Accounting Manager

Howett-Thorpe Recruitment Consultants Limited; Staines-upon-Thames; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working 2 days in the office

23 days holiday

Pension scheme

Up to 10% bonus

Job summary

Howett-Thorpe Recruitment Consultants Limited is seeking an Accounting Manager to own the general ledger and strengthen financial control across its EMEA operations. The role will suit a technically strong, hands-on accountant who can post journals, investigate discrepancies and ensure accurate reporting.

You will report to the Director of Finance, support month-end and year-end closes under US GAAP, manage foreign currency accounting and collaborate with project teams to drive process

Qualifications

• Strong financial accounting or controllership background in a corporate setting.
• Experience owning a general ledger and posting journals.
• Thorough understanding of double-entry bookkeeping, balance sheets and controls.
• Experience with US GAAP and revenue recognition (POC).
• Knowledge of foreign currency accounting and conversions.

Responsibilities

• Own the general ledger and post journal entries.
• Lead revenue accounting including POC calculations and project data.
• Maintain balance sheet reconciliations and investigate discrepancies.
• Account for payroll and overhead costs with accurate allocation.
• Support month-end and year-end reporting under US GAAP.
• Manage foreign currency accounting across international operations.
• Trace operational activity to accounting treatments and address gaps.
• Challenge project, billing and AP data to improve accuracy and accountability.
• Drive improvements to accounting processes and data flows.
• Support transition from Sage to Microsoft Dynamics 365.

Skills

General ledger ownership

US GAAP experience

Revenue recognition

POC accounting

Foreign currency accounting

Data interpretation

Problem-solving

Stakeholder management

Hands-on accounting

Dynamics 365

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Sage

Job description

An international business is seeking an Accounting Manager to take ownership of its general ledger and strengthen financial control across its EMEA operations. With regional turnover of approximately £100 million, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution within a substantial corporate environment undergoing change.

The position will suit an inquisitive, technically strong accountant who enjoys understanding how transactions flow through a business, investigating discrepancies and improving the accuracy of financial reporting. You will bring a hands‑on approach, with the confidence to prepare and post journals, challenge underlying information and follow issues through to resolution.

Job Title: Accounting Manager

Job Type: Permanent or FTC

Location: Staines

Salary: £90,000-£100,000 per annum, depending on experience

Reference no: 16092

Benefits

• Hybrid working 2 days in the office
• 23 days holiday
• Pension scheme
• Up to 10% bonus

About The Role

Reporting to the Director of Finance, you will play a central role in strengthening accounting accuracy and financial control across an EMEA region. Your responsibilities will develop to include ownership of reporting for the Netherlands.

The remit centres on controllership and operational accounting, with a particular emphasis on revenue recognition and percentage‑of‑completion (POC) accounting. FP&A is managed separately, allowing you to focus on the integrity of the accounts, balance sheet and underlying transactions.

You will work closely with Project Managers, billing and accounts payable to understand the detail behind the numbers, challenge inconsistencies and ensure that financial information is complete, accurate and appropriately recorded.

Responsibilities

• Owning the general ledger, including preparing and posting journal entries.
• Taking a leading role in revenue accounting, including percentage‑of‑completion calculations and the supporting project information.
• Maintaining robust balance sheet reconciliations and investigating discrepancies through to resolution.
• Accounting for payroll and overhead costs, ensuring accurate treatment and allocation.
• Supporting accurate month‑end and year‑end reporting in line with US GAAP requirements.
• Managing foreign currency accounting and conversions across international operations.
• Tracing information from operational activity through to its accounting treatment, identifying gaps and following up with the relevant teams.
• Challenging project, billing and accounts payable information constructively to improve accuracy and accountability.
• Driving improvements to accounting processes, financial data flows and controls.
• Supporting the planned transition from a Sage based platform to Microsoft Dynamics 365.

Qualifications

• A strong financial accounting or controllership background within a corporate environment.
• Practical experience of owning a general ledger and working directly with the underlying accounting, including preparing and posting journals.
• A thorough understanding of double‑entry bookkeeping, balance sheets and financial controls.
• US GAAP experience.
• Experience of revenue recognition and percentage‑of‑completion accounting.
• Solid knowledge of foreign currency accounting and conversions.
• The ability to interpret data, identify inconsistencies and investigate their root causes.
• Strong critical thinking, deductive reasoning and problem‑solving skills.
• The confidence and credibility to challenge stakeholders while building effective working relationships.
• An inquisitive approach, a willingness to learn and the ability to respond positively to constructive feedback.
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 experience would be advantageous.

You may already be working as an Accounting Manager / Financial Controller or be a Senior Accountant ready to step into a broader role. Above all, you will be comfortable taking personal ownership of the accounts and combining technical expertise with a practical, hands‑on approach.