Financial Accountant

Sepura; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Sepura Limited is seeking a Financial Accountant to join the Finance team in Waterbeach, Cambridge. You will report to the Finance Manager and collaborate with multiple departments to deliver accurate financial information and management reports.

The role requires qualified ACA/ACCA/CIMA professionals who thrive under tight deadlines, enjoy hands-on accounting, and are eager to learn. Your work spans inventory, R&D, fixed assets, accruals, revenue, and statutory reporting.

Qualifications

• Qualified with ACA/ACCA/CIMA.
• Experience of working to tight reporting deadlines.
• Competency and experience in using Microsoft Excel ( Pivot tables, XLOOKUP, SUMIF).
• Knowledge of FRS 102 accounting standards.
• Enjoy working as part of a team and supporting other departments within the business.
• Eagerness to learn and develop within the role.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to apply a questioning mind to tasks.
• Proactive mindset, enthusiastic about problem solving and driving continuous improvement.
• Candidates with a practice background are preferred.

Responsibilities

• Ownership of monthly accounting tasks across inventory, fixed assets, accruals and prepayments, revenue and gross margin.
• Prepare UK statutory data and schedules for external accountants and auditors.
• Support R&D accounting, including RDEC and Patent Box claims.
• Assist in balance sheet reconciliations and year-end processes.
• Act as primary contact for overseas accounting data and ensure timelines are met.

Skills

Excel proficiency

Reporting under deadlines

Team collaboration

Attention to detail

Problem solving

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365)

OneSource (Thomson Reuters)

Job description

Due to continued success, we are looking to recruit a Financial Accountant to join the Finance team.

Working in a cross functional team the Financial Accountant will ensure accurate reporting of financial information, produce management reports for their areas of responsibility and support in the preparation of statutory financial statements.

This is a key role within the Finance team, with opportunities to learn and develop, and is central to the provision of management information driving business decisions. Tasks need to be completed with accuracy and to tight reporting deadlines.

Come and join Sepura Limited at an exciting time of growth and progress your career within this innovative technology company, based in Waterbeach, Cambridge.

Role

We are looking for a highly motivated individual interested in furthering their career in a broad accounting role, working closely with the Finance Manager and collaborating with other departments to prepare and deliver financial information.

The individual should be a qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA), enjoy being part of a large organisation and working across various aspects of financial accounting. The ideal candidate should be eager to learn, enjoy working as part of a team, and be hands-on.

Day to Day

Our customer base includes many different industries and markets around the world. Our complete TETRA and LTE solutions have been developed specifically for users in multiple sectors to face their critical communications challenges.

Responsibilities

There is no such thing as a typical day here at Sepura. You will be supported by your manager and team, as well as collaborating with other departments across the business. In your role as Financial Accountant, your responsibilities will include:

Monthly

Inventory

• Ownership of stock accounting including the calculation of provisions, and cost actuals vs standards.
• Preparation of the monthly inventory reports for the Board, supporting the Operations teams with relevant data to drive inventory management.
• Responsible for the bi-annual stock count verification at our third‑party warehouse.
• Calculation and analysis of stock turnover metrics.

Intangible Assets

• Maintenance and reconciliation of capitalised R&D project register, including calculation of monthly R&D capitalisation and amortisation.
• Assess the appropriate accounting treatment for R&D projects in line with accounting standards through regular meetings with Project Managers to understand project objectives, working alongside the Finance Manager.
• Monitor customer funded R&D project spends against development contracts.
• Define appropriate amortisation rates and ensure accurate amortisation timing through discussion with R&D and Product Strategy colleagues.

Fixed Assets

• Overall responsibility of the company’s fixed asset register, including maintenance of the suspense FAR ledger account monitoring WIP assets until formerly in use and capitalised into tangible assets.
• Perform and oversee the bi-annual FAR verification exercise.

Accruals And Prepayments

• Preparation of the monthly accruals and prepayments review and posting of journals.
• Mentor junior colleagues with the preparation of the overseas entity accruals and prepayments and conduct reviews to ensure accurate reporting.

Revenue And Gross Margin

• Ownership of the monthly sales and margin reconciliation - ensuring revenue and COS are accurately reported and analysed each month.
• Analysis of appropriate accounting treatment for new saleable products and services.
• Ownership and maintenance of deferred revenue schedules.

Annual

Statutory Accounting

• Support the Finance Manager with the preparation of UK statutory financial statements within Thomson Reuters OneSource.
• Prepare supporting data packs and schedules for the statutory disclosures within the accounts.
• Review accounting policies to ensure up to date and in line with the latest reporting standards.
• Act as the primary point of contact in supplying overseas accountants with financial data and records in relation to the Company’s subsidiary sales offices, ensuring compliance timetables are met.
• Perform reconciliations between accounts prepared by the overseas accountants and our ERP, identify and resolve any variances due to differences in accounting treatment.

Warranty Provisioning

• Ownership of the annual warranty provision review and calculation.
• Prepare detailed calculations to support the warranty provision rate per product group.

Audit

• Working alongside the Finance Manager, prepare and deliver audit requests to the agreed deadlines.
• Be a key point of contact for the external auditor.

Tax Compliance

• Support the Finance Manager in the preparation of annual UK tax computations, responding timely to queries raised by our external tax advisors.
• Assist in matters relating to tax planning and tax forecasting, including preparation of deferred tax impairment assessments.

R&D Accounting

• Attend regular R&D Meetings to keep abreast of projects that reach the implementation phase, assess potential impairments of existing projects and keep up to date on newly scoped projects.
• Support the Finance Manager in the preparation of RDEC and Patent Box claims, ensuring compliance with HMRC legislation.

Other

• Detailed data gathering for the company’s annual insurance renewal.
• Remain up to date with the latest accounting standards changes.
• Work with the Finance Manager in ensuring the company adheres to reporting standards.
• Balance Sheet Reconciliations.
• Adhoc projects.

What you need to succeed

Must-haves

• Qualified with ACA/ACCA/CIMA
• Experience of working to tight reporting deadlines
• Competency and experience in using Microsoft Excel (e.g. Pivot tables, XLOOKUP, SUMIF)
• Knowledge of FRS 102 accounting standards
• Enjoy working as part of a team and supporting other departments within the business
• Eagerness to learn and develop within the role
• Strong attention to detail and ability to apply a questioning mind to tasks
• Proactive mindset, enthusiastic about problem solving and driving continuous improvement
• Candidates with a practice background are preferred

Nice to have

• Experience of PE structure reporting
• Experience using Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365) ERP system
• Experience of multi-currency reporting
• Experience working in a business conducting R&D activities and holding stock