Financial Services Senior Management Accountant in Manchester

We're looking for a Senior Management Accountant to join our finance team supporting our financial services division. In this role you will lead the preparation of the monthly management accounts for the Financial Services arm of the business, produce analysis to forecast, and oversee preparation of reporting packs to deliver insightful analysis on results to senior stakeholders. You will act as business partner to the Financial Services team, ensuring that results are reported on a timely and accurate basis and trends and deviations from forecasts are fully understood. Reporting to the Group Financial Controller, this role is fundamental to delivering the financial objectives of the group to achieve our growth ambitions.

What will you do as a Senior Management Accountant:

• Lead on the preparation, governance, and maintenance of the management accounts for Financial Services, ensuring accurate accounting records are produced and reported to key stakeholders in a timely manner.
• Review detailed management accounts; provide in-depth analytical review, specifically comparing performance versus prior period & budget, with narrative and explanations of trends.
• Resolve and communicate reasons for key variances each month to the wider Finance team, senior management and other stakeholders.
• Oversight and review of the preparation of the financial services weekly KPI reports.
• Analyse and communicate trends in weekly KPIs to senior stakeholders, including the Director of Financial Services, Director of Credit Risk and Director of FS Commercial Finance.
• Support on review production of FCA reporting requirements.
• Responsible for producing reporting packs for monthly Financial Services committee meetings, including presenting key results and confidently explaining trends.
• Ensure that debt sale accounting is appropriately reflected in the management accounts.
• Provide hands‑on support for establishing balance sheet control across the division, including regular detailed review of balance sheets with significant focus on material balances to identify balance sheet risks.
• Creation of a strong control environment across all areas on financial services finance, ensuring that there is “one source of the truth” and that reports utilised are accurate and consistent.
• Develop and evolve month end reporting and analysis to better communicate financial performance to key stakeholders.
• Lead and key audit contact for the financial services audit process, including interim and year end coordination, preparation of relevant technical papers, including IFRS 9.
• Support peers with financial accounting and the production of financial services related disclosures in the Group Annual Report and subsidiary financial statements.
• Develop stakeholder relationships across their division and wider enterprise.
• Support the development of a robust control environment by continuously identifying opportunities to improve financial systems and processes and by implementing these changes.
• Support ongoing non‑business as usual project work within the finance team as and when required, including projects relating to inventory financial management.
• Maintain up to date and accurate policy & process documents engaging with other teams and stakeholders for process sign‑off.
• Manage workloads, identify future requirements, and support the Group Financial Controller with continuous improvement.
• Line‑manage the Financial Services management accountant, encouraging learning and development, setting objectives, coaching, and providing constructive feedback through regular one‑to‑one meetings.
• Any other duties required by the business that are appropriate with the post, grade, and level of responsibility of this role, for which the holder has the necessary experience and training.

What skills and experience will you have:

• Qualified accountant (ACA preferred) with financial services experience.
• Strong commercial acumen and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate and partner internally with other teams, and support key members of the finance leadership team.
• Detailed understanding of IFRS 9 and ECL calculations.
• Excellent Excel and analytical skills.
• SQL experience beneficial but not essential.
• Experience with Oracle Fusion products preferable but not essential.
• Proactive in challenging current ways of working and promoting best practices within the Finance team.
• Experience in multiple areas of financial management.
• Analytical, data‑driven, and articulate in presenting results to non‑finance stakeholders.
• Strong operational delivery track record, motivated to implement and deliver on time to quality standards and build new efficient processes.
• Ability to quickly appraise complex situations, identify key issues and make timely decisions.
• Excellent interpersonal relationships and stakeholder management skills.

What’s in it for you:

• Hybrid working (3 days in the office at a minimum).
• 24 days holiday (+ 8 bank holidays).
• Annual bonus scheme.
• Enhanced maternity and adoption leave.
• Company pension with up to 8% N Brown contribution.
• Mental health support both internally and externally, including access to our wellbeing champions and counselling services.
• A range of financial wellbeing support.
• Stream – a financial wellbeing tool that helps you track your pay, access earnings early and manage your money with confidence.
• Colleague discount across all N Brown brands.
• Onsite café with subsidised rates and local restaurant discounts.
• Life Assurance and Private Medical Insurance.
• Paid volunteer time – you can take a full day paid to volunteer for a charity of your choice.

Our promise to you:

We’re an equal‑opportunity employer and value diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.