Job Title: Assistant Cost Accountant
Contract Type: Permanent
Location: Alderley Park
Working Style: Hybrid 50% home/office based
Closing Date: 2nd of February 2026
We have a fantastic opportunity for an Assistant Cost Accountant to join out Cost Accounting Team at Royal London, based in Alderley Park. The role holder will assist with the financial management and integrity of costs, both BAU and Change, to ensure fit for purpose month end reporting of costs and to assist with the delivery of improvements in the quality of group wide accounting and reporting.
More about the role:
* Providing strong support across allocated cost areas, ensuring accurate accounting and high‑quality analysis that is fit for purpose.
* Preparing and posting cost‑related journals as part of the monthly close process.
* Delivering clear analysis and commentary to explain cost movements and underlying activity.
* Reconciling cost accounts and maintaining compliance with relevant accounting standards.
* Preparing cost reports and summaries to support management decision‑making.
* Supporting monthly, quarterly and annual cost reporting cycles, including variance analysis.
* Ensuring robust Balance Sheet control through timely reconciliation and ageing of accruals and prepayments.
* Conducting analytical reviews of cost data and providing meaningful interpretation of results.
* Reviewing financial transactions to ensure they are accurate, valid and appropriately supported.
* Maintaining and improving existing processes, ensuring full governance and identifying opportunities for enhancement.
* Collaborating with stakeholders across Group Finance to improve cost accounting quality and financial analysis.
* Supporting the delivery of efficient and effective central cost analysis.
* Building a strong understanding of overall cost structures to confidently report key insights and articulate the main messages.
More about you:
* Professional Qualifications: CIMA part‑qualified, ACCA part‑qualified, or AAT Level 4 completed.
* Numerical & Analytical Ability: Strong numeracy with the ability to interpret financial data, perform analysis and understand key accounting principles.
* IT Proficiency: Confident user of Microsoft 365 products — including Excel (formulas, pivot tables), Word, Outlook and Teams — with the ability to improve and streamline spreadsheets and working files.
* Communication Skills: Clear and confident communicator, able to build strong working relationships with both finance and non‑finance colleagues.
* Business & Technical Understanding: Knowledge gained through formal training or practical experience, with an understanding of business products, functions and customer impacts.
* Organisational Skills: Strong time‑management capability, able to prioritise tasks effectively, especially during peak reporting cycles.
* Attention to Detail: Works accurately and takes appropriate action when issues arise, ensuring a high standard of financial integrity.
* Adaptability & Initiative: Flexible and able to reprioritise in response to changing demands, while demonstrating a proactive and self‑motivated approach
If you think you would be a great fit for our team at Royal London but don’t meet all the requirements of the role, please get in touch as your application will still be considered.
About Royal London
We’re the UK’s largest mutual life, pensions and investment company, offering protection, long-term savings and asset management products and services.
Our People Promise to our colleagues is that we will all work somewhere inclusive, responsible, enjoyable and fulfilling. This is underpinned by our Spirit of Royal London values; Empowered, Trustworthy, Collaborate, Achieve.
We've always been proud to reward employees by offering great workplace benefits such as 28 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays, an up to 14% employer matching pension scheme and private medical insurance. You can see all our benefits here - Our Benefits
Inclusion, diversity and belonging
We’re an Inclusive employer. We celebrate and value different backgrounds and cultures across Royal London. Our diverse people and perspectives give us a range of skills which are recognised and respected – whatever their background.