Senior Financial Accounting Manager

Cornerstone; Theale; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Cornerstone is the UK’s leading mobile and digital infrastructure provider, seeking a Finance Controller to coordinate financial reporting, oversee month‑end close, statutory accounts, and audit activities. You will lead balance sheet reconciliations, tax compliance, and governance, partnering with the CFO and SLT to drive strategic insight.

The role requires strong IFRS knowledge, experience with complex reporting cycles, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders while mentoring a

Qualifications

• Experience leading month-end, year-end, audit and statutory reporting cycles.
• Strong IFRS and technical accounting knowledge.
• Ability to influence and challenge senior stakeholders.
• Experience with corporation tax returns and compliance.
• Audit management experience; Big 4 exposure advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate financial reporting processes, including shareholder reporting and statutory accounts preparation.
• Lead balance sheet reconciliations and annual audit coordination.
• Provide technical accounting guidance and maintain IFRS compliance.
• Manage month-end close and reporting to timetable.
• Support CFO and SLT with information requests for strategic decisions.
• Lead on audit coordination and ISO compliance documentation.
• Mentor finance team and drive process improvements across the function.

Skills

Financial reporting

Month-end close

IFRS

Audit coordination

Tax compliance

Stakeholder management

Excel skills

Process improvement

Education

Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA)

Tools

Finance systems

ERP software

Job description

Our Vision: Continue to be the leading UK mobile infrastructure services company.

Our Mission: To be famous for excellence in delivery, embracing transformation with our people and our customers at its heart.

We are at an exciting time in our company’s development. We've come a long way since we were first formed in 2012. From the rollout of new technologies and managing complex legislation affecting the industry, we are leading the conversation on innovation and developing sharper solutions to serve our customers better. We collaborate as a team to meet the high standards expected of us and demand the best of ourselves through our values.

MAIN PURPOSE OF ROLE

Cornerstone is the UK’s leading mobile and digital infrastructure provider, managing over 15,700 sites and holding 35% of the market. Our Mission is to be famous for excellence in delivery, embracing transformation with our people and our customers at its heart.

Coordinate Cornerstone’s financial reporting processes, including shareholder reporting, statutory accounts preparation, and audit activities. Lead balance sheet reconciliation processes, corporation tax returns, and maintain compliance with accounting policies and standards.

KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

SCOPE

• Supporting the Financial Controller, providing leadership across the finance function and assuming responsibility for financial control, reporting and compliance activities during periods of absence.
• Manage month-end close processes and ensure accurate reporting to timetable.
• Coordinate statutory accounts preparation and annual audit process.
• Provide technical accounting guidance and maintain compliance with IFRS and company accounting policies.

DELIVERY

• Ensure balance sheet accuracy and full reconciliation, maintaining ownership matrix and reviewing reconciliations for quality.
• Lead and continuously improve the financial control environment, ensuring robust internal controls, compliance, and risk mitigation across all accounting processes.
• Design, implement and enhance financial controls over all P&L and Balance sheet processes.
• Lead finance process improvement, automation initiatives, and accounting system enhancements to improve efficiency, scalability and control.
• Ownership of the financial control & governance framework, monitoring corporate and finance risks in collaboration with the Compliance team.
• Ensure compliance with IFRS, statutory requirements, corporate governance standards and internal accounting policies.

Monthly reporting

• Prepare monthly commentary on P&L and balance sheet movements and lead internal review meetings of results.
• Oversee shareholder reporting and intercompany reconciliations.
• Manage accounting for overheads, operating costs, payroll, bonuses, fixed assets, and work-in-progress.
• Partner with the CFO and senior leadership team (SLT) with information requests to support strategic decision making.
• Prepare technical proposals to support board level policy development such as interest rate hedging strategy.
• Support the commercial teams with accounting insight and scenario modelling.
• Oversee the payroll reconciliation preparation and coordinate review & payment procedures.

Annual reporting and covenant compliance

• Manage statutory reporting, lender covenant compliance & reporting, external audits and tax compliance ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements.
• Prepare statutory accounts (annual and half-yearly) and lead internal & external audit coordination, including ISO compliance documentation.
• Lead the annual audit process, ensuring timely resolution of audit queries and minimising control deficiencies and audit findings.
• Prepare technical accounting papers for resolution of complex accounting issues arising during the audit process. Lead on audit findings and remediations as the primary audit liaison.
• Lead corporation tax returns, employee taxes (incl. PSA) and VAT compliance in collaboration with external advisors.
• Support the FP&A team in the budget preparation process ensuring budget remains compliant with IFRS and external covenants.
• Ensure all statutory, shareholder, lender and regulatory reporting obligations are delivered accurately and within agreed deadlines.

Other:

• Build and maintain effective relationships with shareholders, auditors, tax advisors and senior business stakeholders.
• Lead, develop and mentor team members and the wider finance function, building technical accounting capability and supporting succession planning.
• Contribute actively to health and safety, environmental, business continuity, and information security arrangements to meet ISO obligations.
• Lead on ad-hoc tasks as directed by the Financial Controller, Deputy CFO or CFO.

ROLE EXPERTISE

Required:

• Experience operating in a complex, regulated, or large corporate environment.
• Demonstrable experience leading month-end, year-end, audit and statutory reporting cycles.
• Ability to influence and challenge senior stakeholders.
• Experience delivering process improvement and finance transformation initiatives.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge, including IFRS and statutory reporting.
• Experience managing audits and preparing technical accounting papers.
• Skilled in tax compliance and corporation tax returns.
• Ability to lead improvement projects and manage complex stakeholder relationships.
• Financial control and governance experience.
• Familiarity with finance systems and process optimisation.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIANCE

• Experience leading teams and managing direct reports.
• Experience leading financial reporting processes and statutory accounts preparation.
• Strong IFRS and technical accounting knowledge.
• Audit management experience (Big 4 exposure advantageous).
• Experience with corporation tax returns and compliance.
• Strong Excel skills and ability to complete reporting templates.

Qualifications:

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) or equivalent

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) is fundamental to our success. We strive to cultivate an inclusive environment where every employee feels valued, respected, and empowered. By embracing unique perspectives and experiences, we drive innovation and drive our organisation forward, therefore, we recognise the importance of welcoming applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

We want to ensure everyone is able to present their best self throughout the recruitment process so if you require any adjustments, please let us know.