FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT - 6 Month Role - WEST LONDON

The Financial Accountant is responsible for posting & analysis of all stores & Head Office costs, including calculation of accruals and prepayments, therefore this individual will be a key member of the Financial Accounting team to deliver month end deliverables. Also responsible for the preparation of the relevant balance sheet reconciliations on a monthly basis and providing full support & visibility to the business on cost reporting. In addition preparation of annual statutory accounts and tax computations for the companies.

What you'll be doing:

• Ensure all month end journals are calculated and processed accurately and on a timely basis. Liaise with purchase ledger, sales ledger, sales accounts, payroll and finance department colleagues
• Ensure balance sheet reconciliations are completed on a monthly basis, with issues resolved on a timely basis
• Circulating cost reports to all sites and Head Office, including Directors and Senior Managers. Respond to queries as appropriate
• Provide commentary to explain all variances against budget and last year
• Prepare ad-hoc analysis by department as requested by Director/cost controllers
• Assist in the preparation of the monthly management pack
• To provide support to the Financial Accounting Manager and provide cover within the team as required
• Assist in preparation of budgets and forecasts
• Provide information required for the half year and year-end audits with explanations of movements, trends and large/unusual variances
• To support the Financial Analyst in preparation of balance sheet related schedules including prepayments and accruals analysis and significant debtors and creditors analysis
• To work closely with the Financial Accounting Manager and Group Accountant in the preparation of year-end statutory accounts and tax computations
• To support in the preparation the quarterly UK VAT return and bi-monthly Irish VAT return and reconciliation of the VAT balance sheet accounts
• To develop and maintain thorough knowledge of the operations of the business and the activities of other departments within the business
• To plan and organise any other ad-hoc projects and take on any additional month end responsibilities as required by the Financial Accounting Manager

A bit about your experience:

• Qualified Accounting qualification (ACCA/ACA/CIMA)
• Strong PC skills, particularly Excel (Intermediate to Advanced desirable)
• Retail experience is essential

A bit about you:

• Proven experience of working in finance department
• Strong interpersonal skills - able to work as part of a team
• Good communication skills - able to communicate to Directors and Senior Managers confidently
• Able to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
• Good planning and prioritisation skills. Able to work in a methodical manner
• Good attention to detail
• Interest in understanding systems and making improvements