Cost Accountant jobs in United Kingdom

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 23,000 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.

Howden is looking for a Graduate Accountant to join our European Finance team. Day-to-day, you will support the transformation and improvement of Howden Europe’s finance operations and control environment, while fostering collaborative engagement across the wider Finance community. The role will work closely with local European finance teams to support the development of successful reporting and control frameworks, and business growth in the region.

This is one, full-time position based in our Central London office. We are specifically looking for graduates who are keen to pursue a career in accounting and work towards becoming a professional accountant (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIMA) through a registered employer in industry. As part of the role, you will need to commit to full-time work while studying and sitting exams as part of a structured training agreement, which will vary depending on your chosen qualification. We are also looking for a graduate to start with us in summer 2026.

Please note that we can only consider graduates who have the unrestricted right to work in the UK, as we are unable to provide sponsorship for this position.

Applications close on 13th January, 2026.

• Assist our Europe finance business partners with monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting.

• Collaborate with local finance teams, working closely with experienced team members.

• Support the production of management accounts, budgets, and forecasts, along with ad-hoc financial analysis.

• Ensure the accuracy and quality of financial reporting from local teams.

• Conduct reconciliations of both accounting and non-accounting information.

• Assist with legal entity accounting and maintain audit schedules.

• Prepare reports on financial reporting quality and timeliness.

• Contribute to group restructures and legal entity rationalisation efforts.

• Support M&A due diligence and integration as needed.

• Help deliver finance system changes and improvements.

• Assist with Group-wide initiatives and strategic projects.

• Contribute to the development of central processes in line with business goals.

• Work alongside Howden Group finance and support teams to enhance collaboration.

What are we looking for?

• A recent or upcoming BSc Accounting graduate, ideally with a placement year experience.

• Strong academic background with a solid understanding of accounting principles.

• Minimum BBB at A Level and a minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree.

• Proficiency in MS applications, particularly Excel.

• European language skills (business or native-level proficiency) are highly desirable.

Our Recruitment Process:

• Gamified online assessment – an interactive way to assess key skills.

• Recruiter call – a conversation with one of our recruitment team members.

• Take-home Excel task – completed at your own time and to be presented at the interview stage

• Final Interviews with the team – a deeper dive into your CV and suitability, in-person at our London head office.

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

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*.

If you're excited by this role but have some doubts about whether it’s the right fit for you, send us your application – if your profile fits the role’s criteria, we will be in touch to assist in helping to get you set up with any reasonable adjustments you may require.

*Not all positions can accommodate changes to working hours or locations. Reach out to your Recruitment Partner if you want to know more.