Senior Manager, Technical Accounting (12 month FTC)

Why we're hiring:

This is an exciting opportunity for a technical accounting professional to become an integral part of the WPP Group Technical Accounting team. You will support our growth in how the team can best support both our operating companies and other Group functions to the level expected of a FTSE 50 business. This is a hybrid role offered as a 12 month FTC.

What you'll be doing:

Reporting into the Group Technical Accounting Director, and based at London HQ, this role will support the team steer a range of technical accounting needs across the Group and its evolution as these needs change across the business.

Key Areas of responsibilities:

• Monitor existing and new accounting and regulatory policies to ensure that the Group complies with all relevant accounting standards (IFRS) and regulations.
• Compile literature and communicate changes to accounting policies and practice to relevant stakeholders on a timely basis.
• Review the accounting treatment for significant new/modified contracts and projects to ensure they are compliant with accounting standards.
• Compose technical summary papers for complex accounting transactions or business issues, provide and present research and analysis to ensure the impact on the Group financial statements is compliant with accounting standards and regulations and is communicated to and fully understood by all relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure that accounting policies are applied consistently throughout the Group, liaising with operating companies and providing assistance where required.
• Work in partnership with other departments (tax, treasury, legal, M&A) and operating companies to consider and advise on new or complex accounting scenarios to support decision making.
• Promote the Group Technical Accounting team through the creation and delivery of clear and useful training and accounting updates across the Group.
• Support the Group Reporting team in ensuring that periodic reporting they undertake is accurate, timely and complies with all relevant accounting standards and regulations.
• Review the Group’s financial statements and provide technical accounting input where required.
• Provide information, support, and liaise with external auditors and advisors.

What you'll need:

• Qualified Accountant either in practice or in industry, having held a technical accounting position.
• Experience of working with a large multinational company, ideally with UK & US listing exposure.
• A good working knowledge of IFRS, SOX and internal control frameworks.
• Knowledge of SEC regulations & requirements
• Analytical skills to research materials to determine appropriate accounting treatments to workplace scenarios.
• Great communication skills to summarise and explain complex matters succinctly.
• Self-motivated to provide timely and high-quality services for stakeholders’ ad-hoc requests whilst managing priorities to ensure the completion of other longer-term deliverables.
• Proven ability to build effective working relationships with senior stakeholders with the self-confidence to support accounting conclusions when challenged by stakeholders or advisers.
• Committed to challenging existing processes to provide continuous improvement and development of Group’s accounting policies and processes.
• Proficient Microsoft office and IT skills with ability to work with complex models.

Who you are:

You’re open: We are inclusive and collaborative; we encourage the free exchange of ideas; we respect and celebrate diverse views. We are open-minded: to new ideas, new partnerships, new ways of working.

You’re optimistic: We believe in the power of creativity, technology and talent to create brighter futures or our people, our clients and our communities. We approach all that we do with confidence: to try the new and to seek the unexpected.

You’re extraordinary: we are stronger together: through collaboration we achieve the amazing. We are creative leaders and pioneers of our industry; we deliver extraordinary every day.

What we'll give you:

Passionate, driven people – We champion a culture of people that do extraordinary work.

Scale and opportunity – We offer the opportunity to create, influence and deliver projects at a scale that is unparalleled in the industry.

Challenging and stimulating work – Unique work and the opportunity to join a group of creative problem solvers. Are you up for the challenge?