The purpose of the role is to lead, develop and support the Group’s Financial Close team in delivery of a successful month end financial close, with particular focus on meeting reporting deadlines.
The role will deliver a high level of customer service, supporting the Senior Finance Leadership team as well as working closely with the other Group Finance teams.
The role strives for continual innovation / effectiveness in reporting and build strong collaborative relationships within the Group Finance function and across the wider Group.
The role involves direct management of the financial close process for the Group including the month end process, consolidations, and reconciliations, with additional management oversight of the Group Finance payment / receivable services to third party suppliers.
The role is responsible for ensuring adequate financial controls are in place and identifying control improvements, while assisting with the implementation of systems and processes to automate and drive continuous efficiencies and effectiveness.
The role also has ownership and responsibility for Group Financial Close supplier management, risk profile, and operational resilience.
About You
You will be a qualified accountant (ACCA/ACA/CIMA) with a strong technical accounting background and experience in preparing and reviewing financial statements and leading the month-end close process.
You will have internal and external audit support experience, with excellent communication skills to confidently influence at all levels, and a strong ability to maintain confidentiality and maintain a high professional standard in all stakeholder interactions.
You will be an effective people manager, responsible for leadership, development and coaching of the Financial Close team, including team members studying for professional qualifications.
You will have a strong background in building and maintaining relationships with, and the key point of contact, for all internal and external stakeholders to the team, as well as developing best in class accounting through efficient processes and effective management.
You will be experienced in driving continuous improvement and ensuring service provided is best in class, delivering a clear road map for the future.
About Us
Group Finance
Our functional vision is built on leadership, partnering for value, building specialised teams and ensuring our technology roadmap is based on future focused systems.
At a time of unprecedented growth across the organisation, the Group Finance team is expanding with three key managerial roles created within the Internal Reporting & Accounting team to support the creation of our single Finance centre of excellence, an extensive upgrading of our operational systems, and the ultimate delivery of our ambitious 5-year corporate plan.
Internal Reporting & Accounting
The Internal Reporting & Accountant team sit within the Group Finance function and are responsible for the production of Group management accounts, ensuring reporting information provided is accurate, timely, and supports key financial and operational decisions.
There is also a focus on ensuring a high level of service is provided to both internal and external stakeholders, primarily in connection with finance analysis, colleague and 3rd party payments, and providing key support in the production and reporting of the 5-year financial plan, including detailed 12-24 month forecasting.
What do you get in return? As well as receiving a competitive annual salary based on above-market pay scales, our reward package includes:
1. A 35-hour weekly contract + flexible working options
2. 30 days holiday each year plus bank holidays
3. Bonus Scheme (paid annually) -On target 10%, up to 15% depending on performance
4. Colleague mortgage scheme and access to our financial advisors
5. Private medical insurance
6. Pension scheme (up to 9% employers’ contribution)
7. Life assurance (4x salary) and income protection
8. Access to a range of wellbeing benefits, including medicash scheme
9. Electric car salary sacrifice scheme
10. Cycle to Work scheme
11. Above statutory family leave entitlement - 3 months full pay, 3 months half pay regardless of gender or route to parenthood
12. An extra day’s holiday for your birthday
13. The option to buy and sell holidays
14. Two paid volunteering days each year
15. A broad range of learning and development opportunities
16. Access to a range of high street and online discounts
17. Free onsite gym at Cobalt and access to a range of discounted/subsidised gym memberships nationwide
18. A wide range of recognition initiatives to recognise and reward great performance
19. Hybrid working - we welcome any discussions around where, how and when people work including part-time hours.
Upon starting a new role with us, we will ensure you are equipped with the correct tools and technologies to enable you to do your best work within your hybrid arrangement.
If you have any questions or need any support with your application you can reach out to our Talent Acquisition team at
Recognising there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to recruitment, we’re committed to ensuring every candidate has the opportunity to showcase their full potential throughout the recruitment process. We strive to make our processes as accessible as possible, if there are any ways in which we can provide support or make adjustments, we would love to discuss this with you, you can contact your Recruiter for this vacancy at kate.wilkinson@newcastle.co.uk