Assistant Accountant

The Assistant Accountant reports to the Senior Finance Manager, offering support to the Financial Accountant and the Management Accountant roles, in delivery of accurate and timely monthly accounts. The role delivers accounting for aspects of revenue, cost recognition and balance sheet accounting. The role also supports the financial control environment through the completion of accurate monthly balance sheet reconciliations and analysis.

• Accounting for aspects of revenue recognition (e.g. Media Hub, Recharges, Energy) and cost recognition, at each month end, ensuring the income statement and balance sheet are correctly reported
• Preparing monthly balance sheet reconciliations, ensuring that all accounts are reconciled, with the balances explained and supported by third party information and/or calculations. Clearing reconciling items within the same month end (for quarter ends) or by the next month end
• Preparation of monthly management accounts by cost centre. Presentation of the management accounts to the business and provision of partnering support as required
• Supporting the Accountant with the CAPEX process, including review of approvals, capitalisation, disposals and verification of fixed assets
• Preparing data required to support the Financial Accountant with the population of regulatory returns (e.g. ONS) and HMRC returns, including but not limited to VAT, EC sales list and CIS returns
• Supporting the quarterly / annual process to allocate central costs between legal entities and cost centres.
• Providing financial review of the annual budget and forecast information, to support cost/profit centre managers and the finance team. Load budgets into D365 for consolidation and reporting
• Supporting the wider finance department with D365 system updates including issuance of project & resource codes and testing during upgrades
• Delivering information, analysis and explanations to support the annual external audit process

The role’s key responsibilities are to accurately account for aspects of revenue, cost and the balance sheet at each month end, maintaining the financial control environment through the preparation of cleared and supported reconciliations for the balance sheet.

The role is suitable for a current professional accounting student, who has some existing practical experience and has demonstrated the ability to pass exams. The candidate must have a good foundational understanding of accounting for the income statement and balance sheet, including non-trading aspects, and understand how the P&L and balance sheet work together.

The role will follow the Pinewood finance processes and accounting policies, adopting accepted accounting standards. The role must adhere to a tight reporting timetable, delivering accurate data alongside colleagues, for quarterly external reporting. Additional complexity in the role is from understanding data in other business systems and utilising this information to create accurate accounting.

Internal contacts will be within the finance team (AP/ AR /Billing / Group reporting/ Investor Relations) and across Pinewood at junior/ middle management level. The role will also interact with external audit team members.

• Degree level education or equivalent experience
• Experience of accounting within a high-volume workload Finance function
• Preparation of both the P&L and balance sheet for internal management reporting
• Balance sheet reconciliations and analysis
• Strong across all MS Office applications, with at least intermediate Excel skills
• Exposure to Financial systems
• Problem-solver, and ability to deliver solutions
• Proven ability of working to tight deadlines
• Strong attention to detail and analytical mindset
• Proactive in developing accounting…