Senior Financial Accountant

About the Role

The Senior Financial Accountant is the Group's technical accounting lead.

You will take over all technical accounting matters and codify knowledge into documented policy.

As the operating model matures, the Global Process Owners for AP, Order-to-Cash and Vendor Settlements will report into this role – making it a leadership seat for the Group's financial accounting engine.

• Key tasks and responsibilities
• Technical accounting leadership.

Own accounting policy, judgement and documentation for all complex and auction-specific matters: agency vs principal, auction guarantees, consignment stock, Artist's Resale Right, and new accounting standards.

• Knowledge codification. Run a structured knowledge transfer from the retiring FC; document position papers for every material judgement area.
• Financial accounting and close. Take ownership of general ledger integrity and period-end close across multi-entity, multi-currency and intercompany books.
• Global standardisation. Standardise balance sheet reconciliations, journals and close procedures across all regions to a single Group standard.
• Regional finance support.

Act as the first point of technical and financial accounting support for regional finance teams – providing guidance, review and cover across territories and ensuring consistent application of Group policy.

• Future team leadership. Prepare to lead the GPOs for AP, Order-to-Cash and Vendor Settlements: set process standards, KPIs and controls for the Group's transactional engine.
• Audit and statutory support. Provide technical accounting support to the external audit and statutory reporting, including auditor papers on judgemental areas.
• Embed financial controls within the close and transactional processes, working with the broader controls framework build.
• Continuous improvements.

Support and contribute to continuous improvements of month end processes, working with the Group FC and Group FD, identifying automation opportunities across the close, reconciliation and reporting cycles.

Key Skills and Experience

Essential

• ACA / ACCA qualified with strong post-qualification technical accounting experience (practice technical team or complex in-house environment).
• Technically excellent under IFRS, with proven judgement on revenue recognition, principal vs agent, and provisions/commitments.
• Demonstrated ability to write clear accounting policy and position papers from first principles.
• Experience of multi-entity, multi-currency close and balance sheet ownership.
• Leadership potential: this role grows into managing Global Process Owners – evidence of developing people and standardising processes is required.

Desirable

• Auction, art market, dealership or consignment-based business model experience.
• Exposure to finance transformation or target operating model implementation.
• Experience taking over from long-tenured individuals and codifying undocumented knowledge.

What We Offer

• 28 days holidays (including Bank Holidays), increasing to 33 with service
• Healthcare and Life Assurance
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Season Ticket Loan

Bonhams is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

As part of our commitment to fight for equality, we work to ensure a fair and consistent interview process.

We celebrate diversity and we are committed to an inclusive work environment.

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