Management Accountant

Trostan Dene; Bolton; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A fast-growing SME in Bolton is seeking a Management Accountant to take ownership of monthly accounts, balance sheet reconciliations, and payroll processing. The ideal candidate will be part-qualified in ACCA/CIMA and have strong Excel skills. This position offers a competitive salary up to £50,000, hybrid working options, and a supportive finance team environment.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Pension scheme

Employee discounts

Flexible start times

Qualifications

• Strong Excel skills essential for handling large datasets.
• Solid understanding of management accounting concepts.
• Demonstrates ability to improve processes and add value.

Responsibilities

• Prepare monthly management accounts accurately and timely.
• Maintain and reconcile balance sheet accounts.
• Lead payroll processing and manage anomalies.

Skills

Excel skills

Management accounting

Attention to detail

Initiative and ownership

Education

ACCA/CIMA part-qualified or qualified

Job description

Overview

This is an outstanding opportunity for a Management Accountant to join a fast-growing, PE-backed SME. You will be joining a high-calibre finance team led by an experienced CFO and Financial Controller, with exposure to a business going through transformation, operational improvement, and growth.

The business has annual turnover of c.£40m, with private equity investment from LDC since 2021. EBITDA has grown by 60% in recent years through cost efficiencies, quality improvements, and acquisitions, with further upside as the business moves toward exit.

Role Summary

As Management Accountant, you will report into the Group Financial Controller and take ownership of the monthly management accounts, balance sheet reconciliations, and financial reporting. You will also play a central role in payroll, daily reporting, and process improvement projects.

This role requires strong initiative, attention to detail, and confidence with Excel. It is suited to someone who enjoys investigating variances, improving processes, and adding value across the wider business, while operating in a fast-paced, PE-backed environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare accurate and timely monthly management accounts.
• Maintain and reconcile balance sheet accounts (including accruals, prepayments, payroll journals, and stock adjustments).
• Lead on payroll processing (monthly), including exporting reports, liaising with managers and HR, and managing anomalies.
• Produce labour and productivity reporting on a daily basis, ensuring accuracy of large Excel-based datasets.
• Investigate variances against budget and run rate, escalating and explaining anomalies.
• Support with VAT returns across multiple jurisdictions.
• Drive process improvements across finance reporting and systems.
• Contribute to wider business initiatives and cross-functional projects.

Candidate Profile

• ACCA/CIMA part-qualified, qualified, or QBE considered.
• Strong Excel skills essential (pivots, lookups, data validation, large dataset handling).
• Solid grounding in management accounting: overheads, P&L, balance sheet reconciliations, accruals, prepayments.
• Manufacturing experience desirable but not essential.
• Demonstrates initiative and ownership of tasks - solution-oriented, proactive, and able to "have a go" before escalating.
• Strong attention to detail with confidence to challenge and sense-check data.
• Comfortable working to tight deadlines (day 5 results, CFO review by day 7).
• Capable of building strong relationships across the business, including non-finance teams.

Culture & Environment

• Quiet, focused finance team - friendly and supportive, not overly social day-to-day.
• Broader business is approachable, welcoming, and supportive, with ongoing cultural improvements.
• Social committee, staff events, and employee forums (e.g. table tennis tournaments, Your Voice forum).
• Trust-based management style - no micromanagement, but clear expectation to communicate challenges and progress.
• Role offers scope to shape processes and add real value, beyond core reporting.

Package

• Competitive salary (up to £50,000)
• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays
• Pension scheme
• Employee discounts and perks
• Hybrid working options
• 37.5 hours/week with flexible start times (7-9am)