Financial Accountant in London

We are looking to hire a recently qualified ACA/ACCA Financial Accountant to join our Europe Finance team based in London. The Europe Finance team is responsible for all statutory accounting and reporting matters in the region, as well as supporting management decision-making and delivering financial and management accounting services across APCO's offices throughout the region. Based in London, the team works closely with local finance administration colleagues in regional offices, as well as external tax, payroll, and statutory reporting advisers across multiple European markets. Led by the Regional COO/Finance Director for Europe, the team is an integral part of APCO's global finance function, collaborating regularly with Corporate Finance and colleagues across other regions. APCO Worldwide uses Maconomy as its ERP/accounting system.

This role is a key member of the Europe Finance team, reporting to the Financial Controller, Europe, and supporting statutory reporting, tax, audit, treasury, and financial compliance activities across multiple European markets. The Financial Accountant will work closely with regional leadership, local office teams, Corporate Finance, and external advisers to ensure high-quality financial reporting and governance while helping to drive finance transformation initiatives. The successful candidate will gain exposure to a broad range of accounting and finance activities, developing strong technical expertise while contributing to process improvement, automation, and strategic finance projects. This role would suit a collaborative, articulate, and proactive accountant who can understand finance processes, identify opportunities for improvement, and translate ideas into clear, actionable outcomes.

APCO is a dynamic and forward-thinking organisation that values innovation, continuous learning, and professional development. We offer structured training, mentorship opportunities, and clear pathways for career growth, alongside the opportunity to work within a collaborative, supportive, and high-performing global team.

Responsibilities:

• Statutory Reporting and Compliance: Support statutory reporting requirements across the European region, including liaison with local external accounting advisers, coordination of audit deliverables, preparation of supporting schedules and follow-up on local statutory filings.
• Tax and Treasury Support: Assist with tax, VAT and treasury-related activity across the region, including supporting real-time VAT reporting and e-invoicing initiatives, liquidity management, cashflow forecasting, cash management analysis and responses, as directed, to requests from Corporate Finance or our external advisers.
• Audit Support: Support the Financial Controller with regional audit planning and delivery, including preparing audit information, coordinating with local teams and advisers, tracking open items and ensuring deadlines are met.
• Finance Transformation and Systems Projects: Support regional and global finance transformation projects, including vendor transformation, payroll transformation, automation opportunities and improved use of technology. Help translate project discussions into clear actions, timelines and follow-up points, and manage the European contributions to ensure that the projects stay on track.
• Process Improvement and Controls: Review financial accounting processes and controls with a continuous improvement mindset, identifying opportunities to simplify, standardise, automate or strengthen ways of working. Support documentation, communication and training where process changes are introduced.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong relationships with local office teams, external advisers, Corporate Finance and colleagues across the European finance team. Communicate clearly, listen actively and reflect key points to ensure alignment and effective follow-through.
• Month-End and Budget/Forecast support: Contribute to month-end close, forecast and budget activities as required on an as needed basis, helping to ensure reporting is accurate, complete and delivered to timetable.

Qualifications & skills:

• ACA or ACCA qualified accountant, ideally recently qualified with two - three years' post-qualification experience.
• Audit background preferred, particularly with exposure to professional services, consulting, communications, marketing services, or another multi-entity international environment.
• Strong grounding in financial accounting, audit, internal controls, and statutory reporting, with the ability to apply technical accounting knowledge across multiple jurisdictions, analyse and interpret differences between local GAAPs and US GAAP, and work effectively with external advisers.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret financial information, understand process flows, identify issues, and recommend practical improvements.
• Comfortable managing multiple priorities, coordinating workstreams, tracking actions and deadlines, and translating discussions into structured plans and outcomes.
• Collaborative team player with an open and transparent working style, able to build strong relationships with finance and non-finance stakeholders across different offices and time zones.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and confidence using Microsoft business applications. Experience with ERP systems is desirable.
• Demonstrates energy, initiative, curiosity, and a genuine interest in improving finance operations through enhanced processes, clear documentation, automation, and the effective use of technology.

About APCO: APCO is a global advisory and advocacy firm helping leading corporations, foundations and governments navigate a complex world and create lasting impact. Founded in 1984, with one woman’s vision and bold action, APCO has grown into an independent, majority women-owned firm of more than 1,200 employees with work spanning 80 markets around the world. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., APCO is comprised of strategic advisers, consultants and creators, working together across borders and functions, to provide services and expertise on financial, competitive, political and societal issues. APCO is a trusted partner to bold purpose-led leaders, lawmakers, government officials, NGOs, the media and other stakeholders in the health, energy, technology, transportation & infrastructure and food & consumer products sectors. For 40 years, the firm has provided public affairs, crisis & reputation, impact, corporate reputation and global solutions services. APCO is renowned for its ability to champion clients’ interests and permission to operate, build their reputation and strengthen their standing. APCO’s integrated approach and team of tenacious and empathic talent create connections and winning strategies that accelerate progress and deepen impact. By bringing diverse people and ideas together, and working beyond traditional boundaries, APCO builds the un/common ground upon which progress is made.