Senior Management Accountant

Howden Group; West Oxfordshire; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Howden Group is seeking a recently qualified accountant to join the management accounting and financial control function in the UK. You will support the month-end and quarter-end processes, ensure accurate reporting, and help maintain balance sheet integrity through reconciliations.

You will assist the Financial Controller in maintaining a robust control environment, prepare cash flow forecasts, support the audit process, and collaborate with both financial and non-financial stakeholders to

Qualifications

• Experience in management accounting and financial control.
• Detail-oriented with strong financial accuracy.
• Experience working with external auditors.
• Proactive in identifying process improvements.
• Collaborative with both financial and non-financial stakeholders.
• Recently qualified accountant.

Responsibilities

• Support month-end and quarter-end processes with accurate reporting.
• Maintain balance sheet integrity with reconciliations.
• Support Financial Controller in robust control environment.
• Prepare debt monitoring dashboards and aging analysis.
• Prepare cash flow forecast and monitor against assumptions.
• Support quarterly analytical review of P&L and Balance Sheet.
• Assist with audit process and respond to auditors.
• Provide information to Group Tax team (Corp Tax and VAT).
• Review work of Management Accountants.
• Support compliance with accounting policies and standards.
• Assist improvements to processes to strengthen financial control and efficiency.

Skills

Management accounting

Financial control

Attention to detail

External audits

Process improvement

Stakeholder collaboration

Job description

Who are we?

Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 24,000 employees spanning over 56 countries. People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It’s what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down headhunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work / life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.

This role supports the management accounting and financial control function; upholding the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of financial reporting. The position also plays a key role in supporting the Financial Controller in maintaining and developing a strong financial control environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Support month-end and quarter-end process ensuring accurate reporting to agreed timelines.
• Support balance sheet integrity through preparation of balance sheet reconciliations and review of those prepared by the Management Accountants.
• Support the Financial Controller in maintaining a robust financial control environment, including documentation and evidencing for key controls.
• Preparation of debt monitoring dashboards and aging analysis, including calculation of bad debt provision.
• Preparation of cash flow forecast, monitoring actual performance to cash assumptions and highlighting risks and opportunities.
• Preparation of quarterly Analytical review of P&L and Balance Sheet for the Group Finance team.
• Support end to end audit process, including liaising with auditors, supporting audit queries, co-ordinating with non‑finance teams and evidence provision.
• Preparation of information required by Group Tax team (Corporation Tax and VAT).
• Support review of work completed by the Management Accountants and Assistant Management Accountants.
• Support compliance with Group accounting policies and statutory standards.
• Support implementation of improvements to processes to strengthen financial control and increase efficiency.

Key Skills/Experience

• Recently qualified accountant.
• Strong management accounting and financial control background.
• Detail-oriented with a dedication to financial accuracy and integrity.
• Experienced in working with external auditors.
• Proactive in identifying process improvements and driving efficiencies.
• Collaborative and able to build positive relationships both with both financial and non‑financial stakeholders.

What do we offer in return?

A career that you define. At Howden, we value diversity - there is no one Howden type. Instead, we’re looking for individuals who share the same values as us: Our successes have all come from someone brave enough to try something new. We support each other in the small everyday moments and the bigger challenges. We are determined to make a positive difference at work and beyond.

Reasonable adjustments

We’re committed to providing reasonable accommodations at Howden to ensure that our positions align well with your needs. Besides the usual adjustments such as software, IT, and office setups, we can also accommodate other changes such as flexible hours* or hybrid working*. *Not all positions can accommodate changes to working hours or locations. Reach out to your Recruitment Partner if you want to know more.

Permanent

Howden began in 1994, as just three people and a dog. Now there are 23,000 of us, and we're a leading global insurance group, managing $37bn of premiums for our clients. Our largest shareholder group is us – the people who work in the business – supported by three long-term, minority growth-equity partners who share our vision to build a business to last, one that will never be sold. The owner's mindset is something that's embedded in our culture; our people readily take ownership of their decisions, their actions, and their outputs. They’re invested in every sense. And we all know that by working together to drive the business forward, everyone will benefit from the extraordinary results we can achieve.