Compensation & Benefits Accountant

The Compensation and Benefits Accountant is responsible for the accurate accounting, reporting and control of employee compensation and benefits across the Group. The role ensures payroll-related costs, bonuses, commissions, pensions, share-based compensation and other employee benefits are recorded appropriately and reported accurately and on a timely basis. Working closely with Finance, HR, Payroll, Tax, FP&A, Legal and external auditors, the role will provide strong financial control over compensation and benefits processes and support the business with analysis, reporting and accounting advice.

Please note that this is an onsite role that will require you to work within our London office (near Liverpool street) 5 days on site per week.

Key Responsibilities:

Compensation & Benefits Accounting (40%) Own the accounting for employee compensation and benefits, including payroll, bonuses, commissions, pensions, share-based payments and other employee-related costs, as relevant to the Group. Prepare and review monthly journals, accruals, prepayments and provisions relating to compensation and benefits, ensuring completeness, accuracy and appropriate supporting documentation. Calculate, review and challenge bonus, commission and other incentive accruals, ensuring they are appropriately supported and reflect the latest business expectations.

Support the accounting for share-based payments and other long-term incentive arrangements, including relevant IFRS assessments and disclosures. Maintain clear accounting documentation and ensure consistent application of Group accounting policies to compensation and benefits transactions. Work with HR to deliver the Directors Remuneration Report section of the Group’s Annual Report. Month-end, Reconciliations & Reporting (25%) Lead the month-end close activities for compensation and benefits, ensuring all relevant balances are complete, accurate and recorded in the appropriate period.

Prepare and review balance sheet reconciliations for payroll, bonuses, pensions, benefits and other employee-related accounts, investigating and resolving reconciling items promptly. Provide accurate monthly reporting and analysis of compensation and benefits costs, including actuals versus budget/forecast and commentary on material movements. Support the preparation of financial statements, management reporting and disclosures relating to employee costs and benefits. Financial Controls & Audit (20%) Maintain a strong financial control environment across compensation and benefits accounting, including appropriate review, approval and segregation of duties.

Ensure payroll and benefits interfaces and accounting outputs are reconciled to the general ledger and investigate exceptions in a timely manner. Support internal and external audit requests, providing clear evidence, reconciliations and explanations for compensation and benefits balances and transactions. Identify and remediate control weaknesses, process gaps and recurring issues, contributing to continuous improvement in the wider finance control framework.

Business Partnering & Process Improvement (15%) Support the FP&A team by preparing compensation & benefits forecasting and headcount forecasting for planning purposes Partner with HR, Payroll, FP&A, Tax and other stakeholders to understand compensation and benefits arrangements and ensure appropriate accounting treatment. Provide financial and accounting support for new compensation structures, incentive plans, benefits changes and other people-related initiatives. Translate compensation and benefits data into clear financial insight for Finance and business stakeholders, highlighting key drivers, risks and emerging trends.

Identify opportunities to simplify,…