Group Financial Accountant in Portsmouth

The role sits within the Global Finance Shared Services team and is responsible for Record-to-Report (R2R) operations for the Charles Taylor Administration Services (CTA) business and Charles Taylor Group Companies, including preparation of the monthly balance sheet reconciliations, management and statutory accounts, along with technical finance accounting activities. This role is primarily focused on Group related accounting and is responsible for the Head Office and Group IT recharges globally. The jobholder will preferably have relevant Group accounting experience, working closely with the Group Financial Reporting Team, the regional R2R teams, the Offshore R2R transactional accounting team, Tax, FP&A, Group IT Function, business and third party stakeholders, internal and external auditors. The role requires an accountant with specific Group and technical accounting knowledge and depth of experience. Additionally, the role includes line manager oversight of the Assistant Group Financial Accountant, including providing support and direction. This is a 6 months Fixed Term contract role.

Key Responsibilities

• Line manager for the Assistant Group Financial Accountant
• Ownership of accounting and financial reporting and local finance operations activities for the relevant UK based entities, including Head Office, Group IT and Holding companies to ensure that ledgers are always accurate and complete and in accordance with IFRS and associated group accounting policies.
• Ensure that monthly close activities are performed based on a consistent process that ensures complete and accurate information being submitted to CT Group (via Cognos) in a timely basis.
• Ownership of the monthly balance sheet reconciliation process to ensure robust and timely completion, old balances are investigated and resolved, and that all the output stands up to scrutiny for audit.
• Present the quarterly balance sheet deep dive reviews to Global Head of R2R and Group FD and take ownership for action closure.
• Prepare and monitor intercompany balance reporting across the CT Group ensuring no imbalances at month end.
• Prepare Group payroll, depreciation, general accounting, pensions, leases, borrowing and revaluation journals.
• Perform tax accounting activities including producing the quarterly UK Group VAT return, statutory reporting (GAAP and IFRS) and assisting with the Global Head of Tax with UK & Group tax computations and analysis.
• Prepare the monthly variance analysis of balance sheet and P&L (flux analysis), challenge and investigate any variances including trends and action any outcomes in a timely manner.
• Prepare the monthly Group recharges including pay and reward, from CTA (Head Office) to the CT subsidiaries and assist in the preparation of transfer pricing calculations.
• Prepare the weekly cash flow forecast and input into TM1.
• Ensure all payroll, pay and rewards costs are recharged correctly and liaise with Payroll to ensure all employees have correct cost centres.
• Maintain Fixed asset register SME for the Lease accounting System.
• Weekly review of Non recoverable CTA invoices and liaise with P2P team to reconcile PO system financial activities and GRNI on a monthly basis.
• Key point of contact for internal and external auditors and prepare the annual statutory accounts for the UK local entity accounts within the job holder remit.
• Support the Head Office Finance Business Partner & Group IT Finance Manager with general accounting (chart of accounts, journals, accruals, prepayments, period close and open), and month-end activities and review.
• Assist with the transition of business finance function for acquisitions (new systems and processes).
• Support the business with accounting and administration as required.
• Carry out Ad Hoc duties and tasks that are allocated to you at the discretion of management and that are within your capabilities and within the scope of your post.
• Demonstrate and champion Charles Taylor Values by ensuring Agility, Integrity, Care, Accountability and Collaboration.
• Encourage teamwork and growth through open communication, recruiting diverse talent, and providing onboarding, mentoring, and coaching.
• Support balanced workloads and create an inclusive environment where colleagues feel valued and enabled to succeed.

Required Skills

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or equivalent)
• Experience of working in a Group reporting role (preferable), with extensive UK interactions
• Experience of working in a fast-paced international business
• Detailed knowledge and working experience of IFRS
• Good working knowledge of UK VAT, CT and PAYE (desirable)
• Change management mindset and an ability to improve current process and controls.
• Experience of SUN accounting systems (desirable)
• Proficient with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word
• Highly numerate with excellent communication skills, teamwork, and collaboration skills
• Analytical and detailed problem-solving skills.
• Ability to speak English fluently.
• Ability to prioritise and work under a tight schedule.

About Us

Founded in 1884 as a mutual insurance association, Charles Taylor began under the leadership of coal merchant Charles Taylor, whose astute management set the stage for growth. Today, we are a global leader providing insurance services and technology solutions with a team of c.4,000 experts across 120+ countries on 6 continents. Our unmatched depth of specialist expertise, from loss adjusters to forensic accountants, helps the global insurance market to address its challenges. Through our trusted partnerships model, we build long‑term, personal relationships with clients based on trust and cooperation. Our powerful technology helps our clients improve their customers' experience from start to finish. Thanks to our global reach, our clients can access our services wherever they are in the world, whenever they need us. Our services and solutions support every stage of the insurance lifecycle and every aspect of the insurance operating model, across all major commercial insurance lines serving a blue‑chip international customer base that includes insurance companies, mutuals, captives, MGAs, Lloyd's syndicates and reinsurers, along with brokers, distributors and corporate insureds. Our Group Business Services (GBS) function supports the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the company ensuring that teams have the tools, systems and support needed to deliver high‑quality client solutions. Focused on finance operations, HR services, IT infrastructure, legal and compliance support, and workplace management, the GBS function enables the business to operate with agility, maintain compliance and focus on delivering value to our clients.

Why join Charles Taylor?

Charles Taylor prides itself on being a people‑centric business. Our culture and values define who we are, what we stand for and how we behave. They guide how we work with our colleagues and our clients, today and in the future. By living our values every day when we come to work, we deliver better results for the world of insurance. We strive to provide a positive working environment that offers opportunities for professional development and growth across all our business areas. This includes a structured onboarding process, job‑specific skills development, online and in‑person training, as well as study assistance for professional qualifications.

Our Values

• Accountability (We take ownership and responsibility)
• Agility (We learn, evolve and adapt quickly)
• Care (We are compassionate and human)
• Collaboration (We are one)
• Integrity (We do the right thing)

Equal Opportunity Employer

At Charles Taylor, we are proud to be an Inclusive Employer. We foster an environment of mutual respect with zero tolerance to discrimination of any kind regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital or family status, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation. We recognise that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is essential in enabling us to deliver better insurance outcomes and fulfilling our responsibilities to clients, colleagues, and the community. We proactively promote and celebrate differences and strive to create an environment where our people feel included and can reach their full potential. We take pride in our inclusive and diverse culture, which is supported by strong partnerships and a transparent, fair recruitment process.