT return
o Produce the annual corporation tax computations and their inclusion, with relevant disclosures, in the annual financial statements
o Consider whether corporation tax payments on account are due and ensure any payments are made by the appropriate dates
o Work with the finance team to consider mechanisms for reducing corporation tax liabilities, specifically around donations and gift aid payments
o Collaborate with the external advisors to ensure corporation tax computations and returns are submitted and tax payments made by the relevant deadlines
o Consult with external taxation advisors in respect of ongoing compliance with direct and indirect taxation regulations and requirements.
Consider options available to enable the group to minimise its tax liabilities, VAT and corporation tax, and consult with external consultants as appropriate
Respond to questions from external agencies
Business change and transformation
o Where nominated, work alongside the finance lead in relation to all business transformation and change activity which has an effect on finance or with which finance are involved.
o To identify and lead on process improvement programmes within finance to ensure efficiency of process and working methods within the finance team.
Insurance
Manage the annual renewal process, collating relevant information from individuals across the organisation, liaising with the group’s insurance broker and producing information to enable senior staff to agree terms
To manage the in-year claims process, log claims received by the group with the insurers, obtain and provide them with relevant information, liaise with individuals across the organisation
Maintain details of costs incurred on claims and ensure fully reclaimed from insurers. Manage and maximise loss of rent and any other claims
Collate relevant information and provide to appropriate staff to enable assessed risks to be minimised and controlled and help to ensure that the correct cover is put in place
Work with the Group’s insurance broker to embed insurance across the organisation, working alongside other teams as necessary
Pensions
Prepare the data to enable the timely submission of the monthly pension returns to Aviva and the local government pension scheme
Submit the monthly returns in line with the pension schemes requirements
Coordinate with the People and Culture team to support with any questions arising with regards to pensions
Consider the pension deductions made through the payroll and query any that are not in line with expectations
Liaise with pension providers and the payroll bureau as necessary
Support the People and Culture team regarding pension scheme regulations
Provide information to the wider finance team to enable them to undertake their processes
Other
Be the finance lead on the annual calculation of the service charges raised to tenants. Deal with the appropriate individuals from across the Group.
Consider any opportunities to introduce efficiencies into existing working practices
Design reports on the finance system for use by the finance team
Any other duties commensurate with the roles level of responsibility and/or as reasonably directed or requested by the Financial Controller or other senior or executive management
To provide support, guidance and training to the assistant accountant and introduce them to new processes and/or responsibilities where deemed appropriate. Perform regular one-to-ones and PDRs as required by Ongo’s policies
Knowledge, Skill and Experience Required
Technically skilled accountant (qualified or QBE) from Practice or Industry, with a good understanding of key accounting principles fundamental to the duties and responsibilities of the role
Experience of preparing statutory accounts for corporate entities
Experience of preparing VAT returns. Experience of partial exemption VAT would be beneficial but is not a requirement
Experience of preparing corporation tax returns
Ability to manage external stakeholders in specialist areas
Ability to work independently but also cooperatively, without close supervision
Good interpersonal and communication skills, with ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders at a variety of levels, orally and in writing
Ability to prioritise own work, and to work accurately under pressure to meet conflicting deadlines
Be able to relate duties and deliverables of the role to a wider business context.
Highly IT literate, specifically in relation to finance systems and their efficient use and development
No experience of service charges or insurance claims and processes is required. The successful candidate will be trained and supported with these aspects of the role
Housing Association experience would be beneficial but is not a prerequisite for the role
CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS WEDNESDAY 14 MAY 2025