Financial Accounting Manager - Office, Retail & Corporate

Department: Accounts

Company: Canary Wharf Limited

Reporting to: Financial Controller - Office, Retail & Corporate

The successful candidate will play a senior role within the Office, Retail and Corporate team, with a focus primarily on Office but with scope to expand and support other segments in the future. The Office and Retail segments account for approximately £6bn (80%) of the Group's property portfolio and £290m (60%) of its revenue, while the Corporate segment covers the Group's overheads, intercompany dividends, and holding company structures.

This role is responsible for ensuring an efficient and well‑controlled quarterly close process, high‑quality shareholder and statutory reporting, and the delivery of accurate financial information to support the wider business. The role will take ownership of a significant portfolio of entities and provide leadership across the team, including managing and developing four direct reports, driving process improvements, and acting as a key point of contact for technical and operational accounting matters.

The Financial Accounting Manager will work closely with Commercial Finance and other stakeholders across the business to ensure reporting is accurate, timely and aligned with Group requirements. The role will also support refinancing, restructuring, transaction and other ad‑hoc projects, while helping to strengthen financial control and improve processes through the effective use of systems and technology.

Main Responsibilities

• Responsible for accounting for Office and Corporate entities, including reviewing quarterly journals, overseeing balance sheet reconciliations, and resolving issues.
• Review the work of junior team members, provide guidance, and undertake coaching and performance management.
• The role is responsible for managing four Financial Accountants / Senior Financial Accountants within the Office and Corporate segments.
• Prepare and review the annual statutory financial statements of the relevant subsidiaries (principally Office and Corporate entities) within the required timeframe, ensuring compliance with applicable accounting standards and reporting requirements.
• Coordinate the audit process for relevant entities, ensuring timely provision of schedules and responses, and support the implementation of actions arising from audit findings.
• Prepare and review technical accounting papers and support the assessment of significant transactions and accounting issues as they arise.
• Work in partnership with the Commercial Finance team to make sure that quarterly segment reporting and variance analysis is prepared accurately and in accordance with the requirements of the Group's reporting deadlines.
• Support the Financial Controller in maintaining a robust internal control environment across the Office and Corporate segments, proactively identifying control weaknesses and implementing improvements to safeguard the integrity of financial reporting.
• Maintain an up‑to‑date understanding of relevant accounting and reporting developments and support assessment of their impact on the Office, Retail and Corporate entities.
• Provide finance support for projects such as refinancings, restructurings, acquisitions, disposals and other business initiatives.
• Keep up to date with developments in finance technology, including AI, and adopt a flexible and pragmatic approach to implementing new tools and ways of working where they support better reporting, stronger controls and improved efficiency.
• Perform and review prospective tenant creditworthiness analysis where required.
• Identify development and training needs within the team and help build capability, consistency of approach and understanding of financial reporting and control requirements.
• Build effective relationships with key stakeholders across Commercial Finance, Tax, Treasury, Asset Management and external advisers to support accurate reporting and efficient delivery of projects and transactions.
• Support the wider management of the Office, Retail and Corporate team and help build capacity across other segments over time.
• Other ad‑hoc duties as required.

Person Specification

Technical skills and qualifications

• Must be qualified ACA or ACCA (or overseas equivalent) with significant (4+ years) post‑qualified experience.
• Experience of working in industry is essential.
• Real Estate sector knowledge would be an advantage.
• Must have a good understanding of accounting standards, including FRS 102, IFRS and Companies Act requirements for financial statements.
• Experience of working with complex corporate structures would be advantageous.
• Proven ability to implement improvements to processes and internal controls using technology, including AI.
• Experience with Yardi would be an advantage but not essential.

Soft skills

• An experienced people manager who has demonstrated the ability to organise, coach, and develop a team.
• Strong attention to detail and agility to work across a range of areas is critical.
• Must be able to take ownership of tasks, bear responsibility for work produced.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and guide senior leaders.
• A self‑starter who is prepared to challenge the norm and explore new ways of doing things.
• Organised with good time management skills - able to work under pressure, prioritise and meet competing deadlines.