Management Accountant

The Management Accountant is responsible for producing accurate, timely management information for a defined area of the business, supporting the Senior Finance Manager in delivering monthly reporting, budgeting and forecasting, and acting as a trusted finance partner to non-finance stakeholders. The role sits one level below Senior Finance Manager and is expected to work with a good degree of autonomy, while escalating judgement calls and anything with a material impact on the numbers.

• Prepare monthly management accounts for designated cost centres / business areas, to a defined timetable.
• Post month-end journals (accruals, prepayments, provisions, depreciation) and maintain supporting schedules.
• Produce variance analysis against budget and prior year, with clear, business-friendly commentary on the drivers.
• Prepare and maintain balance sheet reconciliations for allocated accounts, resolving reconciling items promptly.
• Contribute commentary and schedules to the monthly board / senior management reporting pack.

• Support the Senior Finance Manager in producing the annual budget and periodic reforecasts for the relevant area.
• Business partner with buying, operations and store teams to explain performance and challenge cost assumptions.
• Provide ad hoc analysis and scenario modelling to support commercial and operational decisions.
• Track and report on relevant trading KPIs (e.g. margin, cost ratios, stock/wastage) for the area of responsibility.

• Maintain and evidence internal controls over transactions and balances within area of responsibility.
• Support the year-end audit, including preparation of schedules and responses to auditor queries.
• Assist with VAT, tax and other statutory returns as required, working with the wider finance team.
• Identify and implement process improvements to increase efficiency and accuracy of reporting.

• Where applicable, provide day-to-day guidance and review of work produced by an Assistant Accountant or Finance Assistant.
• Act as deputy to the Senior Finance Manager for routine matters during periods of absence, as required.
• Support the induction and training of new finance team members.

• Qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent), or qualified by experience with a strong track record.
• Previous experience in a management accounting or finance business partnering role.
• Strong Excel skills, including experience working with large datasets and building/maintaining reporting templates.
• Experience using an accounting/ERP system to produce management information.
• Confident communicator, able to explain financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues.
• High attention to detail and comfortable working to firm monthly deadlines.
• Able to prioritise a varied workload and use initiative to resolve issues.

• Experience with in a retail, multi-site or FMCG environment.
• Experience supervising or reviewing the work of a junior team member.
• Exposure to stock, margin or store-level trading analysis.

• Analytical thinking - gets under the numbers to understand what is driving performance.
• Communication - tailors financial messages to the audience, written and verbal.
• Ownership - takes responsibility for the accuracy and timeliness of own work.
• Collaboration - builds effective working relationships across finance and the wider business.
• Continuous improvement - looks for better, more efficient ways of working.

• Senior Finance Manager (line manager)
• Finance Director / wider finance leadership team
• Department heads and budget holders across buying, operations and store…