Following internal promotion, the role of Head of Corporate Accounting has arisen working hybrid from our Head Office in Birmingham. The role sits within the Group Finance team and has two direct reports: Corporate Accounting Manager and Finance Business Partner – IT. The Head of Corporate Accounting is one of three direct reports to the Head of Group Accounting & Reporting.
The role has four broad requirements:
- Overseeing the accounting for the PLC statutory entity, including a thorough understanding and robust management of the P&L, balance sheet and cash flow;
- Controlling central costs, including business partnering the Group Executive and other senior management with regard to their cost centres. This also involves budgeting and forecasting central costs, managing risks and opportunities and presenting information to the Group CFO and Deputy CFO as required; and
- Responsibility for treasury accounting and supporting the Group Treasurer and their team on varied and complex treasury matters including derivatives, refinancing, interest expense and credit rating agencies.
- Oversight of financial reporting and business partnering to the Group and UK IT functions through management of the Finance Business Partner – IT role.
This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious person to develop in an international listed business environment. We are looking for candidates who are capable of being successors for other senior finance roles within the Group and as such we are recruiting with this in mind, in addition to the requirements for this particular role. For high performers there are significant career development opportunities across the Group.
What you'll do...
- Control of a significant cost base. This includes setting and presenting the budget, monthly reforecasting and monitoring and reporting on the actual costs; ensuring that spend is controlled, risks and opportunities are identified, and that the appropriate level of challenge is applied.
- Through leadership of the team, ensure proactive business partnering on central costs for the following key Group functions: Procurement, Commercial, IT, Safety, HR & Comms, Legal & Co Sec, Internal Audit, Finance.
- Monitor the PLC company’s distributable reserves, ensuring that appropriate arrangements are in place to maximise the available reserves.
- Controller for the PLC and NEUK entities, including ensuring that the appropriate internal controls are in place and are adhered to. Specifically, this role is required to review, understand and challenge the PLC and NEUK balance sheet and cash flows on a monthly basis.
- Owner of the accounting for the Group’s share-based incentives, including liaison with the Company Secretarial and HR teams.
- Overseeing the Group’s derivatives accounting, including understanding the arrangements we have in place at any given time and the accounting for them. This role will liaise with our outsourced derivatives accounting advisors, as well as having close working relationships with the Group Treasury team.
- A member of the Treasury Committee and a business partner for the Group Treasury team, assisting and advising on treasury matters.
- Supporting the Group Treasury team on refinancing projects as well as ad hoc support with credit ratings agency interactions.
- Working with the Deputy CFO, Head of FP&A and Group Treasury team on cash and net debt management.
- Liaison with the Group’s auditors, particularly with respect to derivatives accounting, share-based payments and the PLC statutory entity.
- Overseeing the production and sign-off of statutory accounts for the UK head office entities in the group structure and also the PLC Company accounts in the Group’s Annual Report.
- Manage and develop a high performing team, including nurturing future successors and supporting them with professional or other training requirements.
- Provide ad-hoc decision-support and insight as directed by the Group CFO and Deputy CFO.
What you'll need...
- Qualified accountant (ACA) essential with experience of working in a large organisation preferred.
- Minimum of 3 years experience post qualification essential.
- Line management experience desirable.
- Strong IT skills, in particular Excel, Powerpoint and accounting systems experience. Experience of using a ledger accounting system would be a particular advantage.
- Excellent attention to detail, with an ability to consistently produce reports that are free of error.
- Able to communicate confidently with senior personnel and to present information in a succinct and professional manner.
- Able to collaborate well with employees across all levels within the organisation.
- Highly efficient and with the energy and tenacity to see work through to completion, in a timely manner, ensuring deadlines are met at all times.
- Able to cope well with pressure and have the organisational skills to manage a diverse range of tasks.
- A motivation to identify and implement process improvement within the role.
What we offer in return for your hard work and commitment...
- Free Bus & Coach travel for yourself
- Complimentary coach travel for a Nominated Person or complimentary bus travel for a Spouse or Partner
- 50% discount for friends and family on full fares on our coach services
- Company pension
- Employee Assistance programme
- Private online GP service
- Life Assurance
National Express is proud to be a Disability Committed organisation. We therefore welcome applications from disabled candidates. Please let us know in your application if you have any accessibility needs.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a high volume of applications before the advertised closed date.
Things to Note...
At National Express, we are really proud of our health and safety record and as a result, we operate a Drugs and Alcohol Policy which is applicable to all employees.
As part of your initial assessment, we will complete Drug and Alcohol testing and you may be subject to random tests during your employment.
