Lead Accountant

Michael Page; West of England; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Michael Page is seeking a Lead Accountant in Bristol to take end-to-end responsibility for the general ledger, month-end close, and financial reporting. You will oversee journals, reconciliations, fixed assets, intercompany activity and tax compliance, ensuring audit-ready records.

The role requires ACCA/CIMA/ACA or AAT Level 4, strong Excel and Sage experience, and the ability to work in a multi-entity environment. Bristol-based permanent position with £45,000–£60,000 salary.

Qualifications

• Qualified or part-qualified accountant with ACCA, CIMA or ACA, or an AAT Level 4 qualified accountant.
• Hands-on responsibility for maintaining complete accounting records and delivering month-end accounts.
• Strong knowledge of double-entry bookkeeping and fundamental accounting principles.
• Experience with accounting systems, preferably Sage, and strong Excel skills.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the month-end close process, ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting.
• Prepare and post journals, accruals, prepayments, provisions and depreciation.
• Manage balance sheet reconciliations, fixed assets and intercompany accounts.
• Review the general ledger and trial balance, investigating and resolving discrepancies.
• Support statutory accounts, external audits and tax compliance requirements.
• Manage daily bank processing and regular bank reconciliations.
• Monitor cash positions, investigate variances and highlight potential risks.
• Process payment runs in line with company controls and approval procedures.
• Oversee the end-to-end purchase and sales ledger processes.
• Manage supplier and customer account reconciliations, resolving queries and discrepancies.
• Ensure accurate and timely invoicing, payments and revenue recording.
• Maintain strong supplier and customer data controls and relationships.
• Monitor aged debt and support the resolution of outstanding balances.
• Maintain accurate financial records and ensure all reconciliations are completed on time.
• Identify and resolve accounting errors, variances and control issues.
• Produce periodic financial reports and provide analysis on key movements and variances.
• Ensure financial records are accurate, fully supported and audit-ready.
• Maintain data integrity across finance systems, including Sage and Lightyear.
• Identify opportunities to improve financial processes, controls and efficiencies.
• Support system implementations, automation, data cleansing and wider finance improvement projects.
• Promote consistent, scalable and effective finance processes.

Skills

General ledger accounting

Month-end close

Double-entry bookkeeping

Excel

Sage

Education

ACCA/CIMA/ACA or AAT Level 4

Tools

Sage

Lightyear

Job description

The Lead Accountant has end-to-end responsibility for the integrity of the general ledger, including transactional accounting, bank, supplier and customer accounting, balance sheet reconciliations, accruals, prepayments, provisions, fixed assets, intercompany accounting and period-end journals.

Client Details

Our client is based in North Bristol and is going through an exciting period of change. As a result of this, they are looking to hire a Lead Accountant on a permanent basis.

Description

Month-End Close & Financial Accounting

• Take ownership of the month-end close process, ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting.
• Prepare and post journals, accruals, prepayments, provisions and depreciation.
• Manage balance sheet reconciliations, fixed assets and intercompany accounts.
• Review the general ledger and trial balance, investigating and resolving discrepancies.
• Support statutory accounts, external audits and tax compliance requirements.

Banking, Cash & Treasury

• Manage daily bank processing and regular bank reconciliations.
• Monitor cash positions, investigate variances and highlight potential risks.
• Process payment runs in line with company controls and approval procedures.

Accounts Payable & Receivable

• Oversee the end-to-end purchase and sales ledger processes.
• Manage supplier and customer account reconciliations, resolving queries and discrepancies.
• Ensure accurate and timely invoicing, payments and revenue recording.
• Maintain strong supplier and customer data controls and relationships.
• Monitor aged debt and support the resolution of outstanding balances.

General Ledger, Reporting & Controls

• Maintain accurate financial records and ensure all reconciliations are completed on time.
• Identify and resolve accounting errors, variances and control issues.
• Produce periodic financial reports and provide analysis on key movements and variances.
• Ensure financial records are accurate, fully supported and audit-ready.

Systems & Process Improvement

• Maintain data integrity across finance systems, including Sage and Lightyear.
• Identify opportunities to improve financial processes, controls and efficiencies.
• Support system implementations, automation, data cleansing and wider finance improvement projects.
• Promote consistent, scalable and effective finance processes.

Profile

• Qualified or part-qualified accountant with ACCA, CIMA or ACA, or an AAT Level 4 qualified accountant with demonstrable responsibility for full month-end close and general ledger accounting.
• Relevant accounting experience, including hands-on responsibility for maintaining complete accounting records and delivering month-end accounts.
• Demonstrable experience in general ledger accounting, accruals, prepayments, provisions, fixed assets, balance sheet reconciliations and period-end journals.
• Experience preparing and reviewing a complete trial balance and resolving accounting issues independently.
• Strong knowledge of double-entry bookkeeping and fundamental accounting principles.
• Experience supporting statutory accounts preparation and external audits.
• Hands-on experience with accounting systems, preferably Sage, and strong Excel skills.
• Experience in a multi-entity or operationally complex business environment is advantageous.

Job Offer

• Permanent Lead Accountant position based in Bristol.
• Salary of £45,000 to £60,000, dependent on the level of experience.

People are at the heart of Michael Page. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment. As an inclusive recruiter we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and experiences. If you require any adjustments or accommodations during the recruitment process, we'll work with you to ensure you can perform at your best.