Financial Reporting Consultant

Location: Greater London

6-month contract with possibility to extend or convert to permanent

London, UK

37.5 hours/week

Hybrid - 1 day/week onsite

About Our Client

Our client is a biopharmaceutical company, advancing innovative therapies at both clinical and commercial stages of development, focused on next-generation, programmed T cell therapies for the treatment of cancer. Using a broad suite of proprietary and modular T cell programming technologies, the company is engineering precisely targeted, controlled, and highly active T cell therapies designed to better recognize cancer cells, break down their defense mechanisms, and eliminate these cells.

They have a pipeline of product candidates in development for the treatment of hematological malignancies, solid tumors, and autoimmune diseases.

Role Summary

Our client is seeking an experienced Group Financial Reporting Contractor to support financial reporting, technical accounting, and compliance activities with for a Cell and Gene Therapy company. The successful candidate will be responsible for preparing and coordinating external financial reporting, including SEC filings, US GAAP and IFRS financial statements, and related disclosures. Working closely with the global Finance team, this individual will support monthly and quarterly close processes, coordinate external audits, address complex technical accounting matters, and assist with SOX compliance and internal control improvements.

The ideal candidate will bring strong technical accounting expertise, excellent attention to detail, and the ability to manage competing priorities while meeting tight reporting deadlines.

Key Responsibilities

• Responsibility for the external reporting process and preparation of SEC filings (10-K,10-Qs, 8-Ks), working alongside existing accounting team to prepare multiple sets of financials and footnotes (US GAAP for SEC reporting and UK adopted IFRS for statutory reporting), collaborate with Investor Relations and Finance on earnings releases, and assistance in drafting of MD&A.

Leadership in Close & Audit Processes

• Act as a key member of the period close team (monthly and quarterly) ensuring accuracy and discipline commensurate with the company’s public company status.
• Act as the primary point of contact for external auditors during quarterly reviews and annual audit, managing audit timelines, deliverables, and issue resolution.

Technical Accounting & Policy Development

• Preparing and reviewing of technical accounting matters, complex accounting treatment, accounting policies, etc, including technical accounting assessment of US GAAP and IFRS accounting memos, in collaboration with the global finance team.

Governance, Committee & Executive Support

• Perform assigned SOX controls by ensuring control documentation is appropriate, evidence is retained and performed timely.
• Assist in the identification of process and control improvements where possible and communicate control improvements to the Senior SOX Manager.
• Contribute to ad hoc finance projects as required.

Attributes, Experience and

Education Required:

• Qualified Accountant, preferred either UK Chartered or US CPA with proven technical accounting ability and current institute membership with up-to-date CPD.
• Public company experience in a corporate accounting or reporting role with exposure to financial audits and risk assessments.
• Strong technical accounting skills (US GAAP and IFRS knowledge is key) and research abilities
• Hands on experience understanding of S404 SOX compliance, and how to maintain compliance, improve documentation and rationalize the control environment.
• Results focused with a proven ability to meet tight group reporting timelines.
• Excellent project management skills with an ability to multi-task and manage competing priorities to meet deadlines
• Resilient and flexible to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to build strong cross functional business relationships to support the achievement of the goals of the role.
• Outgoing with excellent communication skills and the ability to build credibility with key stakeholders through a consultative and engaging approach.

Preferred

• Ideal candidate has 4-8 years of experience in an audit practice, preferably the Big 4 or a combination of Big 4 and corporate experience
• Biotech, clinical or high-tech background