Accounting Policy & Advisory Senior Manager

Aberdeen Group; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Aberdeen Group seeks a Technical Accounting Expert to oversee the implementation of accounting policies within their finance department. The role entails leading IFRS external reporting efforts, providing technical guidance on complex financial matters, and supporting various business projects. The ideal candidate will possess extensive accounting experience, relevant qualifications, and strong communication skills to effectively influence senior stakeholders. Join a supportive workplace with extensive benefits tailored for your professional growth.

Benefits

40 days annual leave

16% employer pension contribution

Discretionary performance-based bonus

Private healthcare

Flexible benefits including gym discounts

Season ticket loans

Qualifications

• Significant technical accounting experience in investment management or financial services.
• Strong communication ability to present complex matters.
• Self-driven and ambitious with a willingness to challenge norms.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of accounting policies.
• Provide guidance on complex transactions and financial reporting matters.
• Act as a technical accounting subject matter expert.

Skills

Technical accounting experience

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Presentation skills

Proficiency in financial systems

Advanced Excel skills

Education

ICAS/ACA/ACCA qualification

Job description

At Aberdeen, our ambition is to be the UK’s leading Wealth & Investments group.

Strengthening talent and culture is one of our strategic priorities. We strive to make Aberdeen a great place to work so that we can attract and retain the industry’s best talent. Our people put our stakeholders at the heart of everything they do by helping us to make a positive difference to the lives of our clients, customers, colleagues, shareholders, and society.

We are focused on growing our direct and advised wealth platforms and repositioning our specialist asset management business to meet client demand. We are committed to providing excellent client service, supported by leading technology and talent.

Aberdeen comprises three businesses, interactive investor (ii), Investments, and Adviser, each of which focuses on meeting and adapting to our clients’ evolving needs:

• interactive investor, the UK’s second largest direct-to-consumer investment platform, enables individuals in the UK to plan, save, and invest in the way that works for them.

• OurAdviserbusiness provides financial planning solutions and technology for UK financial advisers, enabling them to create value for their customers.

• OurInvestmentsbusiness is a specialist asset manager that focuses on areas where we have both strength and scale to capitalise on the key themes shaping the market, through either public markets or alternative asset classes.

About the Department

This position sits within Group Financial Control who are responsible for a combination of internal and external reporting activity across the Aberdeen Group (group, statutory, regulatory and non-financial including sustainability), management of the relationship with external auditors and the Audit Committee, and business performance management. The area consists of a number of teams including:

• Group Reporting and Control – responsible for all aspect of Group external reporting, consolidation and technical accounting matters.

• Regional and Entity Control & Reporting teams – responsible for entity level and regional financial control and reporting, including discharging of responsibilities under the Senior Managers and Certification Regime, as well as decision support to regional CEOs.

• Performance and Planning – responsible for all performance and planning activities centrally for the group, including coordination of planning, forecasting, quarterly business reviews and cost management across central functions.

About the Role

This is a key role within Aberdeen Finance, reporting directly to the Director of Group External Reporting. The role holder will lead the development, implementation, and oversight of the Group’s accounting policies. They will provide technical accounting guidance on complex transactions, and provide support on a range of financial reporting matters.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a technical accounting subject matter expert for projects and strategic initiative, ensure that all relevant IFRS accounting issues are considered, their impact fully understood and business opportunities are maximised.

• Key part of the team leading on the Group’s IFRS external reporting to the market, including reporting in the annual report and accounts, and the Half year results document

• Support ad-hoc business projects as required and provide IFRS accounting advice and guidance.

• Key point of contact for areas across the Group for IFRS technical accounting queries.

• Oversee the research into current and emerging IFRS technical accounting issues and assess their impact on the Group’s IFRS results.

• Lead the implementation of new accounting standards across the Group.

• Oversee technical assessments for complex valuations, impairments, write-offs, and exceptional transactions.

About the Candidate

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• Significant technical accounting experience in a similar role within investment management or financial services. This includes experience in analysing complex accounting issues and providing technical guidance.

• Accountancy qualification (ICAS/ACA/ACCA).

• Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills. This includes the ability to communicate complex matters to a range of audiences.

• Presentation skills and the ability to guide and influence senior decision makers and wider stakeholders.

• Proficiency in financial systems and advanced Excel skills.

• Self-driven, ambitious, and willing to challenge the status quo.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer. If you have a disability and would like to apply to one of our UK roles under the Disability Confident Scheme, please notify us by completing the relevant section in our candidate questionnaire. One of our team will reach out to support you through your application process.

Our benefits

There's more to working life than coming home with a good salary. We have an environment where you can learn, get involved and be supported.

When you join us, your reward will be one of the best around. This includes 40 days’ annual leave, a 16% employer pension contribution, a discretionary performance based bonus (where applicable), private healthcare and a range of flexible benefits – including gym discounts, season ticket loans and access to an employee discount portal. You can read more about our benefitshere.

Our business

Enabling our clients to be better investors drives everything we do. Our business is structured around three distinct areas – our vectors of growth – focused on our clients’ changing needs. You can find out more about what we dohere.