Manager, Accounting Operations in London

Come join an organization that empowers our stakeholders to achieve more through trusted services that ensure accuracy, timeliness, privacy, and accessibility! We are seeking a highly driven, innovative, and passionate Finance Manager to join the Accounting Operations team inside Finance Operations. Accounting Operations provides large-scale, global accounting support for financial close, reporting, statutory compliance, and audit for over 300 ABK/Microsoft legal entities and lines of business. We are a global team with staff and delivery centers around the world. Accounting Operations is continuously expanding its scope, evolving operating models with intelligent automation, innovative processes, and offering cost efficient solutions for ABK. We strive to provide end-to-end experiences for our customers with built-in compliance and intelligent insights.

As a finance manager, you will successfully execute accounting, statutory, and financial reporting processes, while partnering closely with stakeholders across ABK and external auditors and tax advisors. This role acts as a central support pillar for the wider ABK Europe finance team, by improving processes, shortening delivery times, and strengthening team delivery during peak periods. The ideal candidate will require flexibility, drive to overcome obstacles whether complex or routine, and an ability to quickly pivot to emerging priorities. The role also requires curiosity, innovative thinking, and a robust background in accounting close, business partnering, process optimisation and collaboration.

ABK’s mission is to empower every person and every organization to achieve more. With a growth mindset, we innovate, collaborate and uphold values of respect, integrity, and accountability fostering a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive. In alignment with our ABK values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day.

• Process Improvement & Operational Excellence: Drive continuous improvement across close, reporting, and compliance processes by identifying inefficiencies, recommending solutions, and partnering with teams to implement enhancements. Support adoption of standardised global processes and leverage technology and automation to improve speed, accuracy, and control. Maintain an adaptable, solutions-oriented approach, proactively shifting focus to risk areas and supporting colleagues across the finance team.
• Statutory, Audit & Tax Support: Coordinate statutory financial statements, local compliance requirements, and tax submissions for supported entities in partnership with local advisors and central statutory teams. Monitor external audit processes, ensuring efficient information flow, timely deliverables, and clear communication of risks. Monitor and review tax provisions/filings as required, including review of external provider work and integration into statutory accounts.
• Financial Close, Governance & Compliance: Execute and support core close activities including journal approvals and balance sheet reconciliation approvals as required, transfer pricing entries, analytical reviews, and adherence to Microsoft accounting policies and IFRS requirements. Monitor and maintain high-quality performance across accounting/tax service vendors, driving timely corrective actions where needed. Provide clear, well-documented accounting guidance to team members and respond to complex technical questions with accuracy and pragmatism.
• Support & Issue Resolution: Act as a central support resource for the ABK Europe finance team, stepping in during peak cycles to ensure continuity, accuracy, and on-time delivery. Investigate and resolve accounting deviations, data anomalies, and unexpected results, coordinating across business teams to prevent recurrence. Serve as an escalation point for issues originating in shared services processes, facilitating resolution through structured communication with internal stakeholders and vendor leadership.
• Other: Lead or contribute to department’s involvement in projects such as system upgrades or accounting methodology changes. Assist training of department, identifying key areas for improvement, delivering materials and capturing lessons learned for continuous improvement. Communicate ideas and plans to stakeholders ensuring that departments stay synchronised. Monitor emerging risks – such as GAAP changes or system updates - and develop mitigation plans. Take ownership of specific tasks during close or audit cycles to help maintain momentum and support delivery teams.

• Qualified accountant with 3+ years post qualification work experience in accounting or finance
• Collaborative, agile and sees issues through to prompt resolution
• Accounting close/financial reporting experience
• Knowledge of IFRS accounting standards, tax regulations
• Influence without authority and drive accountability
• Proactive and able to work on own initiative
• Tax and/or transfer pricing expertise a plus