Management Accountant

Poundstretcher; Leicester Forest East; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Poundstretcher is seeking a qualified Management Accountant to deliver monthly management accounts, budgeting and forecasting, and to partner with non-finance stakeholders across the business.

You will work closely with the Senior Finance Manager, ensuring robust controls, timely reporting, and proactive commercial analysis to support store and buying teams. This role is based at our UK operations with opportunities to drive process improvements.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant (ACCA/CIMA/ACA or equivalent) with a strong track record.
• Experience in a management accounting or finance business partnering role.
• Advanced Excel skills with large datasets and reporting templates.
• Experience using an accounting/ERP system to produce management information.
• Confident communicator who can explain numbers to non-finance colleagues.
• High attention to detail and ability to meet monthly deadlines.
• Ability to prioritise a varied workload and take initiative.

Responsibilities

• Prepare monthly management accounts for designated cost centres with timely delivery.
• Post journals and maintain schedules including accruals and prepayments.
• Provide variance analysis with business-friendly commentary.
• Support year-end audit and VAT/tax returns as required.
• Partner with buying, operations and store teams to explain performance.
• Provide ad hoc analysis and scenario modelling for decisions.
• Mentor junior staff and act as deputy to Senior Finance Manager when needed.

Skills

ACCA/CIMA/ACA or equivalent

Management accounting experience

Excel skills

ERP system usage

Finance communication

Attention to detail

Prioritisation & initiative

Tools

ERP system

Job description

The Vacancy

Job Purpose

The Management Accountant is responsible for producing accurate, timely management information for a defined area of the business, supporting the Senior Finance Manager in delivering monthly reporting, budgeting and forecasting, and acting as a trusted finance partner to non-finance stakeholders. The role sits one level below Senior Finance Manager and is expected to work with a good degree of autonomy, while escalating judgement calls and anything with a material impact on the numbers.

Key Responsibilities

Management accounts & reporting

• Prepare monthly management accounts for designated cost centres / business areas, to a defined timetable.
• Post month-end journals (accruals, prepayments, provisions, depreciation) and maintain supporting schedules.
• Produce variance analysis against budget and prior year, with clear, business-friendly commentary on the drivers.
• Prepare and maintain balance sheet reconciliations for allocated accounts, resolving reconciling items promptly.
• Contribute commentary and schedules to the monthly board / senior management reporting pack.

Budgeting, forecasting & business partnering

• Support the Senior Finance Manager in producing the annual budget and periodic reforecasts for the relevant area.
• Business partner with buying, operations and store teams to explain performance and challenge cost assumptions.
• Provide ad hoc analysis and scenario modelling to support commercial and operational decisions.
• Track and report on relevant trading KPIs (e.g. margin, cost ratios, stock/wastage) for the area of responsibility.

Controls, compliance & process

• Maintain and evidence internal controls over transactions and balances within area of responsibility.
• Support the year-end audit, including preparation of schedules and responses to auditor queries.
• Assist with VAT, tax and other statutory returns as required, working with the wider finance team.
• Identify and implement process improvements to increase efficiency and accuracy of reporting.

People & team

• Where applicable, provide day-to-day guidance and review of work produced by an Assistant Accountant or Finance Assistant.
• Act as deputy to the Senior Finance Manager for routine matters during periods of absence, as required.
• Support the induction and training of new finance team members.

Person Specification

Essential

• Qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent), or qualified by experience with a strong track record.
• Previous experience in a management accounting or finance business partnering role.
• Strong Excel skills, including experience working with large datasets and building/maintaining reporting templates.
• Experience using an accounting/ERP system to produce management information.
• Confident communicator, able to explain financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues.
• High attention to detail and comfortable working to firm monthly deadlines.
• Able to prioritise a varied workload and use initiative to resolve issues.

Desirable

• Experience within a retail, multi-site or FMCG environment.
• Experience supervising or reviewing the work of a junior team member.
• Exposure to stock, margin or store-level trading analysis.

Key competencies

• Analytical thinking - gets under the numbers to understand what is driving performance.
• Communication - tailors financial messages to the audience, written and verbal.
• Ownership - takes responsibility for the accuracy and timeliness of own work.
• Collaboration - builds effective working relationships across finance and the wider business.
• Continuous improvement - looks for better, more efficient ways of working.

Key Relationships

• Senior Finance Manager (line manager)
• Finance Director / wider finance leadership team
• Department heads and budget holders across buying, operations and store teams
• External auditors, at year end

A Bit About Us

Poundstretcher is one of the UK's leading discount retailers.

Founded in 1981, Poundstretcher has a network of over 300 stores across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

You’ll find everything you need for your home at Poundstretcher, from food and drink, health and beauty and household cleaning essentials to gardening, storage, stationery and children’s toys - all at market leading prices. We even have a range of fur-tastic deals on pet food and pet accessories in-store that are guaranteed to keep your furry friends tails wagging.

At the heart of our business are our people There are over 3,000 of us across the UK dedicated to delivering the best possible service to our customers. So, whatever you’re after, we’re here to help.

So why not pop into your local Poundstretcher store and see what we have to offer. We’d love to see you!

Leading Discount Retailer

3000+ Employees

300+ Stores Nationwide

Our Stores

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