Financial Accountant

National Express Ltd; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free travel on National Express bus

Plus One travel pass

Pension scheme

Life assurance

Employee Assistance Programme

Private online GP service

Job summary

National Express Bus is seeking a detail-oriented Financial Accountant to join our dedicated finance team in Birmingham. You will be responsible for month-end close, statutory accounts, and ensuring robust financial reporting and compliance across UK and international standards.

Reporting to the Financial Controller, you will manage cash flow forecasting, asset registers, and coordination with external audits, while overseeing transactional processing and continuous improvement of tax data and

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA) or part-qualified pursuing completion within a reasonable timeframe.
• 3+ years in financial accounting role with large data sets.
• Solid understanding of UK and international financial reporting standards.
• Analytical mindset with strong systems proficiency.
• Excellent communication and collaborative team mindset; bonus for finance change projects.

Responsibilities

• Month-end closing procedures and financial statement prep.
• Cash flow forecasting and group submissions.
• Balance sheet reconciliations and fixed asset register mgmt.
• Prepare statutory accounts and assist with external audits.
• Oversee transactional processing across AP/AR/cash/banking.
• Support tax data collection and process documentation.

Skills

ACA/ACCA/CIMA

3+ years

UK/IFRS knowledge

Analytical skills

Strong communication

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Are you a detail oriented finance pro who loves bringing order to complex numbers? National Express Bus is on the lookout for a Financial Accountant to join our dedicated finance team.

Reporting directly to the Financial Controller, you will play a vital role in maintaining our financial records, ensuring strict statutory compliance, and delivering accurate, reliable reporting. From month end procedures and cash flow forecasting to managing audit requirements and outsourced transactional teams, you will be right at the center of our finance team

What you will actually be doing

• Master the Close: Deliver robust month end closing procedures, prepare financial statements, and post closing balances with a sharp eye for accuracy.
• Manage Cash Flow & Group Submissions: Prepare weekly 13 week cash flow forecasts for Group Treasury alongside budget and forecast balance sheets.
• Reconciliation & Fixed Assets: Complete monthly balance sheet reconciliations and manage the fixed asset register, including IFRS16 adjustments and asset disposals.
• Statutory Accounts & Audit: Prepare statutory accounts and consolidations across Bus entities, delivering external audit requirements in tandem with the wider team.
• Transactional Oversight: Optimize and manage our transactional processing functions across AP, AR, cash, and banking.
• Tax & Process Documentation: Compile data for tax returns, maintain technical process notes, and spot continuous improvement opportunities.

What we need from you

• Professional Qualifications: Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA). Part qualified candidates actively pursuing completion within a reasonable timeframe will also be considered.
• Relevant Experience: At least 3 years in a similar financial accounting role, ideally with exposure to large data sets and complex finance environments.
• Technical & Standards Knowledge: Solid understanding of UK and international financial reporting standards.
• Analytical Skills: Excellent problem solving capabilities, strong systems proficiency, and the ability to simplify data into clear information.
• Great Mindset: Outstanding communication skills, a collaborative team player approach, and a good sense of humor. Industry experience or a background in finance change projects is a bonus!

The perks of joining us

• We look after our people with benefits that make a genuine difference:
• Free Travel: Free bus travel right across the National Express network for you.
• Travel for a Plus One: Complimentary travel pass for your partner.
• Peace of Mind: Solid company pension scheme and life assurance.
• Wellbeing Support: Access to our Employee Assistance Programme and a private online GP service.

At National Express, we are really proud of our health and safety record and as a result, we operate a Drugs and Alcohol Policy which is applicable to all employees.

As part of your initial assessment, we will complete Drug and Alcohol testing and you may be subject to random tests during your employment.