Senior Financial Accountant (Parental Cover)

Co-op Group; Scunthorpe; Hybrid; GBP 49,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension with employer contributions

Staff discount

Hybrid working

Job summary

Co-op Group is seeking a Senior Financial Accountant on a 12-month fixed-term contract to cover parental leave. The role is based in Scunthorpe with hybrid working, spending every Tuesday in the office.

You will lead month-end financial reporting for the Wholesale business, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and strong financial controls across the function. You will prepare and report on trading margins, supplier income, stock and fixed assets, while supporting external audits and maintaining

Qualifications

• Accountancy qualification or equivalent experience.
• Experience in financial reporting, reconciliations and month-end processes.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Good communication skills and ability to build relationships.
• Experience using Microsoft Excel.

Responsibilities

• Lead month-end financial control processes documentation and reviews.
• Prepare and submit monthly reporting packs for the wider Co-op Group.
• Prepare monthly accruals and reconciliations for supplier income and related items.
• Produce weekly stock reporting and monthly stock and goods-in-transit journals.
• Prepare monthly accruals and reconciliations for margin costs and charitable donations.
• Complete balance sheet reconciliations, analytical reviews and control reporting.
• Support external audit with documentation and samples.
• Collaborate with Financial Control team to provide support as needed.

Skills

Financial reporting

Month-end processes

Reconciliations

Attention to detail

Communication

Excel

Education

Accountancy qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) or equivalent

Tools

Excel

Job description

Senior Financial Accountant (Parental Cover)

Senior Financial Accountant (Parental Cover)

Up to £54,000 plus great benefits (Work Level 6A)

Scunthorpe, DN15 9GE (hybrid working - spending every Tuesday working from the office)

We're looking for a Senior Financial Accountant to join our Wholesale Finance team on a 12-month fixed-term contract, covering a period of parental leave.

In this role, you'll take the lead in preparing and reporting monthly financial results for the Wholesale business, making sure our financial reporting is accurate, insightful, and delivered on time. You'll play a key role in reporting trading margin performance, supplier income, stock, and fixed assets, while helping to maintain a strong financial control environment across the business.

Why this role matters

Good financial reporting helps our business make informed decisions, manage risk, and invest in the things that matter most to our customers and communities. As a Senior Financial Accountant, you'll provide the accurate reporting and controls that underpin the performance of our Wholesale business. From making sure trading margins are reported correctly to supporting external audits and maintaining effective financial controls, your work will help sustain the integrity of our financial information and support the long-term success of Co-op Wholesale.

What you'll do

• Lead the organisation, review, and documentation of month-end financial control processes
• Prepare and submit monthly reporting packs for the wider Co-op Group
• Prepare monthly accruals and reconciliations relating to supplier income, including annual terms, promotional funding, and sundry services
• Produce weekly stock reporting and prepare monthly stock and goods-in-transit journals
• Prepare monthly accruals and reconciliations for sundry margin costs, including charitable donations and HMRC excise duty
• Complete monthly balance sheet reconciliations, analytical reviews, and financial control reporting
• Carry out transactional and journal testing to support the financial control framework
• Support the annual external audit, responding to requests for samples, reconciliations, and supporting documentation
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across the Financial Control team, providing support where needed

What you'll bring

We're committed to making our roles as accessible as possible, so we only ask for the minimum criteria. To thrive here, you'll need to bring:

• An accountancy qualification ("e.g., ACA, ACCA, CIMA") or equivalent experience
• Experience in financial reporting, reconciliations, and month-end processes
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to producing accurate work
• Good communication skills and the ability to build strong working relationships
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel

Why Co-op?

At Co-op, we're owned by our members. And because we're owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you're not just taking a job, you're joining a movement. We're an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we're powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you'll also receive:

• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• 30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands
• Stream - early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice
• Training and support for your development and career progression

A place you'll belong

We're building diverse teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone, and our support centre is an inclusive environment where all our colleagues can thrive.

If you have a disability, we'll make reasonable adjustments to support you through the recruitment process. We're also proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme - if you're disabled and you meet the minimum criteria for this job, we'll guarantee you an interview.

As part of your application, you'll need to complete an online assessment. This assessment typically takes up to 50 minutes. If you're a current Co-op colleague, this does not need to be completed.