Management Accountant in Portsmouth

Colas Ltd are a UK subsidiary of the global Colas Group, which operates in over 50 countries worldwide and employs over 55,000 people including over 1500 in the UK across multiple sites. We are specialists in highways construction and have been involved in large‑scale UK and international construction projects within the highways, airfields, and marine sectors as well as offering highways maintenance services and manufacturing our own innovative surfacing products. We hold a 'Gold Investor in People' award for continuously developing and rewarding our employees, offering excellent career potential.

Colas Ltd have a great opportunity for a Management Accountant to join the team based at our Portsmouth Depot, PO6 1TA. The Management Accountant plays a key role in delivering accurate, timely financial information and meaningful insight to support business decision‑making. Acting as a trusted partner to operational and commercial teams, the role ensures strong financial control while helping drive performance across long‑term contracts. You will contribute to financial planning, reporting, and governance, while identifying opportunities to improve systems, processes, and overall efficiency within the finance function.

Main Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the preparation and delivery of monthly management accounts, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and adherence to reporting deadlines.
• Produce detailed profit and loss statements, variance analysis, and insightful commentary for stakeholders.
• Oversee financial processes across the business, ensuring all costs are correctly captured, allocated, and reported in line with company policies and governance standards.
• Supervise sales invoicing, purchase ledger activities, payroll, and subcontractor payments to ensure timely and accurate processing.
• Manage and support the finance and administration teams, allocating workloads effectively and maintaining high standards of performance and accountability.
• Produce budgets and forecasts, including bi‑annual budget preparation covering labour, overheads, and operational costs.
• Monitor working capital performance, including debt and work‑in‑progress, and liaise closely with commercial teams to ensure risks and opportunities are clearly understood and communicated.
• Maintain compliance with financial regulations and group accounting policies, acting as a guardian of financial governance across the business.
• Build strong relationships across departments, promoting best practices and enhancing the value of the finance function.

Profile

The ideal candidate will be a qualified or part‑qualified accountant, ideally holding or working towards AAT or ACCA qualifications, with a minimum of three years’ experience in a Management Accountant role. Experience within a construction or manufacturing environment is highly desirable and will be a significant advantage. You will demonstrate strong financial modelling capability and be confident working with data to provide meaningful insights. Experience using Power BI is highly desirable, as is advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel. You will bring strong commercial awareness, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate financial information clearly to non‑financial stakeholders. A proactive and flexible approach is essential, along with excellent organisational, problem‑solving, and interpersonal skills. A solid understanding of financial systems, reporting frameworks, and regulatory requirements is expected, alongside the ability to work collaboratively while maintaining high standards of accuracy and control.

Package Description

• A salary between £45,000 and £55,000 (dependent on experience)
• Our Colas Pension Scheme has combined contributions of up to 10%
• Life Assurance Scheme which is 4× basic salary
• 25 days annual leave per year + Public Holidays
• Holiday Purchase & Selling Scheme
• Hybrid Working Scheme (dependent on the role)
• Opportunities to study towards a fully funded Professional Qualification
• Discounts on car leasing, holidays, cinema tickets, restaurants and much more through our online employee benefits portal

Colas Ltd is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that mirrors the communities we serve. As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from all backgrounds. If you want a workplace where your voice is valued and your potential is developed, Colas is the right choice.