Senior Management Accountant

Wade Macdonald; Kidlington; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A recruitment and consultancy firm is looking for a Senior Management Accountant to lead the Management Accounting Team. This role involves managing the month-end process, overseeing grant submissions, and ensuring compliance with financial policies. Key qualifications include being part-qualified in accounting with strong analytical skills and team leadership experience. The role offers a hybrid working model in Kidlington.

Qualifications

• Experience in a large finance function.
• Strong analytical and Excel skills.
• Proven team leadership experience.
• Experience in process improvement and change management.
• Skilled communicator for senior stakeholders.
• Detail-oriented with strong ownership.

Responsibilities

• Lead the month-end close process and produce management accounts.
• Oversee completion of grant returns and ensure compliance.
• Manage submission of statutory returns and reporting.
• Maintain fixed asset register for compliance.
• Provide leadership and coaching for the team.
• Review balance sheet reconciliations for financial control.
• Support annual accounts preparation and audit process.
• Drive process improvement in finance.

Skills

Analytical skills

Excel skills

Team leadership

Process improvement

Communication skills

Detail-oriented

Education

Part-qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent)

Job description

Senior Management Accountant - Oxford - hybrid working (1-2 days in office) £54,500

Overall Purpose of the Role

The Senior Management Accountant leads the Management Accounting Team to deliver high-quality monthly management accounts, ensures compliance with financial policies, and manages grant and income claims. The role also supports the continuous development of the Finance Operations function and acts as a key partner to various stakeholders across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the month-end close process, ensuring timetables are agreed and followed. Produce accurate management accounts and reporting packs with insightful commentary.
• Oversee the accurate completion and submission of all grant returns, ensuring deadlines, compliance, and income recovery opportunities are fully maximised.
• Manage the submission of statutory returns and ad hoc reporting.
• Maintain the fixed asset register, ensuring compliance with accounting standards and year-end readiness.
• Provide hands-on leadership, coaching, and development for the Management Accounting team, setting clear objectives and driving high performance.
• Review balance sheet reconciliations, ensuring robust financial control.
• Support the annual accounts preparation and external audit process, working to tight year-end deadlines.
• Drive ongoing process improvement and support systems development and implementation across finance.

Person Specification

Essential Qualifications & Experience:

• Part-qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent) with experience in a large finance function
• Strong analytical and Excel skills with the ability to interpret financial data and present insights
• Proven team leadership and line management experience
• Demonstrable experience in process improvement and change management
• Skilled communicator with the ability to explain financial outputs to senior stakeholders
• Detail-oriented with strong ownership of deliverables

Working Conditions / Time Pressures

• High-intensity periods include the first week of each month, quarterly grant deadlines, and April/July year-end and audit deadlines
• High level of autonomy with decision-making responsibility within agreed frameworks
• Requires excellent planning and coordination across departments to meet financial reporting deadlines