Head of Accounting - Temporary Contract

Schroders; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A global investment management firm in the UK seeks an experienced finance professional to lead their Service Centre accounting team. The role entails overseeing the preparation of financial reports for multiple legal entities, ensuring compliance, and fostering continuous improvement. The ideal candidate is a qualified accountant with strong leadership skills and technical accounting expertise, committed to delivering high-quality financial information. This position offers the opportunity to drive innovation and process improvements within the team.

Qualifications

• Significant post-qualification experience, ideally in financial services.
• Strong understanding of local and IFRS statutory reporting.
• Demonstrable success managing complex reporting processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of accountants, ensuring effective delivery.
• Oversee financial and management reporting for multiple legal entities.
• Manage annual statutory account production process and audits.
• Establish and maintain robust internal controls across reporting activities.

Skills

Technical accounting expertise

Leadership and team management

Advanced MS Office skills

Client and stakeholder orientation

Education

Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA)

Tools

Oracle Financials

SQL

Job description

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced and driven finance professional to lead our Service Centre accounting team, responsible for delivering robust financial and management reporting for our Schroders Wealth Management entities globally. This is a pivotal role, providing leadership to a team of seven as they deliver accounting, analytics, and statutory reporting for multiple legal entities within the Wealth Management division.

You will be responsible for ensuring high-quality, accurate, and timely financial information, driving continuous process improvement, and supporting both business and regulatory requirements through the effective management of people, processes, and controls. You will work collaboratively with senior stakeholders and act as a primary point of contact between central finance, group reporting, and Wealth Management business units.

About Schroders

We're a global investment manager. We help institutions, intermediaries and individuals around the world invest money to meet their goals, fulfil their ambitions, and prepare for the future.

We have around 6,000 people on six continents, and we've been around for over 200 years while keeping up with changes in society and technology. What doesn’t change is our commitment to helping our clients and society prosper.

The Base

At Schroders, we’re known for doing things differently. That’s why we’re building a home for the ambitious in Horsham, West Sussex. You’ll get all the benefits of being part of a world‑leading FTSE 100 company, as well as the support of a genuine local community. If you’re looking for opportunities that match your ambitions, you’ll find them right here in Horsham.

What You’ll Do

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of accountants, ensuring effective delivery of the team's objectives and individual growth
• Oversee the production, review, and delivery of Wealth AUM, revenue analytics, and statutory financial reporting for multiple legal entities
• Ensure consistent, accurate, and timely reporting of financial and management information to Group and key senior stakeholders
• Establish, monitor, and maintain robust internal controls and risk management processes across all financial and management reporting activities
• Manage the annual statutory account production process, engaging with auditors and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements
• Co‑ordinate the delivery of regular and ad‑hoc reports, including AUM and revenue analysis to senior management and business partners
• Ensure all SLA KPIs and Group reporting deadlines are consistently met, and drive resolution of accounting or operational issues as they arise
• Proactively identify and implement opportunities for innovation, process improvement, and best practice sharing across the team and region
• Support business change projects, systems upgrades, and the ongoing roll‑out of analytics and reporting tools
• Foster strong working relationships with Group Finance, local offices, and other key stakeholders, representing the Service Centre in cross‑functional initiatives
• Produce and maintain procedure documentation and promote a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration within the team

The Knowledge, Experience and Qualifications You Need

• A qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or similar), with significant post‑qualification experience, ideally in financial services
• Strong technical accounting expertise, with a thorough understanding of local and IFRS statutory reporting
• Effective leadership and team management skills, with proven ability to coach, motivate, and develop staff
• Advanced skills in MS Office (Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook) and solid experience interrogating financial systems and databases (e.g., SQL, Management Studio)
• Extensive experience with ledger accounting systems‑knowledge of Oracle Financials and T24 Temenos is an advantage
• Demonstrable success managing complex, deadline‑driven reporting processes in a regulated environment
• Strong client and stakeholder orientation, with a consistent focus on timely, high‑quality delivery
• Highly effective personal organisation and prioritisation skills, able to manage multiple competing demands
• Open to feedback, agile, and keen to embrace and implement change for both the team and self

The Knowledge, Experience and Qualifications That’ll Help

• Analytical and detail‑oriented, with strong problem‑solving skills
• Organised, diligent, and methodical
• Proactive, enthusiastic, and results‑focused
• An inspiring leader, flexible and adaptable, who builds a culture of trust and empowerment
• Able to challenge the status quo, drive innovation, and maintain robust control frameworks
• A first‑class communicator, able to foster strong working relationships across global teams and external stakeholders

About Us

We’re a global investment manager. We help institutions, intermediaries and individuals around the world invest money to meet their goals, fulfil their ambitions, and prepare for the future.

We have around 6,000 people on six continents, and we’ve been around for over 200 years while keeping up with changes in society and technology. What doesn’t change is our commitment to helping our clients and society prosper.