Financial Accountant - Morgan McKinley

Morgan McKinley; Welwyn Garden City; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking a detail-oriented Financial Accountant to join their finance team in Welwyn. This fully office-based role involves managing month-end close, VAT reporting, and mentoring junior team members. Ideal candidates will possess strong technical financial skills and previous experience in a similar role, along with a proactive attitude towards process improvements.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in finance role with period-end accounting.
• Strong technical knowledge of prepayments, accruals, journals, and VAT.
• Experience managing junior team members.

Responsibilities

• Manage month-end and year-end close processes including journal preparation.
• Prepare and submit VAT returns in line with HMRC guidelines.
• Support and manage the Accounts Payable function and finance apprentice.

Skills

Attention to detail

Excel

Organizational skills

Communication

Education

Part-qualified or qualified (ACA, ACCA, CIMA)

Tools

Sage 1000

Global Shop ERP

Job description

Job Description

Job Title: Financial Accountant
Location: Welwyn
Salary: £40,000 - £45,000 + 5% Bonus
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Hours: Full-time - Fully office based (Early finish on fridays!!)

Role Overview:
We are looking for a detail-oriented Financial Accountant to join our clients finance team in Welwyn. This is a
fully office-based role, supporting the Financial Controller with month-end close, VAT, and financial
reporting duties. The role is based within a well-established, engineering-led manufacturer that
recently joined a larger international group, offering the opportunity to be part of an evolving finance
function with exposure to group reporting, systems development, and process improvements. You'll
also support and mentor junior team members within the function.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage and execute month-end and year-end close processes, including journal preparation, reconciliations, and variance analysis.
• Take ownership of prepayments, accruals, and general ledger entries, ensuring accurate and timely financial data.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date balance sheet reconciliations, investigating and resolving discrepancies.
• Prepare and submit VAT returns in line with HMRC guidelines.
• Support the production of monthly management accounts and assist in budget and forecast preparation.
• Ensure strong internal controls and contribute to ongoing process improvements.
• Support and manage the Accounts Payable function and finance apprentice, providing guidance, workload management, and mentoring.
• Assist with external audits and compliance reporting, providing timely and accurate documentation.
• Work collaboratively with the wider finance and operational teams to ensure financial data supports business decisions.

Essential Requirements:

• Proven experience in a similar finance role with responsibility for period-end accounting.
• Strong technical knowledge of prepayments, accruals, journals, and VAT.
• Excellent Excel skills, including use of pivot tables, lookups, and formulas.
• Exceptional attention to detail and a high level of accuracy in reporting and reconciliations.
• Part-qualified or qualified (ACA, ACCA, CIMA), or qualified by experience.
• Experience supporting or managing junior team members.
• Strong organisational and communication skills, with a proactive and solutions-focused mindset.

Desirable:

• Experience using Sage 1000 and/or Global Shop ERP systems.
• Background in manufacturing, engineering, or a similar commercial environment.