Financial Accounting Manager - Media/FMCG - #2165655

Financial Accounting Management - FMCG/Media

Global Media and FMCG business are looking for a 3 years post qualified ACA Financial Accounting Manager who will be responsible for managing the Financial Accounting team, ensuring the delivery of accurate financial reporting, a robust control environment and compliance with UK GAAP, IFRS and company policies. The role acts as the key technical accounting expert for the business, partnering with Finance, Operations, Sales and Marketing teams, while serving as a trusted contact for Group Finance, auditors and regulatory bodies.

Managing a team of finance professionals, the role is accountable for developing technical capability, driving continuous improvement, strengthening financial controls and supporting the business in achieving its strategic objectives.

Responsibilities:

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, develop and motivate a team of Financial Accountants, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Manage workload prioritisation, resource planning and performance management across the team.
• Establish and deliver individual development plans, coaching team members on both technical accounting and professional development.
• Promote best-practice financial control, governance and compliance standards across the business.

Technical Accounting & Financial Reporting

• Own the month-end and year-end financial close processes, ensuring accurate and timely reporting to local management and the wider Group Finance team.
• Review and approve accounting entries, accruals, provisions and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Provide technical accounting expertise and guidance on IFRS, UK GAAP (FRS102) and Group accounting policies.
• Lead the assessment, implementation and communication of new accounting standards and regulatory requirements.
• Review and challenge balance sheet forecasts and planning assumptions as part of annual business planning cycles.
• Partner with the Tax Manager to ensure accounting structures and reporting processes support tax compliance requirements.

Financial Control & Governance

• Maintain and continuously enhance the financial control framework, ensuring appropriate controls operate effectively across all business processes.
• Identify, assess and mitigate financial reporting and compliance risks.
• Drive process improvements, standardisation and automation initiatives whilst ensuring accounting policies, procedures and documentation remain current and aligned with Group requirements.
• Champion the application of technology, automation and data analytics within Finance, leveraging tools to enhance reporting quality, strengthen controls and reduce manual effort.

Business Partnering

• Act as a trusted advisor to Finance, Operations, Sales and Marketing teams on financial reporting and accounting matters.
• Support business initiatives by providing accounting guidance and evaluating reporting impacts of commercial decisions.
• Partner with wider Group Finance to ensure alignment with global reporting requirements.
• Lead or support strategic projects, organisational changes and finance transformation initiatives, ensuring appropriate accounting, reporting and control considerations are addressed.

Audit, Statutory Reporting & Compliance

• Lead all aspects of the external audit process, acting as the primary contact for auditors and coordinating delivery across the business.
• Oversee the preparation, review and submission of statutory financial statements under FRS102 for local reporting and IFRS for group reporting.
• Ensure compliance with Companies House, HMRC and other regulatory reporting obligations.

Experience, Knowledge & Skills:

• Fully qualified ACA or ACCA accountant.
• Typically 3+ years post-qualification experience in external audit, financial reporting or financial accounting roles.
• Previous experience managing, coaching and developing finance professionals.
• Strong experience managing external audits and statutory reporting requirements.
• Experience implementing process improvements, controls enhancements or finance transformation initiatives would be advantageous.
• Strong technical knowledge of IFRS and UK GAAP (FRS102).
• Advanced user of Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint.
• Experience with SAP
• Experience using Caseware or other statutory accounts and audit-support software.
• Experience leveraging automation, data analytics and reporting tools (e.g. Power Query, Power BI, Python, similar) to improve efficiency, controls and insight preferred but not essential.
• Demonstrates a continuous improvement mindset, actively identifying opportunities to streamline and automate finance processes.

Handle actively welcomes applicants from under-represented backgrounds - we pride ourselves on attracting the best talent for every opportunity through a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.