Senior Management Accountant

Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mental health support

Generous annual leave

People's Pension

Life assurance

CPD / Learning & Development support

Job summary

Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools is expanding and opening a second support hub in Swindon. We are seeking a Senior Management Accountant who can turn financial data into actionable business insights and work with leaders across the group to drive performance and growth.

This new role within our finance team will help manage financial performance across the nursery portfolio, with monthly management accounts, IO analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and year-end support.

Qualifications

• Ideally fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) or qualified by experience.
• 2 years post qualification experience or longer if unqualified
• Experience preparing monthly management accounts and financial reports.
• Experience analysing financial performance and explaining results to different stakeholders.
• Experience working in a multi-site organisation.
• Experience in childcare, education, hospitality, retail, or another operational business.
• Experience supporting business acquisitions or integrations.
• Experience improving reporting processes or developing dashboards.
• Knowledge of profitability analysis, pricing and performance reporting.

Responsibilities

• Preparing monthly management accounts for nursery sites and departments.
• Producing monthly reports and management information for senior leaders.
• Analysing income and costs to identify trends, risks and opportunities.
• Comparing results against budgets and previous years and explaining any differences.
• Supporting the annual budgeting and forecasting process.
• Coordinating month-end activities and making sure financial information is accurate and complete.
• Preparing balance sheet reconciliations and supporting the annual audit process.
• Working with the People Team to ensure payroll costs are reported correctly.
• Maintaining accurate financial records and cost centre structures.
• Finding ways to improve processes, automate reporting and provide better financial information.
• Visiting nursery sites to build relationships and help managers understand their financial performance.
• Supporting the integration of newly acquired nursery settings into our reporting processes.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Problem solving

Attention to detail

Financial analysis

Education

Qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA) or equivalent

2 years post-qualification experience

Tools

Excel

Job description

Happy Days is growing, and we're opening a second support hub in Swindon. This new location will help us support our nurseries and early years teams as we continue to expand.

We're looking for a Senior Management Accountant who can do more than produce reports. We need someone who can spot trends, explain what the numbers mean, and work with leaders across the business to improve performance and support growth.

The Role

This is a new role within our finance team and an exciting opportunity to make a real impact.

You'll help us understand and manage financial performance across our nursery portfolio. You'll prepare management accounts, analyse income and costs, and provide clear financial information to support decision-making.

This role combines strong accounting skills with a good understanding of how a business works. You'll work closely with nursery and operational teams, helping them understand their financial results and identify opportunities to improve performance.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working with numbers, solving problems, building relationships, and turning financial data into practical business advice.

What You'll Be Doing

• Preparing monthly management accounts for nursery sites and departments.
• Producing monthly reports and management information for senior leaders.
• Analysing income and costs to identify trends, risks and opportunities.
• Comparing results against budgets and previous years and explaining any differences.
• Supporting the annual budgeting and forecasting process.
• Coordinating month-end activities and making sure financial information is accurate and complete.
• Preparing balance sheet reconciliations and supporting the annual audit process.
• Working with the People Team to ensure payroll costs are reported correctly.
• Maintaining accurate financial records and cost centre structures.
• Finding ways to improve processes, automate reporting and provide better financial information.
• Visiting nursery sites to build relationships and help managers understand their financial performance.
• Supporting the integration of newly acquired nursery settings into our reporting processes.

Leading and Supporting Others

You will also manage and support a Management Accountant.

You will:

• Set high standards for quality, accuracy and meeting deadlines.
• Coach and support team members to help them develop.
• Build strong working relationships with managers across the business.
• Explain financial information clearly to colleagues who are not finance specialists.
• Support managers in understanding and managing their budgets.

What We’re Looking For

We're looking for someone who combines strong accounting knowledge with commercial awareness and a desire to improve the way we work.

You will:

• Enjoy working with data and using it to tell a clear story.
• Be confident communicating with people at all levels.
• Have strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Be organised and able to manage multiple deadlines.
• Look for ways to improve processes and reporting.
• Understand how staffing, occupancy, costs and income affect business performance.
• Be confident helping managers make informed business decisions.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Ideally fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) or qualified by experience.
• 2 years post qualification experience or longer if unqualified
• Experience preparing monthly management accounts and financial reports.
• Experience analysing financial performance and explaining results to different stakeholders.
• Strong Excel skills and experience working with financial data.
• Experience with budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis.
• Experience managing, mentoring or supporting team members.
• Excellent attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy.
• Experience working in a multi-site organisation.
• Experience in childcare, education, hospitality, retail, or another operational business.
• Experience supporting business acquisitions or integrations.
• Experience improving reporting processes or developing dashboards.
• Knowledge of profitability analysis, pricing and performance reporting.

What We Offer

We're proud to offer a supportive and collaborative working environment where people can develop and thrive.

Flexible Working

Once our new hub is established (typically after around six months), you'll be able to work in a hybrid way, with around three days in the office and two days from home.

Learning and Development

• Support with accounting CPD requirements.
• Opportunities to grow your career.

Health and Wellbeing

• Mental health and wellbeing support.
• Generous annual leave from day one.
• People's Pension.
• Life assurance.

Ready to Apply?

Closing Date: 14th August, 5pm

Interview Dates:

First Stage: 10th August – 14th August

Second Stage: 17th August – 21st August

If you'd like to join a growing organisation where you can make a real difference, we'd love to hear from you.

Inclusion and Safeguarding

Happy Days is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. If you need any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Happy Days Nurseries is committed to safeguarding children. All offers of employment are subject to appropriate pre-employment checks, including verification of your right to work in the UK.