Specialist, Financial Control in Belfast

Financial control professional responsible for month-end close, statutory reporting, SOX compliance, and BPO oversight in a FTSE-level environment.

About Pearson Financial Services (PFS): PFS is Pearson's centre of excellence of all FP&A and financial control activity. We partner with the business, Finance business partners and group reporting to provide outstanding financial support and service. The PFS Financial Reporting & Control team is responsible for the UK, North America, APAC and European month-end close activities, group reporting, audit, balance sheet and P&L control. The team is also responsible for end-to-end process control and, where necessary, process redesign and improvement across our UK and offshore teams.

About the role: Reporting to the Lead, Financial Control, the Specialist, Financial Control will be responsible for:

• Production of monthly and annual results for divisions, working closely with key divisional managers and finance teams.
• Own the review of all daily, weekly and monthly reporting to ensure that reports are accurate and relevant.
• Review work delivered by the BPO team.
• Review and approve journals ensuring they maintain relevant and appropriate back up and are correctly coded.
• Prepare ad-hoc analysis / production of reports as requested to support accurate reporting and support business, group, and tax decisions.
• Have significant interaction with business units, enabling functions, and auditors.
• Complete statutory financial statements at half year and year end as required.
• Complete compliance reporting in accordance with local legislation.
• Assist with SOX compliance, as required.
• Assist with Annual Desktop Procedure (DTP) review and write up for any new processes created or transitioned to BPO.
• Be involved in the delivery of ad-hoc continuous improvement projects and reporting requirements of the wider PFS Financial Reporting & Control team as required.
• Recognise issues, highlight them to relevant colleagues / line manager and take initiative to resolve.
• Maintain stakeholder satisfaction by promptly following up on requests for information.
• Contribute to team effort and assist co-workers as needed to balance workloads.
• Help to create a work atmosphere conducive to a high degree of integrity and teamwork.
• Identify opportunities for continuous process improvement and innovative solutions.
• Contribute to the maintenance of an effective system of internal controls including compliance with all internal and external requirements.
• Ensure that corporate policies and procedures are consistently applied.
• Take proactive involvement in determining and implementing best practices.
• Ensure all processes are kept well-documented.

Location: The role can be fully remote or hybrid with our offices based in central Belfast (2 days a week in office). If the role is remote, then we would just require occasional office collaboration days.

About you: If you are part qualified or recently qualified and are a self-starter looking to join a business where you can drive continuous improvement and continue to develop your financial control skills then we would love to hear from you. We are open to assistant accountants, financial control or audit-based backgrounds that are looking to make their move into FTSE 100. Our roles offer training and continuous career development so apply today.

Key requirements:

• Core understanding and experience of financial control processes and functions.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to effectively communicate with both finance and non-finance professionals.
• Ability to maintain a strong focus on results and outcomes and prioritise work effectively.
• Advanced user of Microsoft Office suite, particularly Excel (v-lookups, sum-ifs, pivot tables, macros etc.).
• Experience in using Finance ERP systems.
• Desirable but not essential: Knowledge of FRS101 and IFRS preferable.
• Experience using Oracle and Hyperion systems tools viewed favourably.
• Experience in a service delivery environment and strong stakeholder management skills preferable.

Your rewards & benefits: We know you'll do great work, so we give a lot back with some of the best benefits in the business. We know one size doesn't fit all, so our workplace programs meet the different needs of our diverse teams, and their families, too. We offer:

• A competitive salary.
• Flexible working.
• Support and sponsorship for your ACCA or CIMA qualification.
• 25 days annual leave, which increases by 1 day each year up to 30 days (with the option to buy and sell up to 5 days per year on top of this).
• A fantastic pension plan, where Pearson doubles what you contribute.
• Other benefits, including private dental care, private medical insurance, digital GP service, season ticket loan, eye tests, cycle to work scheme, volunteering days, employee wellbeing assistance, discounted retail and leisure products, services from leading companies and much more.