Senior UK Financial Accountant

About Us

The FT has an uncompromising mission: delivering independent, quality information, news and services to individuals and companies around the globe. It’s the cornerstone of our reputation and the heart of our ambitions for the future. But for our people, the FT offers so much more than what we do. FT people come from all kinds of backgrounds and work across a huge range of disciplines and locations, and find an empowering, warm and welcoming culture that values curiosity and rewards smart, ambitious thinking. Those who are willing to unite around our mission and live our values will find plenty to challenge, inspire and interest them. Like the audiences we serve, no two FT people are the same; but together we help our audience be better informed and understand the world around them. It’s a job that’s never mattered more, and a career that can take you anywhere you want to go.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace

At the FT, we aim for employees across all regions to have a voice so that diverse perspectives are heard and valued. We believe that a supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves at work and have the flexibility they need to meet their personal needs. We'll continue to remove barriers for all, and in particular barriers facing employees from underrepresented groups.

Main purpose/objectives of role:

The UK Financial Control team is responsible for the financial governance of the FT Group’s UK-registered legal entities. It plays a key role in ensuring the reliability of business reporting, its compliance with accounting standards and the safeguarding of the FT’s business assets through the implementation and monitoring of a robust system of controls, the development and scrutiny of accounting processes deployed across the business and the identification and assessment of risks.

Main activities/responsibilities:

• Review balance sheet reconciliations to ensure balances are accurately supported and are in line with accounting standards and FT policies and provide constructive feedback to preparers.
• Ownership of the indirect tax accounting process for UK-registered legal entities and associated reconciliation processes and sales tax sweeping for US-based legal entities.
• Partnership with Commercial Finance and the wider Finance team to provide assurance over risk areas and ensure the proper functioning of accounting processes.
• Participation in corporate development projects to include acquisition due diligence, group reorganisations, liquidations, etc.
• Review and approval of payment batches prepared by the Accounting Services team.
• Complete month end and year end activities diligently and in accordance with communicated timetables.
• Prepare analysis, supporting schedules and journal entries.
• Collaborate with teams across Finance to ensure a clean, supported balance sheet for UK legal entities, promoting consistency and accuracy and ensuring adherence to FT controls.
• Provide accounting advice under UK GAAP (FRS 101) to the wider Finance team to ensure accounting standards are applied.
• Identify areas for efficiency gains and improvements to controls and proactively engage in the delivery of these.
• Assist with ad hoc projects as instructed by the UK Financial Controller.
• Contribute to a best in class financial control function.
   

Qualifications, skills and experience required:

• Qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent)
• Previous experience in a similar role or a background in practice (e.g. audit)
• Strong technical understanding of UK GAAP/IFRS
• Strong working knowledge of Excel
• Experience of Oracle an advantage
• Ability to work to demanding deadlines
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work with, influence and persuade finance and non-finance colleagues.
• Ability to work independently and apply initiative to identify issues, present them to the relevant audience and create practical solutions.
• Enthusiasm, resilience, drive and commitment, with the ability to work effectively in a constantly changing environment.
• Strong commercial acumen and the foresight to ask the right questions.

What’s in it for you? Our Benefits

Our benefits vary depending on location, but we are committed to providing best in class perks across all our offices as well as an inclusive environment to develop your career. Examples of our benefits include; generous annual leave allowances, flexible working (including working from home), medical cover, enhanced parental packages, subsidised gym memberships and Giving Back opportunities. Full details of our benefits can be found here.

Further Information

The FT is committed to providing an inclusive working environment for all. We are an equal opportunities employer who seeks to recruit and appoint the best talent regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We also promote flexible working and will consider specific requests around flexibility for all roles where it can be accommodated. Please let us know if you require any adjustments as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements, or have any questions, [email protected] and a member of our team will be happy to help. 

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