Finance Systems Implementation Accountant (Aca)

Police Federation of England and Wales; Leatherhead; On-site; GBP 83,000 - 138,000; Full time

Job summary

The Police Federation of England and Wales is seeking an ACA-qualified accountant to join the finance team for a 4–6 month contractor role supporting a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Microsoft Dynamics NAV implementation. You will work with finance, IT, and external partners to configure, test, migrate data, train users, and go-live activities.

Experience with system implementations and strong controls, data validation, and UAT is essential for a successful delivery.

Qualifications

• ACA qualified accountant with post-qualification experience.
• Experience delivering accounting system implementations.
• Hands-on with Dynamics 365 Business Central and NAV.

Responsibilities

• Act as a key member of the finance system implementation team.
• Review system configuration for finance requirements and support go-live.
• Lead data cleansing and migration validation for financial data.
• Develop and execute UAT plans and coordinate testing with stakeholders.
• Support finance process improvements and month-end workflows.
• Deliver training and go-live support to finance users.

Skills

System implementation

Excel skills

Stakeholder management

Data migration

Education

ACA qualified

Tools

Dynamics 365 Business Central

Microsoft Dynamics NAV

Job description

Description

We are seeking an experienced ACA-qualified accountant to join the finance team and support the implementation of a new finance system. The successful candidate will have extensive experience of accounting system implementations, with particular expertise in both Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Microsoft Dynamics NAV.
Joining at the implementation stage of the project, the role will work closely with the Finance Team, implementation partner, IT team and key business stakeholders to ensure successful configuration, testing, data migration, training, and go-live activities. The individual will provide hands on support throughout the project and help embed new processes and controls within the organisation.
This is an approximately 4 to 6 month contract, as a Contractor on a daily rate.

Key Responsibilities

System Implementation Support

• Act as a key member of the finance system implementation team.
• Work closely with the current finance team, the IT team and implementation partner to support delivery of the project plan.
• Review system configuration to ensure alignment with finance requirements.
• Support finance leadership and provide subject matter expertise throughout the implementation phase.
• Support issue resolution and decision making during implementation.

Data Migration and Validation

• Lead and support data cleansing for static data
• Support the migration of financial data from Dynamics Nav.
• Validate chart of accounts, supplier records, customer records, fixed assets, budgets, and historic transaction data.
• Perform reconciliation and validation checks to ensure data completeness and accuracy.
• Identify and resolve data issues before go live.

User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

• Develop and execute comprehensive test plans and test scripts.
• Coordinate finance user testing activities.
• Record, track, and manage testing defects.
• Work with implementation consultants to resolve testing issues.
• Support formal sign-off processes.

Finance Process Enhancement

• Review finance processes and recommend improvements where appropriate.
• Ensure financial controls are maintained and enhanced within the new system.
• Support the design of efficient month end, reporting, budgeting, and transaction processing workflows.

Training and Go-Live Support

• Develop finance process documentation and user guides.
• Deliver training and knowledge transfer to finance users.
• Provide support during system go live and post implementation stabilisation activities.
• Assist with embedding best practice processes within the finance function.

Reporting and Controls

• Validate management reports and financial reporting outputs.
• Ensure reporting requirements are fully met within the new system.
• Support finance operations during implementation while maintaining business continuity.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Essential Qualifications

• ACA qualified accountant.
• Strong post-qualification experience within finance functions.

Essential Experience

• Significant experience supporting and delivering accounting system implementations.
• Proven hands on experience implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
• Proven hands on experience implementing Microsoft Dynamics NAV.
• Strong understanding of:
  • General Ledger
  • Accounts Payable
  • Accounts Receivable
  • Fixed Assets
  • Budgeting and Forecasting
  • Financial Reporting
• Experience of data migration, reconciliation, and data validation.
• Extensive User Acceptance Testing (UAT) experience.
• Strong Excel skills.
• Ability to work effectively with finance users, software vendors, and implementation consultants.
• Excellent problem-solving and stakeholder management skills.

The Police Federation of England and Wales is the staff association representing 150,000 police officers and special constables up to and including the rank of chief inspector. We have a statutory obligation to ensure the views of our members are accurately relayed to government, opinion formers and key stakeholders. To ensure this we measure the work we do and what we seek to achieve against our organisational aims and objectives.