At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage financial records, ensure accuracy, and support finance system improvements.
- Company: Aldenham Estate, a diverse family-owned estate in Hertfordshire.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, and hands-on experience across various sectors.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with opportunities for professional growth and development.
- Why this job: Take ownership of financial processes in a unique and varied business environment.
- Qualifications: Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) with strong financial skills.
The predicted salary is between 65250 - 79750 £ per year.
The Role at a Glance
- Financial Accountant (Qualified)
- Aldenham Estate | Elstree, Hertfordshire
- Predominantly working onsite with flex
- Full Time | Permanent
- Reporting to: Head of Finance
- Direct Reports: Bookkeeper / Finance Administration Support as appropriate
Business: Diversified Family-Owned Estate | Property | Aerodrome | Glamping | Farming | Sustainable Land Management
- Your Background / Skills
- Financial Accounting
- Month-End
- Management Accounts
- Balance Sheet Reconciliations
- VAT
- Payroll
- Cash Flow
- Financial Controls
- Multi-Entity Accounting
- Finance Systems
- Excel
- ACA
- ACCA
- CIMA
- Culture
The culture is informal, flexible and family-friendly, with an emphasis on outcomes, collaboration and connection to the wider estate.
About Aldenham Estate
Aldenham Estate is a diversified family-owned estate based in Elstree, Hertfordshire, with activities spanning residential and commercial property, London Elstree Aerodrome, Home Farm Glamping, farming and environmental land management.
Operating through a number of companies, partnerships and trusts, the Estate is investing in improved financial systems, reporting and controls as it strengthens its finance function for the future.
The Opportunity
We’re looking for a technically strong, hands-on Financial Accountant to become the operational accounting backbone of the finance team.
Reporting to the Head of Finance, you’ll take ownership of the accuracy and integrity of the Estate’s underlying financial records, including the monthly close, reconciliations, VAT, payroll administration, banking controls, cash-flow preparation and day-to-day finance systems administration.
Sitting between the internal bookkeeping function and external accountants, you’ll ensure financial information across the Estate’s multiple entities is accurate, complete and presented in the right format.
Your immediate priority will be maintaining operational continuity and robust financial control, while supporting the Head of Finance with the replacement of Sage 50, integration with Re-Leased and documentation of clear, consistent finance procedures - bringing greater control, clarity and confidence to the numbers.
You’ll own the technical accounting, controls and operational finance processes that ensure the underlying numbers are accurate, reliable and audit-ready.
- Where You’ll Add Value
- Financial Accounting & Control
Lead the monthly close across all entities - from journals, accruals and reconciliations to fixed assets and reporting support, ensuring the underlying records are accurate, consistent and audit-ready.
Statutory Accounts, VAT & Compliance
Prepare VAT returns, year-end schedules and audit files, maintain the finance compliance calendar and act as a dependable point of contact for external accountants, auditors and advisers.
Cash Flow, Working Capital & Banking
Prepare short-term cash-flow forecasts, monitor working capital and credit control, and maintain robust banking, payment and access controls with clear approval responsibilities.
Payroll & Operational Finance
Work with the outsourced payroll provider and Bookkeeper to ensure payroll, pensions, invoicing, payments, reconciliations and transaction processing run accurately and on time.
Systems & Process Improvement
Support the replacement of the finance system and its integration with Re-Leased, including migration, testing and reconciliation.
Document key procedures and introduce practical improvements that increase efficiency, control and operational resilience.
About You
You’re a technically strong, hands-on accountant who enjoys doing, not simply reviewing.
You like getting beneath the numbers—making sure balance sheets reconcile, controls work and financial information can be trusted.
Curious and pragmatic, you’re comfortable navigating multi-entity complexity, investigating issues and finding workable solutions when everything doesn’t fit neatly into a standard box.
You’ll be confident taking ownership within a small finance team, balancing competing deadlines and working independently while building strong relationships with finance colleagues, operational teams and external advisers.
- You’ll likely bring
- ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualification with strong technical accounting capability.
- Strong financial accounting, month-end and balance sheet reconciliation experience.
- Experience preparing management accounts and supporting year-end statutory accounts.
- Strong understanding of financial controls, banking processes, VAT and payroll administration.
- Excellent Excel skills and confidence working with accounting systems.
- High attention to detail with a genuine commitment to accuracy and control.
- The ability to independently manage priorities and deadlines within a hands-on finance environment.
- Clear communication skills and confidence working with finance and non-finance stakeholders.
- Experience within a multi-entity accounting environment would be particularly valuable.
Knowledge of Sage 50, Re-Leased, partial exemption VAT or finance systems implementation/integration would also be beneficial.
- What Success Looks Like
- Accurate and timely monthly close across all entities.
- Fully reconciled balance sheets supported by appropriate schedules every month.
- Clean, well-prepared year-end and audit files.
- Accurate and timely VAT returns.
- Reliable short-term cash flow visibility for the Head of Finance and Directors.
- Effective banking, payment and access controls.
- Accurate monthly payroll administration and reconciliation.
- Clear, up-to-date finance procedures.
- Successful support for finance system replacement and Re-Leased integration.
- Reduced key-person dependency across critical finance processes.
Why Join Aldenham Estate?
This is an opportunity to take real ownership within a varied and unusual business environment.
Rather than accounting for one straightforward trading business, you’ll gain exposure across property, aviation, hospitality, farming and sustainable land management, all within the wider Aldenham Estate.
- You’ll have
- £55,000 - £60,000 salary depending on experience.
- Genuine ownership of the accounting cycle.
- Exposure to a varied, multi-entity family-owned organisation.
- Close working relationship with the Head of Finance, Directors and operational teams.
- Opportunity to strengthen financial controls and reporting.
- Hands-on involvement in finance system replacement and process improvement.
- Scope to make practical improvements to how the finance function operates.
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Financial Accountant - Aldenham Estate - Events, Leisure, Property, Ag in Elstree employer: RecruitmentRevolution.com
Aldenham Estate is an exceptional employer that offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of a diverse family-owned business in Hertfordshire. With a strong focus on employee growth and a collaborative work culture, you will be empowered to influence strategic decisions while enjoying the benefits of a flexible working environment. Join us to make a meaningful impact across various sectors, from property to sustainable land management, all within a supportive and dynamic team.
