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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Join our finance team to ensure accurate and timely financial reporting.
- Company: Dynamic organisation embracing change and continuous improvement.
- Benefits: Hybrid working, exposure to senior stakeholders, and a technically rich role.
- Other info: Inclusive company culture celebrating diversity and equal opportunity.
- Why this job: Make an impact in a high-profile corporate accounting role with growth opportunities.
- Qualifications: 4+ years of accounting experience and strong statutory reporting skills required.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 60000 £ per year.
As we continue to evolve and strengthen our corporate finance capability, we are looking for a Corporate Accountant to join our Head Office finance team based in Hemel Hempstead. This is a high-profile role within an evolving, change-driven organisation, ideal for someone who enjoys technical accounting, values strong financial control, and sees change as a positive opportunity.
The Role
Reporting to the Head of Financial Control / Divisional Financial Controller, you will be a key contributor to the head office accounting function, ensuring accurate, timely and high-quality statutory and management reporting across the Smiths Detection Group's corporate entities. You will play an important role in maintaining robust ledger structures, supporting statutory reporting, and ensuring that accounting data aligns with the corporate functional structure. The role has a strong technical accounting focus, including multi-currency transactions, loans, share capital, dividends and complex FX, working closely with Treasury and Tax.
Key Responsibilities
- Preparation and maintenance of management reports for central functions, using ledger and headcount data
- Ownership of management reporting structures (cost centres, GL hierarchies) to enable effective cost control and variance analysis
- Ensuring costs are recorded accurately in the correct ledgers; advising on coding and improving upstream data quality with HR, T&E and Master Data teams
- Accounting under IFRS for central entities, including loans, interest, equity transactions, dividends and foreign exchange
- Preparation of UK statutory accounts and support for internal and external audits
- Maintenance of distributable reserves tracking
- Maintaining registers for centrally issued bonds and guarantees
- Ensuring consistency between SAP, SAP BW and Oracle EPM (FCCS / EPBCS) through mapping tables
- Supporting forecasts, budgets and ad-hoc finance projects
- Promoting strong financial controls, compliance and Smiths Detection policies
About You
This role is not suitable for someone in their first role out of practice. We are specifically looking for a candidate with depth of experience who can operate with confidence and autonomy in a corporate environment.
Qualifications
Essential Experience and Skills
- Minimum 4 years' accounting experience (at least 2 years in industry)
- Strong statutory reporting experience (UK statutory accounts preparation is essential)
- Proven experience working with a ledger system (SAP preferred)
- Multi-currency accounting experience is essential
- Solid knowledge of IFRS and application of accounting standards
- Experience working in a head office or divisional finance function within a multinational organisation
- Comfortable working in a changing environment and able to adapt as the organisation evolves
Academic and Professional Qualifications
ACA or ACCA preferred. CIMA will be considered only where there is clear evidence of statutory accounting experience.
Personal Attributes
- Technically strong and detail-focused, with a "right first time" mindset
- Well-organised and able to manage deadlines such as month‑end close
- Confident communicator, able to build effective relationships across Finance, HR, IT, Treasury and Tax
- A flexible, proactive self-starter who enjoys improvement, challenge and change
Benefits
- Hybrid working from our Hemel Hempstead office
- A technically rich, high-visibility corporate accounting role
- Exposure to complex group structures and senior stakeholders
- An organisation genuinely embracing change and continuous improvement
Equal Opportunity Statement
We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support and embrace diversity.
Corporate Accountant employer: Smiths Group
Contact Detail:
Smiths Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Corporate Accountant
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the finance world, especially those who work at Smiths Detection or similar companies. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to insider info about job openings or even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your technical accounting knowledge. Make sure you can confidently discuss IFRS, multi-currency transactions, and statutory reporting. We want you to shine when it comes to showcasing your expertise!
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t just apply anywhere; focus on roles that excite you! Use our website to find positions that match your skills and interests. Tailor your approach to show how you can contribute to the evolving finance team at Smiths Detection.
✨Tip Number 4
Follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in leaving a positive impression. It shows you're genuinely interested in the role and helps keep you top of mind for the hiring team.
We think you need these skills to ace Corporate Accountant
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experience mentioned in the job description. Highlight your statutory reporting experience and any work with multi-currency transactions to show us you're the right fit for this Corporate Accountant role.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you’re excited about this position. Share specific examples of how you've successfully navigated change in previous roles, as we value adaptability and a proactive mindset.
Showcase Your Technical Skills: Since this role has a strong technical focus, be sure to mention your experience with IFRS and any relevant accounting software like SAP. We want to see that you can handle the complexities of our corporate finance environment.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates during the process!
How to prepare for a job interview at Smiths Group
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Corporate Accountant, you'll need to demonstrate your technical accounting skills. Brush up on IFRS standards and be ready to discuss your experience with multi-currency transactions and statutory reporting. Prepare examples of how you've handled complex accounting scenarios in the past.
✨Master the Systems
Familiarise yourself with the ledger systems mentioned in the job description, especially SAP. If you have experience with Oracle EPM, make sure to highlight that too. Being able to talk confidently about how you've used these systems will show you're ready to hit the ground running.
✨Showcase Your Adaptability
This role is in a change-driven environment, so be prepared to discuss how you've successfully navigated changes in previous roles. Share specific examples where you've adapted to new processes or systems, and how you contributed positively to those transitions.
✨Build Relationships
Communication is key in this role, so think about how you've built effective relationships across different departments. Be ready to share examples of how you've collaborated with teams like HR, Treasury, or Tax to improve financial controls or reporting processes.