Financial Accountant

Magic Breakfast is on a mission to ensure that no child is too hungry to learn. Every school day, we provide nutritious breakfasts to over 300,000 children and young people across England and Scotland, working with schools in areas of greatest disadvantage. The latest research shows that 2.7 million children are at risk of hunger, meaning one in five arrive at school without enough to eat. Hunger affects concentration, behaviour and attainment and that’s why our work matters.

We are now entering an exciting next phase as we launch Nourishing Futures, our long-term strategy to scale our impact, strengthen partnerships and redefine breakfast spaces as places where children can thrive, not just eat. To support this growth, we are looking for an experienced and technically strong Financial Accountant to safeguard the integrity of our financial reporting and provide assurance across our finance function.

About the Role

Reporting to the Head of Finance, the Financial Accountant is the technical cornerstone of Magic Breakfast’s finance function. You will lead on statutory accounting, financial controls and compliance, acting as the guardian of the general ledger, balance sheet integrity and finance systems. This role provides trusted technical expertise to senior leadership, ensuring that our financial reporting, governance and regulatory obligations are met to the highest standard.

This is an excellent opportunity for a qualified accountant with a strong technical background whether from audit, charity or complex organisations who wants to apply their expertise in a purpose-led organisation making a real difference to children’s lives. The role is fully remote, with occasional travel within the UK as required (for example, key meetings or audits).

Key Responsibilities

• Statutory Accounts & External Reporting
  • Lead the preparation of statutory annual accounts in line with Charities SORP, Companies Act and relevant accounting standards
  • Exercise professional judgement on complex accounting matters, estimates and disclosures
  • Support and coordinate the annual audit, acting as the main liaison with external auditors
  • Ensure clear reconciliation between statutory accounts, management accounts and ledger data
  • Present and explain statutory results and accounting judgements to senior leaders and governance committees
• Financial Controls, Ledger & Balance Sheet Integrity
  • Own the general ledger, approving journals and maintaining high standards of accuracy
  • Lead month-end and year-end close processes
  • Ensure all balance sheet reconciliations are robust, timely and resolved
  • Strengthen and maintain effective financial controls across finance processes
• Technical Accounting Leadership
  • Act as the technical accounting lead across the organisation
  • Provide guidance on restricted funds, income recognition, reserves, capitalisation and consolidation
  • Review funding and partnership agreements to ensure correct accounting treatment and compliance
  • Maintain and implement financial policies, staying ahead of regulatory and accounting changes
• Tax, Payroll & Regulatory Compliance
  • Prepare VAT returns and optimise Magic Breakfast’s VAT position where possible
  • Oversee payroll data accuracy in partnership with People & Culture and external payroll providers
  • Ensure full compliance with VAT, PAYE, pensions and other statutory requirements

About You

We’re looking for someone who brings strong technical expertise, sound judgement and a collaborative mindset. You will ideally have:

• A recognised accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) (Part-qualified or qualified by experience will also be considered)
• Strong experience preparing statutory accounts and working with external auditors
• Excellent knowledge of accounting standards, Charities SORP and regulatory requirements
• Experience overseeing VAT, payroll and statutory compliance
• A strong understanding of financial controls and governance
• Experience using ERP systems (Microsoft Business Central desirable) and Excel
• The confidence to explain complex financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues

How to Apply

Magic Breakfast are partnering exclusively with Allen Lane on this appointment. To find out more about the role or to discuss your suitability, please contact Iain Slinn at Allen Lane to arrange an informal conversation.