Financial Accountant

Costello Medical Consulting Ltd.; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare consulting agency in Cambridge is seeking a Financial Accountant to enhance financial reporting and accounting processes. You will prepare financial statements, manage consolidations, and ensure timely reporting. Ideal candidates will have ACA/ACCA qualifications, excellent analytical skills, and a passion for driving improvements. Competitive salary starting from £45,000 with additional benefits including discretionary bonuses and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Discretionary profit share bonuses

Private medical insurance

Flexible working hours

Paid study leave for external qualifications

25 days annual leave plus holidays

Qualifications

• Completed ACA or ACCA qualification is essential.
• Proven post-qualified working experience is desired.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines effectively.

Responsibilities

• Prepare financial statements for all group companies.
• Manage the month-end close process.
• Assist with group consolidations for accurate reporting.

Skills

Excellent numerical and analytical skills

Strong communication skills

Exceptional organisational skills

Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications

Education

ACA or ACCA qualification

Degree-level in finance-related discipline

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Role Summary

• Responsibilities: As a Financial Accountant at Costello Medical, you will play a key role in enhancing our financial reporting and accounting processes, bringing innovative ideas and solutions to support the ongoing growth and development of our Finance team
• Salary: From £45,000 per annum. Candidates with working experience post-qualification may be offered a higher salary
• Benefits: Discretionary profit share bonuses paid twice per year, hybrid and flexible working options, generous holiday allowance, private medical insurance, critical illness cover, income protection, full funding for external training, and more
• Role Type: Permanent role, offered on a full-time or part-time basis
• Start Date: We are currently recruiting for start dates throughout 2025, including September and October. However, we can also consider applications from those requiring a deferred start date later in the year. You will be asked to state your availability on your application form
• Application Deadlines: Whilst there are no set application deadlines, we strongly recommend applying as early as possible. The role will close when a suitable candidate is found
• Location: This role is available in our Global Headquarters in Cambridge:Working in Cambridge

About the Role

As part of our continued global growth at Costello Medical, we are now seeking an experienced and motivated Financial Accountant to take ownership of our financial reporting processes and drive improvements across our accounting functions. This vital role combines technical expertise, strategic insight, and a degree of autonomy, offering you the chance to make a meaningful impact within a supportive and collaborative team. You will also have the opportunity to take initiative, shape the role as it evolves, and contribute to the ongoing success of our Finance team.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Supporting the preparation of financial statements for all group companies
• Assisting with group consolidations to ensure accurate reporting
• Managing corporate tax activities across subsidiaries, including estimating instalment payments and liaising with external advisers for tax return preparation
• Contributing to cash flow forecasting, financial planning, and risk analysis
• Managing the month-end close process to deliver timely and accurate financial reports
• Preparing balance sheet reconciliations, bank reconciliations, journal entries, prepayments, and accruals
• Ensuring proper intercompany accounting, reconciliations, and eliminations
• Maintaining accurate general ledger records for multiple entities
• Preparing quarterly VAT returns and calculating quarterly corporation tax instalments
• Assisting with year-end close, audits, and ongoing compliance activities

Our standard working week is 37.5 hours, Monday to Friday, but we can also consider applications from those seeking a part-time arrangement of 30 hours per week.

Hybrid Working Policy:We believe that having face-to-face time in the office holds many benefits and is central to ensuring that the community we have created, where people have a workplace they belong to and feel part of, is never lost. At the same time, we recognise that homeworking can improve work life balance, reduce commuting times and costs, and provide the opportunity to juggle personal commitments.

Therefore, we offer flexible working arrangements that allow our colleagues who have passed probation to work from home up to half their time, measured across a 2-week rolling period. During your probationary period (normally the first 6 months of the role), you will be able to work from home 1 day per week.

Career Profile

To learn more about the personal and professional development opportunities at Costello Medical, explore first-hand career profiles from our colleagues about their experiences with the company:Working At Costello Medical

About Costello Medical

Costello Medical is a rapidly growing global healthcare agency specialising in medical communications, market access, and health economic and outcomes research. We work with a wide range of clients, including the industry’s most successful pharmaceutical and medical technology companies, patient and public health bodies, and charitable organisations. We have been listed in the Top 100 Best Companies to Work For list since 2017 and were proud to receive B Corporation accreditation in 2022. Learn more about us, our work, and our mission on our website:Costello Medical

About You

We are seeking an enthusiastic, inquisitive, and ambitious individual who is eager to embrace new challenges and excel in supporting our growing Finance team. You will enjoy developing, improving, and taking ownership of core accounting processes, bringing a forward-thinking and innovative mindset to contribute to our continued success. You will also enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, learning all aspects of our internal systems, and proactively facilitating improvements across our financial functions. Whether you're a first-time mover from practice to industry or someone looking to advance within the financial field, this opportunity is designed to support your professional development.

Essential requirements for the role are:

• A successfully completed ACA (Associate Chartered Accountant) qualification awarded by ICAEW, or an ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)qualification
• Excellent numerical and analytical skills
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to build robust and sustainable working relationships
• Exceptional organisational skills and meticulous attention to detail
• An ability to plan, prioritise, and manage multiple deadlines effectively
• An eagerness to master new systems and understand company processes
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly VLOOKUP and pivot tables in Excel

Desired requirements for the role are:

• Proven post-qualified working experience
• An understanding of both UK GAAP and IFRS accounting standards
• A degree-level or higher qualification in a finance-related discipline (minimum 2.1 or equivalent), such as Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Management, or similar

What We Offer

Alongside our award-winning company culture, where every team member is celebrated, respected, and has their voice heard, we are proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• A starting salary from £45,000 per annum. Candidates with working experience post-qualification may be offered a higher salary
• Uncapped, discretionary profit share bonuses paid twice per year
• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank and public holidays, as well as a holiday buy and sell scheme
• Flexible working hours and the chance to work from home for up to half of your working time after passing probation
• Flexible benefits scheme offering cash payments, additional pension contributions and more
• Private Medical Insurance which offers comprehensive cover on a “medical history disregard” basis
• Paid study leave and funding for external qualifications
• Critical Illness Cover, Income Protection and Life Assurance
• Paid and unpaid sabbaticals based on length of service

Learn more about our full reward package and the other benefits of working for Costello Medical:Benefits Package in the UK

The Application Process

You are required to submit your CV and a cover letter via our online application form:Financial Accountant

In your cover letter, you must explain why you think you would be suited to the role and why you would like to join Costello Medical, with examples to support both. Your CV should clearly state the dates of all qualifications and grades achieved, where applicable.

Our recruitment process then begins with a telephone interview conducted by a member of the Talent Acquisition team, followed by an assessment for you to complete in your own time. If successful, you will be invited to an interview in our office with senior members of the Finance team. Please note that the successful candidate may be required to undergo security/background checks, and any employment offer will be conditional on the results of these. Our standard recruitment process lasts around 3 to 4 weeks, however, this can be adapted if necessary.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce and, throughout the recruitment process, there are a number of reasonable adjustments we can provide:Reasonable Adjustments

Please note that, whilst we embrace AI to innovate and improve processes, your role may involve working with confidential data that cannot be uploaded to AI. Therefore, it is important for us to assess your own skills and abilities, so we recommend that you do not rely solely on this technology to generate any application materials.