Finance Reporting Accountant

Financial Reporting Accountant London/Hybrid 12 months contract Day rate from £300 via Umbrella Company dependant on experience.

My client is one of the largest financial institutions headquartered in Japan, with an established presence across all consumer and corporate banking businesses. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, they offer a diverse range of financial services, including commercial banking, leasing, securities, credit card, consumer finance and other services. They are looking for a Financial Reporting Accountant on an initial 12 month contract with the potential to extend.

You will be expected to work Monday to Friday standard office hours, however there will need to be flexibility to work outside of these hours as required. The position is hybrid working being in the office 3 days a week with the remainder of time working from home.

Purpose of Job

The role is to work within the Finance & Control - Financial Reporting & Expenses team, supporting & assisting the wider team in ensuring the integrity of general ledger balances & controls, preparation of annual financial statements, ensuring reporting obligations to all stakeholders are met in a timely and efficient manner, and participating in projects to enhance the reporting landscape.

Accountabilities & Responsibilities

• Support and own elements of the monthly and quarterly close process, including accruals, prepayments, intercompany recharges, payroll and other journal entries.
• Process and review expense postings, including departmental allocations and recharge activity.
• Post and control entries within the general ledger, including manual journals and adjustments.
• Perform and review balance sheet reconciliations, ensuring accuracy and proper classification of financial data.
• Provide analysis and substantiation of account balances, including self-attestation for key accounts.
• Maintain and reconcile fixed asset registers, including internally developed software, ensuring compliance with accounting policies.
• Support the preparation of financial statements under IFRS, including disclosures and notes.
• Contribute to monthly management reporting, including expense, headcount and asset analysis with insightful commentary.
• Prepare elements of Head Office reporting packages, ensuring compliance with group reporting requirements.
• Assist with regulatory reporting submissions (e.g. FCA, ONS).
• Support the annual external audit process, acting as a key point of contact for audit queries and documentation.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders, auditors and regulators to strengthen controls, governance and reporting accuracy.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement and automation, enhancing efficiency and control.
• Support the development and maintenance of policies and procedures.
• Manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively within a fast-paced environment.

Knowledge, Skills, Experience & Qualifications

• Qualified/Part-qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
• Experience in Finance, with strong exposure to financial and management reporting preferably in a Banking environment.
• Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, large dataset manipulation); Power BI/Power Query knowledge desirable.
• Drafting of financial statements under IFRS, or contributing to certain notes, will be desirable.
• Experience with reporting systems, general ledger and sub-ledger processes (system upgrades/migrations a plus).
• Strong technical knowledge across period-end close, reconciliations, accruals, prepayments, fixed assets and break investigations.
• Proven ability to analyse financial data, identify issues and deliver effective solutions.
• Excellent communication, organisation and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience working with internal/external auditors and supporting statutory/reporting requirements will be useful.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and manage multiple priorities within tight deadlines.
• Collaborative team player with the flexibility to adapt to evolving business needs, and promote growth as a subject expert.
• Prior experience contributing to process improvements, controls and automation initiatives will be preferred.

Candidates must show evidence of the above in their CV to be considered.