Senior Accountant

Charles River Laboratories; Tranent; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Charles River Laboratories in Edinburgh is seeking a Senior Financial Accountant to join the Global Finance Department on a permanent hybrid basis, onsite 1-2 days per week.

You will own the monthly close, prepare journal entries, review reconciliations, and ensure statutory accounts and VAT/tax compliance under US GAAP and local regulations, while collaborating with stakeholders worldwide.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance or related discipline.
• CPA, CIMA, or CA qualification preferred.
• Significant accounting experience in global organisations.
• Familiarity with UK GAAP, US GAAP and IFRS frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Own the accounting close for nominated entities with accurate, timely data.
• Prepare or review monthly journal entries with moderate to high complexity.
• Prepare or review monthly balance sheet reconciliations with moderate to high complexity.
• Deliver local statutory audit support and group reporting for owned entities.
• Analyse complex financial data to inform performance and projections.
• Provide and interpret financial information for managers to aid decisions.
• Assist with design/implementation of accounting and FP&A systems.
• Respond to internal audit requests and ensure SOX compliance.
• Prepare VAT and tax returns for nominated entities.
• Mentor and coach staff as needed.
• Maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Skills

UK GAAP/US GAAP/IFRS knowledge

Strong written & verbal communication

Problem solving

Self-starter, team player

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance or related discipline

CPA, CIMA, or CA qualification

Tools

Accounting Software (Blackline)

SAP (BPC/SAC)

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Overview

For 75 years, Charles River employees have worked together to assist in the discovery, development and safe manufacture of new drug therapies. When you join our family, you will have a significant impact on the health and well-being of people across the globe. Whether your background is in life sciences, finance, IT, sales or another area, your skills will play an important role in the work we perform. In return, we’ll help you build a career that you can feel passionate about.

Are you an experienced Financial Accountant?

Charles River Laboratories are seeking a Senior Financial Accountant to join the Global Finance Department in Edinburgh on a permanent basis. This is a hybrid role, with expectation to be onsite 1-2 days a week.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Finance Accountant looking to build on key financial accounting skills in a global organisation. You’ll be a self-starter, willing to learn and a strong team player with excellent problem-solving skills and a desire to contribute to delivering strategic financial objectives.

In this role you will own the delivery of the monthly GL reporting process. This will include preparation of journal entries, reviewing balance sheet and income statement accounts and financial reporting with a moderate to high level of complexity in accordance with US GAAP and company policies, ensuring the timely preparation of statutory accounts, VAT filings, tax returns and other compliance documents for nominated entities.

Job Description

What you'll be doing:

• Own the execution of the accounting close for nominated entities, ensuring that financial accounting data is compiled in an accurate and timely manner.
• Prepare or review monthly journal entries requiring calculations of a moderate to high level of difficulty. Review journal entries prepared by others.
• Prepare or review monthly balance sheet account reconciliations with a moderate to high level of complexity. Review balance sheet reconciliations prepared by others.
• Play a significant role in delivery of local stat audit requirements. In addition to delivering on group reporting requests for owned entities in group scope
• Analyses complex financial data and extracts relevant information; interprets data for purpose of determining past financial performance and/or to project a financial probability.
• Provide and interpret financial information for managers to make economic or business decisions.
• Assist with the implementation and design of accounting and financial planning systems.
• Deliver timely on any internal audit requests and ensure accounting policies are being followed.
• Understand and comply with Sarbanes-Oxley (SoX) controls. Co-ordinate the documentation and testing of processes and controls and lead the SoX audit for your nominated entities.
• Prepare/review VAT returns, tax packs and tax returns for all nominated entities.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.
• Mentor, train and provide work direction to staff as needed.
• Responsible for building and maintaining excellent relationships with both internal and external key stakeholders

Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree (BA/BS) or equivalent in Accounting/Finance or related discipline.
• CPA, CIMA, or CA qualification preferred (full/part qualified), we would also consider those candidates who have more industry experience alongside part qualifications.
• Significant industry-led accounting experience, ideally at other organisations that have global sites/teams.
• Strong understanding and awareness of UK GAAP, US GAAP and IFRS framework and regulations.
• Hands-on experience with Accounting Software (Blackline), SAP (BPC/SAC) preferred.
• Intermediate to advanced skills with Microsoft Office Suite essential
• Strong written & verbal communication skills essential
• Demonstrable attention to detail, able to build and foster strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Candidates must have full and permanent Right to Work in the UK as we are unable to provide sponsorship for this role now or in the future.

The salary range for the role is £45,000 - £55,000/annum + bonus + benefits. Please note that the salary varies within the range based on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, certifications, and location.

About Corporate Functions

The Corporate Functions provide operational support across Charles River in areas such as Human Resources, Finance, IT, Legal, Sales, Quality Assurance, Marketing, and Corporate Development. They partner with their colleagues across the company to develop and drive strategies and to set global standards. The functions are essential to providing a bridge between strategic vision and operational readiness, to ensure ongoing functional innovation and capability improvement.

About Charles River

Charles River is an early-stage contract research organization (CRO). We have built upon our foundation of laboratory animal medicine and science to develop a diverse portfolio of discovery and safety assessment services, both Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and non-GLP, to support clients from target identification through preclinical development. Charles River also provides a suite of products and services to support our clients’ clinical laboratory testing needs and manufacturing activities. Utilizing this broad portfolio of products and services enables our clients to create a more flexible drug development model, which reduces their costs, enhances their productivity and effectiveness to increase speed to market.

With over 20,000 employees within 110 facilities in over 20 countries around the globe, we are strategically positioned to coordinate worldwide resources and apply multidisciplinary perspectives in resolving our client’s unique challenges. Our client base includes global pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, government agencies and hospitals and academic institutions around the world.

At Charles River, we are passionate about our role in improving the quality of people’s lives. Our mission, our excellent science and our strong sense of purpose guide us in all that we do, and we approach each day with the knowledge that our work helps to improve the health and well-being of many across the globe. We have proudly supported the development of 80% of the drugs approved by the FDA in the last five years.

At Charles River Laboratories, we recognize and recruit all talent. We are a company committed to fostering a sense of belonging and work daily in this direction.