Financial Accountant
Contract initially until end of 2025 – to be extended
Milton Keynes – Hybrid
Up to £400.00 per day
Purpose of the role:
We have 3 strategic programmes of work to deliver multiple system functionality that includes core financial modules for our business. The 3 programmes will run concurrently and will cover 2 new contract management applications, 1 new accounting and reporting application (S4 Hana) in addition to accounts payable & receivable modules and payment processing whilst ensuring a robust controls framework exists. To support this, we have a need for specialist Finance skillsets to work across the programmes.
This role takes shared responsibility within the Reporting team for defining business requirements, assessing how system/process changes impact downstream processes and business readiness activities.
As new code and functionality are delivered, the person in this role will gain a full understanding of the operational tasks performed within the new application for the Financial Reporting team together with an understanding of all internal and external reporting
A large part of the role will be cross functional working within the programmes, including our new contract management platform suppliers as well as our colleagues in the Finance Department and other workstreams within the programme.
Note: this is not an operational role. This role takes experience and knowledge from operational experience and applies it to working in a cross functional programme delivery team.
Responsibilities
* Be a Subject Matter Expert on the financial postings for various products and processes, ensuring these are fully captured in and becoming the team specialist for the new applications.
* Previous Project Support
* Understand Reporting requirements and the chart of accounts
* Attending project meetings as required, supporting colleagues within the Finance workstreams as required, managing diary and meeting conflicts
* Understand the interaction and impact of subsidiary systems on the main accounting systems to ensure system integrity, particularly in relation to specific Balance Sheet and Profit & loss accounts, highlighting issues as necessary
* Understand the impact of operational changes to procedures and core business systems
* Learn the key features of the new applications
* Support in the writing of business requirements, clarifying accounting treatment and process with the functional Team, collaborating with the Business Analysts, Developers and Testers in the delivery of those requirements
* Drafting the process maps and procedures relating to the new processes/tasks to be performed by the functional Team, together with delivering training and training material.
* Provide regular updates to the Financial Reporting team on programme progress and secure decisions/escalation where required
* Perform/Support UAT where appropriate to ensure that key controls are included within testing to deliver a robust solution
* Manage the data migration tasks for the reporting team in the new applications, including reconciliation activity.
Key Skills
* Part qualified (ACCA/CIMA/ACA)
* Excellent communication skills
* Experience of and good understanding of month end reporting and balance sheet reconciliations
* Experience of managing relationships with multiple stakeholders
* Good understanding of the general ledger and reporting landscape, knowledge of SAP (FI, AP & AR) preferable
* Advanced Excel skills
* Strong analytical skills
* Methodical and accurate
* Ability to work under pressure, prioritise workload, demonstrate flexibility and proactivity while delivering to strict deadlines
* A team player with excellent communication skills at all levels of the business and the ability to build and maintain strong effective relationships.
* Ability to manage multiple stakeholders.