Head of Finance - Group Accounting in Northampton

Our Client seeks a Head of Finance - Group Accounting to join the business on a permanent basis. This is a fantastic opportunity to work at the heart of a FTSE-listed business, leading group reporting and audit. The Head of Finance would be a commercially minded and confident individual who would ensure the integrity of Group financials, delivering high-quality statutory and management reporting in line with IFRS.

The purpose of the role is to lead the Group accounting team and oversee the Property Finance, Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable functions of the group, being the lead contact in terms of monthly close process, external reporting and accounting matters across the Group.

Duties of the Head of Finance - Group Accounting include:

• Overall ownership of the consolidation process across the Group
• Review and assistance with team of preparation of monthly consolidated income statement, balance sheet and cash flow under IFRS.
• Ownership of balance sheet reconciliation process across the UKI team, leading the Finance Managers/Business Partners in preparing effective balance sheet reconciliations and monitoring and reporting on completion.
• Manage and lead continual improvements across the consolidation and group reporting process, including leading ERP improvement projects and continual focus on establishing.
• Preparation of group reporting pack requirements and co-ordination of timely submissions from corporate store teams.
• Overall ownership of the month end GL close process.
• Key relationship lead with external auditors for the half year and year end audit process.
• Supporting internal and external auditors
• Prepare primary statements for Group consolidated accounts for half year and year end.
• Review of the statutory accounts for IFRS compliance
• Production of Group cash flow forecasts and balance sheet forecasts
• Analysis of historic cash movements against forecast
• Manage and oversee the overall accounts payable and accounts receivable teams.
• Ensure continued operational efficiency of both teams and lead implementation of areas of improvement in relation to cash flow forecasting and system implementation.
• Manage direct reports, including the Group Accounting team, the AP manager, the AR manager, and Property Finance Manager ensuring objectives are set, and that they are appropriately managing, developing and engaging their teams.
• Ad-hoc projects

Requirements for the Head of Finance - Group Accounting include:

• ACA Qualified - Top 4 (5-7 years post qualified experience)
• Worked in FTSE 250 business.
• Significant IFRS experience and practical application and communication of accounting matters
• High level of communication skills, and experience in delivering and communicating accounting and finance issues to a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Relationship building across all levels of the business.
• Experience of implementing process change and control improvements.
• Significant experience of working in and leading a large global reporting and control team, or demonstrable experience of leading teams and driving change within a professional service firm or consultancy.

Benefits include a generous bonus, car allowance, hybrid working, competitive pension, private health and dental.