Head of Financial Accounting

Ellis Jay Consulting Ltd ,
London, Greater London
More Details
Job Type: Full-time
Salary: £60,000 per annum

Overview

Leading Higher Education Body is looking for a Qualified Head of Financial Accounting. This role has 3 direct reports and reports to the Deputy Director of Finance. Responsible for: Senior Financial Accountant, Account Receivables Supervisor, Accounts Payable Supervisor, (3 FTEs) and Managed Service Provider for Payroll outsourced service. Reporting to the Deputy Director of Finance, the Head of Financial Accounting will be responsible for the accurate and timely production of the year-end financial statements and an organised and efficient process for the external audit. The role holder is also responsible for ensuring there is a customer-focused transaction processing service, either through the provision of services managed internally (Accounts Payable / Receivable) or outsourced (Payroll). The Head of Financial Accounting will also operate as Finance Department’s expert with regard to technical financial accounting matters, including tax and subsidiary accounting. The primary responsibilities of this role are to: Manage the production of key statutory reports such as the Statutory Accounts and quarterly VAT returns Be responsible for the financial transactional processes which support the rest of the organisation, such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, and the outsourced payroll service Act as an ambassador for the Finance Department, providing a positive and helpful resource to other parts of the organisation. The role requires liaison, internally, with the Senior Management Team, School General Managers, Financial, Planning and Analysis (FP&A) function and Head of HR Operations, and externally with the external auditors , internal auditors, bankers and the College’s tax advisors. The current size of the team that the post holder is expected to manage is 7 staff, one of whom is a fully qualified accountant. Financial Reporting Provide advice to the organisation on the implications of changes in accounting rules / policies and legislation / Office for Students (OfS) rules and ensure that the organisation adopts best practice and complies with all relevant accounting and statutory obligations. This includes the "rules" around the use of Public Service Companies and IR35 Manage the production of the College’s Annual Accounts and the associated supporting evidence and reconciliations, ensuring that the organisation receives a clean audit report. Also responsible for leading the development of the Treasurer’s report and associated financial commentary and notes that are published alongside the statutory accounts. Manage the medium term cash forecasting process and reporting the cash requirements, including occasional reporting for use at the Planning & Resources Committee Responsible for the accounting and reporting for endowments, reflecting valuations in investments and allocating returns between investments and endowments. Also responsible for accounting for restricted donations. Production of a statutory based set of management accounts, including balance sheet, on a monthly basis, and using this information to assist the Head of Financial Planning and Analysis with the production of the monthly management accounts. On a quarterly basis, ensure the delivery of a high-level Finance Report for the Vice-Chancellor’s Group, Senior Management Team and the College’s bankers Responsible for setting and monitoring internal targets relating to the transaction processing team Essential A qualified accountant (ACMA, CIPFA, ACCA, ACA) with at least 5 years of post-qualification experience, ideally at financial controller or similar level. Experience of producing statutory financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Capable of demonstrating up-to-date technical financial accounting knowledge. Experience of managing teams and with demonstrable ability to manage people and to bring out the best in them Knowledge of partial exemption VAT method Strong finance system skills including advanced Excel skills Good written and oral communication skills, able to communicate complex financial matters to non-technical experts Team player, able to work with colleagues across the organisation A focus on excellent customer service (e.g. dealing with students, staff, suppliers). Desirable Experience of using the Unit 4 Business World Finance system. Knowledge of producing financial statements under the Higher Education Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP). Knowledge of implementing specialist finance software Experience of international accounting. Experience of working within a Higher Education Finance department 35 hours per week, 9.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday with an hour each day for lunch 30 days annual leave per annum plus extended breaks at Christmas and Easter A contributory defined benefit pension scheme and interest free season ticket loan are available

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