UK&I Accountant

WSH Group; Reading; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A catering and hospitality firm in Reading is seeking an enthusiastic Accounting Support professional. You will provide support across various business functions, enhance accounting processes, and prepare management information. Ideal candidates will be proficient in Excel, have strong communication skills, and be driven to pursue professional qualifications. A competitive salary and additional benefits await the right individual.

Benefits

25 days holiday plus public holidays

Enhanced pension

Life Assurance cover

Discounts on high street shops

Wellbeing assistance

Volunteering Days

Bespoke training and development

Qualifications

• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, including advanced functions.
• Ability to manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Self-motivated and able to prioritize tasks effectively.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day support across the business.
• Prepare key management information reports for month-end.
• Implement robust controls for accounting processes.

Skills

Proficient Microsoft Excel Skills

Strong general IT skills

Excellent communication skills

Ability to solve problems autonomously

Ability to organize yourself

Solid understanding of accounting frameworks

Strong team spirit mentality

Positive attitude towards challenges

Confident and self-motivated

Willingness to study towards a professional qualification

Education

Looking to study towards a professional qualification (ACA/ACCA)

Job description

Company Description

WSH is the parent company for leading brands operating in the catering and hospitality sectors. Our brands operate in diverse sectors, including:

• Public spaces - such as the Science Museum, St Pancras Champagne bar and Dublin Zoo
• Workspaces - from power stations to investment banks
• Education - primary schools, secondary schools, colleges and universities

A central support office provides financial, HR, IT, Supply Chain and other administrative services to the group companies each of whom retains its own personality and who operate across a number of catering and hospitality markets.

Recent acquisitions provide the group with new opportunities and include prestigious locations such as Musee Du Louvre in Paris and partnerships with established chefs such as Claus Meyers in Denmark.

Job Description

UK&I Accounting serves as a vital element of the WSH Support Office, combining our Client Accounts function with our UK&I Financial Reporting function, providing a comprehensive series of control mechanisms within monthly reporting cycle of our businesses. The successful candidate will provide day-to-day support to the wider business, serving as a key contact within both the Client Accounts and Financial Reporting functions within the team. This role provides significant exposure to accounting routines and controls whilst offering valuable insight into how the broader WSH Group operates and would be ideal for an enthusiastic professional looking to progress along their development journey.

Key accountabilities

• Day-to-day support to various stakeholders across the business (ranging from Operational Teams to Finance Directors, Heads of Finance and other teams within the Support Office).
• Active involvement in the trading process undertaken by the Client Accounts function, striving to ensure results are produced accurately whilst ensuring a high level of professional support in query resolution.
• Location setup, budget uploads & communication of opening and closing notices.
• Preparation of key management information reports as part of the month-end reporting cycle.
• Implementation of robust controls around processes performed across the team, as well as review of the existing control framework.
• Best practice adoption and incremental process improvement regarding monthly balance sheet reconciliations & reviews using Blackline reconciliation software.
• Maintenance and review of Fixed Asset Registers and accompanying files for UK&I entities within the group.
• Ad hoc support as required by senior members of UK&I Accounting.

Qualifications

What we want from you:

• Proficient Microsoft Excel Skills (Pivot Table, Xlookups, Index Match, Sumifs, etc), as well as strong general IT skills.
• An inquisitive mindset and an ability to solve problems autonomously.
• Excellent communicatoion skills with an ability to manage relationships with key internal and external stakeholders
• The ability to build and maintain good working relationships with operations and finance staff across the WSH Group.
• The ability to organize yourself (being self-motivated and driven) whilst having the mindset to handle conflicting demands and a skillset which allows you to prioritize tasks effectively.
• A solid understanding of accounting frameworks is desirable.
• Strong team spirit mentality and a collaborative ethos.
• A positive attitude towards challenging yourself and tackling fresh challenges.
• Confident, self-motivated, ambitious and driven by individual and collective purpose
• A willingness to take responsibility for your own professional development (whilst receiving support from senior members of the UK&I Accounting team).
• Looking to study towards a professional qualification (ACA/ACCA or similar) with appropriate study support from the organization.

Additional Information

And in return, we offer:

• 25 days holiday (plus public holidays)
• Plus your birthday off
• Enhanced pension
• Life Assurance cover
• Discounts available on the high street shops, holidays, gyms and cinemas
• Wellbeing assistance
• Volunteering Days
• Enhanced maternity leave
• Secondary Carer leave
• Wedding/Commitment day leave
• Bespoke training and development, including apprenticeships
• Salary range £27,500 to £30,000 per annum depending on experience