GCAD Accounting Expertise Manager

The Group Chief Accountant’s Department (GCAD) is part of the central Finance team. GCAD is responsible for Unilever’s external financial reporting and global financial reporting controls (including Sarbanes Oxley compliance), managing the global auditor relationship; determining and implementing Unilever’s accounting policies; and many other projects related to how Unilever measures its performance and presents and communicates this to the external world.

GCAD are responsible for the collection of the monthly management result, the monthly financial results as well as the collection process for the forecast. The GCAD Reporting, Accounting and Training Expertise team is responsible for:

• Expertise on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and application within Unilever.
• Determine global accounting policies, implement them and ensure compliance.
• Provide timely and clear guidance on the accounting implications of business decisions.
• Assess the impact of proposed changes to IFRS and identify the actions required internally to comply with them.
• Where necessary act as advocate for the company with the standard setters or other governance bodies to defend its interests.
• Developing and implementing a training strategy to support Unilever's financial reporting community.
• Deliver the training through various mediums, to address the needs of different audiences and learning preferences (such as e-learning, guides to best practice and live meetings).
• Exclusive responsibility for developing and implementing an accounting and reporting knowledge management strategy to deliver ongoing support to Unilever's finance community.

The team is responsible for reviewing all external GAAP, controls and reporting developments, lobbying on potential developments and identifying the implications and actions required internally to comply / meet all related challenges that arise.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Tracking of external technical accounting developments, summarising for management, preparing lobbying letters.
• Interpretation of new standards / legislation and ensuring readiness and actual application to the Unilever group, across all countries.
• General assistance to the Director of Reporting, Accounting and Training Expertise on matters such as the Annual Report and Accounts, Disclosures, Projects and Internal accounting questions.
• Develop and support execution of a stewardship training strategy across global finance.
• Ad hoc related assignments within the Group Chief Accountant’s Department (GCAD).
• Accounting Policy Steering Group Secretary.

Details of the role

Leading technical accounting and reporting. The job holder will help with compliance with IFRS (plus some UK, Dutch and US GAAP and International GAAS) accounting and reporting requirements for listed companies and leading conversations with external auditors on upcoming accounting developments and how they might impact Unilever. They will also lobby the standard setters towards the desired outcome for Unilever. The job holder needs to be comfortable reading accounting/draft accounting standards and legal agreements/ contracts, referring to them frequently, and also writing accounting papers – either in deep technical detail or high level summaries, depending on the intended audience. This will include treasury specific accounting topics. The job holder will also be required to build Unilever’s network with peer companies and the relevant regulatory bodies to lobby our approach to financial reporting and accounting.

Annual Report and Accounts and quarterly press releases

The job holder will be required to review the consistency and compliance of the Group accounts with the external requirements and support the ARA Production Manager and RATE Financial Reporting Manager in related conversations. They will also own disclosure of accounting policies and lead technical interaction with the auditors on all external reporting matters.

GCAD Training Agenda

The job holder will also lead the co-ordination of GCADs stewardship agenda across global finance. This involves setting the key objectives and a calendar with the GCAD LT and then managing delivery, including oversight of resource development, with support from other relevant teams and stakeholders within GCAD. This includes ensuring successful delivery of GCADs Accounting, Controls and Risk Olympiad competition.

Ad hoc projects

Ad hoc tasks will also be assigned depending on projects as they arise and will likely involve acquisition accounting expertise, internal legal entity reorganisations and compliance with UK Company Law regarding distributable reserves. Must be a highly technically capable accountant; previous experience of technical accounting matters for large multinational group is required. Advanced organisational skills and task management. Attention to detail, perfectionist tendencies essential. Ability to read and interpret IFRS exposure drafts, analyse impact and prepare lobbying comment letters. High standard of writing English language including spelling.

ALL ABOUT YOU

• Qualified Financial Accountant with post qualified experience.
• Strong IFRS knowledge and understanding the requirements of external auditors.
• Advanced organisational skills and task management.
• Attention to detail.
• Good interpersonal skills to build rapport with various stakeholders.
• Knowledge of the UK Companies Act and experience of its application to distributable reserves (desirable).
• Corporate Centre experience of a large global listed group (desirable).

NOTES

Please apply via this portal as e-mail applications may not be processed and include your Future Fit Plan if possible. By applying for this vacancy, you are confirming that you have made your Line Manager aware of your application and that you are at a point in your career with Unilever where it is appropriate for you to be applying for other positions. Should you require additional information or reasonable adjustments to allow you to present your best self during this process, please contact your Talent Partner.

What we offer

Whilst the role is advertised on a full-time basis, we would be happy to discuss possible flexible working options and what this may look like for you. We strive to achieve a family-friendly and inclusive workplace and to, above all, create possibilities for all. Diversity at Unilever is about inclusion, embracing differences, creating possibilities and growing together for better business performance. We embrace diversity in our workforce. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. We are also more than happy to provide reasonable adjustments during our application and interview process to enable you to be present your best self.