Management Accountant

Location: Cheadle Hulme

My client is a fast-growing retail service provider based in the Cheadle area. They are seeking a 9-month fixed-term position providing maternity cover within the Finance and Operations department. The Management Accountant will take hands-on ownership of the monthly management accounts process and the finance activities required to produce accurate, timely and well-controlled financial information. The role also owns routine customer invoicing and proformas, customer payment receipting and allocation, and the administration and financial control of stock ordering and deliveries.

Working closely with the Head of Finance and Operations, the postholder will support agreed system and process changes and make practical suggestions where opportunities are identified.

This role is looking for someone who is able to start immediately.

Duties of the role will include;

* Prepare complete monthly management accounts and supporting schedules to the agreed timetable

* Complete month-end journals, accruals, prepayments, revenue cut-off, balance-sheet reconciliations and variance analysis

* Own routine customer invoicing and proformas, customer payment receipting and allocation, recurring payments and key payment reconciliations

* Administer stock ordering and deliveries, including approved ordering, supplier coordination, stocktakes, reconciliation and valuation

* Prepare supplier payments, verify invoices and expenses, and maintain accurate financial records and audit trails

* Assist the Head of Finance and Operations with agreed Sage 200 and finance-process changes, providing practical suggestions where appropriate

The right candidate for the role will be:

* Fully qualified or part-qualified CIMA, ACCA or ACA, or qualified by experience with substantial relevant management-accounting experience

* AAT Level 4 qualified candidates may also be considered where they can demonstrate significant experience independently preparing complete monthly management accounts

* A minimum of 3 years' recent experience in a comparable Management Accountant or senior finance role

* Recent, hands-on Sage 200 experience in a finance environment, including month end, reporting, reconciliations, customer invoicing, payment allocation and stock-related processes

* Demonstrable experience taking ownership of the full month-end process and delivering accurate management accounts to agreed deadlines

* Strong technical knowledge of month-end journals, accruals, prepayments, revenue recognition, accounting cut-off, balance-sheet reconciliations, fixed assets, depreciation and variance analysis

* Experience of customer invoicing, proformas, customer payment allocation, bank reconciliations, direct debits, supplier payments and transactional-finance controls

* Experience of stock accounting, including stock reconciliation, valuation, stocktakes and the financial administration of stock ordering and deliveries

* Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, reconciliations and financial analysis

* Proven ability to investigate financial discrepancies, resolve issues and maintain accurate supporting records and audit trails