Accounting Manager - Integrations & Projects

Gallagher; Glasgow; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dynamic individual to join their Integrations & Projects team. This role involves leading the acquisition and integration of new businesses, ensuring smooth transitions through expert due diligence and finance integration. The ideal candidate will possess strong accounting qualifications and project management skills, with a keen attention to detail. Join a collaborative environment where your contributions will make a significant impact on the organization's growth and success. If you're passionate about problem-solving and thrive in a fast-paced setting, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Benefits

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Defined contribution pension scheme

Life insurance up to 10x salary

Health cash plan or Private medical insurance

Employee Stock Purchase plan

Discounted gym membership

Three fully paid volunteering days

Season ticket loan

Emergency back-up family care

Access to discounted voucher portal

Qualifications

• Qualified Accountant with experience in accounting due diligence and finance integration.
• Strong project management skills and ability to adapt to change.

Responsibilities

• Conduct due diligence and manage acquisition accounting for seamless transitions.
• Act as the Accounting Project Lead for integrations across multiple teams.

Skills

Accounting

Project Management

Attention to Detail

Problem Solving

Adaptability

Education

Qualified Accountant (ACCA/CA/CIMA or equivalent)

Experience with US GAAP

Job description

Introduction

Indulge your passion for problem-solving and embrace the thrill of addressing risk head-on at Gallagher's global brokerage team. Join a family of diverse minds, united by a relentless pursuit of excellence. As part of our team, you'll be the architect of protection, safeguarding businesses and empowering their ambitions. Together, we'll build a legacy of trust and triumph in the dynamic world of risk management.

We believe that every candidate brings something special to the table, including you! So, even if you feel that you’re close but not an exact match, we encourage you to apply.

Overview

Join our Integrations & Projects team as a key player responsible for the acquisition and integration of two new businesses.

In this role, you will be instrumental in conducting due diligence, managing acquisition accounting, and overseeing finance integration. Your expertise will ensure seamless transitions and successful integrations, contributing to the growth and success of our organisation.

How you'll make an impact

Acquisitions

• Preparation of Accounting Due Diligence report to submit for review to Head of Accounting Integration & Projects & Chief Accounting Officer.

o Preparing agendas for calls with Vendor to obtain understanding of existing finance function and processes

o Review of dataroom to obtain relevant information and identify gaps in information provided

o Balance Sheet review to ensure all balances are adequately supported

o Appropriately identify and escalate any issues identified through the DD period

• Attend and present at weekly DD project calls regarding status of report and any issues noted
• Review documents circulated by other project workstreams (e.g. Legal) to ensure no risks to Accounting workstream and feedback as necessary.
• Arrange set up of Business Units for the potential acquisition
• Once acquired:

o Prepare the Acquisition Accounting pack for submission to the US Corporate Accounting team

o Work with Management Accounts team and newly acquired finance team to ensure first month end delivered in line with AJG timeline

o Assist Management Accounts team with first month end results journals as and when required.

o Assist in the preparation of the Completion Accounts and help to facilitate payment once agreed.

Integrations

• Act as the Accounting Project Lead across GBS and GB Acquisition & Integrations Projects
• Prepare Detailed Project Plans for each integration covering Income, Management Accounts, Accounts Payable, Client Money and Treasury teams.

o Track the status of the Project Plans on a weekly basis through 1:1 meetings with representatives from each of the Accounting workstreams

o Use this forum to discuss any updates provided in bi-weekly Project Operating Groups (attended by all Integration Workstreams e.g. HR, Operations, IT, Compliance etc.).

o Escalate any issues to Head of Accounting Integration & Projects / Project Manager on a timely basis ensure issues get appropriate visibility from the outset.

• Act as the escalation point for Accounting workstream representatives to flag issues to – appropriately manage remediation plan and communicate this with necessary people (on both project and local finance team sides)
• Preparation of Operating Group slides to provide Accounting update for inclusion in wider project pack
• Attend and present at bi-weekly Operating Groups for each on-going integration.

o Report back any key issues flagged that may impact Accounting workstream to Head of Accounting Integration & Projects (to ensure across issues ahead of Project Steering Committees) and also to accounting workstream representatives as appropriate.

o Raise Accounting issues/discussion points on these calls to ensure appropriate visibility of issues at project level

• Attend weekly calls with IBA project managers to discuss common issues to both IBA & Accounting and ensure messaging is aligned.
• Arrange and attend bi-weekly meetings with key local finance team contacts to ensure they are engaged in the integrations process and issues can be escalated to them/to us in a timely manner.
• Assist in the preparation of the Business Transfer Agreement, providing feedback to the Legal team on included/excluded assets for transfer
• Prepare Future State pack to present to the local finance team to clearly communicate responsibilities post hive up
• Prepare Hive Up Information packs for distribution to the acquired business
• Assist with any ad hoc queries from Income/Management Accounts/Treasury/Client Money/IBA teams with ongoing integrations (e.g. balance sheet rec support, clarity on hive up journals, introductions to local finance team, assistance in getting issues escalated, arranging cross function meetings etc.)

About You

• Qualified Accountant (ACCA/CA/CIMA or equivalent)
• Previous experience of US GAAP desirable
• SoX and regulatory/control based environment understanding desirable
• Ability to adapt to change
• Attention to detail
• Project management
• Confident and ability to work autonomously
• Investigative and problem solving skills
• Eligible to work in the UK

Compensation and benefits

On top of a competitive salary, great teams and exciting career opportunities, we also offer a wide range of benefits.

Below are the minimum core benefits you’ll get, depending on your job level these benefits may improve:

• Minimum of 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays, and the option to ‘buy’ extra days
• Defined contribution pension scheme, which Gallagher will also contribute to
• Life insurance, which will pay 4x your basic annual salary, which you can top-up to 10x
• Income protection, we’ll cover up to 50% of your annual income, with options to top up
• Health cash plan or Private medical insurance

Other benefits include:

• Three fully paid volunteering days per year
• Employee Stock Purchase plan, offering company shares at a discount
• Share incentive plan, HMRC approved, tax effective, stock purchase plan
• Critical illness cover
• Discounted gym membership, with over 3,000 gyms nationally
• Season ticket loan
• Access to a discounted voucher portal to save money on your weekly shop or next big purchase
• Emergency back-up family care
• And many more…

We value inclusion and diversity

Inclusion and diversity (I&D) is a core part of our business, and it’s embedded into the fabric of our organisation. For more than 95 years, Gallagher has led with a commitment to sustainability and to support the communities where we live and work.

Gallagher embraces our employees’ diverse identities, experiences and talents, allowing us to better serve our clients and communities. We see inclusion as a conscious commitment and diversity as a vital strength. By embracing diversity in all its forms, we live out The Gallagher Way to its fullest.

Gallagher is Disability Confident Committed. We have pledged to make sure our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible, in addition to supporting our existing employees with any long-term health conditions or disabilities.

We understand that applicants may have disabilities, if you do, you may find some parts of the recruitment process more challenging than others. Don’t worry, we’re here to help, however, we can only do this if you let us know.

Should you require reasonable adjustments to your application, please get in touch with [e-mail] . If you’d prefer to speak on the phone, please request a call back, leaving details, so we get in touch.

Our employing entity, Arthur J. Gallagher Services (UK) Limited, is proud to be accredited as a Living Wage employer with the Living Wage Foundation. We are committed to diversity and opportunity for all and are opposed to any form of less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender or gender identity, marital status, civil partnership status, parental status, race, ethnicity, colour, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, religion/ belief, age and those with caring responsibilities.

Gallagher believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunity and prohibits any form of discrimination by its managers, employees, vendors or customers based on race, color, religion, creed, gender (including pregnancy status), sexual orientation, gender identity (which includes transgender and other gender non-conforming individuals), gender expression, hair expression, marital status, parental status, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran or military status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected (herein referred to as “protected characteristics”) by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

Equal employment opportunity will be extended in all aspects of the employer-employee relationship, including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, transfer, demotion, compensation, benefits, layoff, and termination. In addition, Gallagher will make reasonable accommodations to known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified person with a disability, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business.