Interim Accountant (Outside IR35)

Rutherford Briant; Colchester; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A well-established organization in the UK is seeking an experienced Interim Accountant to lead their year-end close and audit process. This Outside IR35 role requires proficiency in preparing year-end accounts and supporting audits while ensuring accuracy and compliance. Successful candidates will have strong technical accounting knowledge and excellent communication skills to work effectively with auditors and stakeholders. This role offers full autonomy in a supportive team environment that values diversity and inclusion.

Benefits

Supportive team environment

Autonomy in role

Outside IR35 engagement

Qualifications

• Proven experience in preparing year-end accounts and supporting external audits.
• Confidence in handling both high-level accounting tasks and transactional processing.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge with the ability to identify risks swiftly.
• Excellent communication skills to liaise with auditors and stakeholders.
• Ability to operate independently and prioritize tasks under tight deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver a smooth year-end close for accurate financial records.
• Prepare audit schedules and supporting documentation for external requirements.
• Work with auditors to resolve issues and ensure an efficient audit process.
• Complete balance sheet reconciliations and validate accounting treatments.
• Support transactional finance tasks including invoice processing and payment runs.
• Maintain accurate AP/AR records and improve year-end processes.

Skills

Preparing year-end accounts

Technical accounting knowledge

Effective communication

Transaction processing

Job description

At Rutherford Briant, we’re supporting a well‑established organisation seeking an experienced Interim Accountant to provide critical support through their year‑end and audit process. This Outside IR35 assignment is ideal for a hands‑on finance professional who can quickly add value, strengthen controls, and ensure timely delivery of high‑quality financial information.

As an Interim Accountant, you will:

• Lead and deliver a smooth year‑end close, ensuring all financial records are accurate, reconciled and compliant.
• Prepare audit schedules, working papers and supporting documentation to meet external audit requirements.
• Work closely with auditors to answer queries, resolve issues and ensure a clear, efficient audit process.
• Complete key balance sheet reconciliations, review journals and validate accounting treatments.
• Support transactional finance activity where required, including processing invoices, raising journals, preparing payment runs and resolving supplier queries.
• Maintain accurate AP/AR records and ensure strong controls around posting, coding and reconciliation.
• Support improvements to year‑end processes, controls and documentation to reduce risk and increase efficiency.

As an Interim Accountant, you will need:

• Proven experience preparing year‑end accounts and supporting external audits, ideally within a similar interim role.
• Confidence working across both higher‑level accounting tasks and hands‑on transactional processing.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge with an ability to quickly understand existing processes and identify risks.
• Excellent communication and the confidence to liaise effectively with auditors, suppliers and senior stakeholders.
• The ability to operate independently, prioritise time effectively and deliver outcomes under tight deadlines.

As an Interim Accountant, you will get:

• A critical role in ensuring a timely and successful year‑end and audit process.
• The chance to support both operational finance and technical reporting, giving full visibility across the function.
• Full autonomy and trust to deliver improvements and enhance the organisation’s financial control environment.
• Outside IR35 engagement, offering clear and straightforward contract arrangements.
• A supportive team environment that values experience, pragmatism and clear communication.

At Rutherford Briant, we are passionate about equity, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to fair, inclusive recruitment practices.