Location: South Cumbria

Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week

Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience

Contract: Permanent

An exciting opportunity for a technically strong accountant to make their mark within a diverse, privately owned group business.

We're delighted to be working exclusively with an established, privately owned group of businesses in South Cumbria to recruit the newly created role of Group Financial Accountant.

This is an excellent opportunity for a qualified accountant, ideally with a background in a accountancy practice, looking to take on a broad and technically interesting role within a progressive, multi-entity organisation.

The business is entering an exciting period of development, with investment in people, systems, processes and financial reporting. Working closely with an experienced Group Financial Controller, you'll have the opportunity to take ownership of key financial reporting and control activities, contribute to meaningful improvements and develop your career within a supportive finance leadership team.

This is far more than a traditional financial reporting role. It offers variety, technical challenge and the opportunity to influence how finance operates across a diverse group of businesses.

The Role

As Group Financial Accountant, you'll play a central role in ensuring accurate, timely and robust financial reporting across multiple entities.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Taking ownership of the month-end close process, ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting across the Group.
• Reviewing balance sheet reconciliations, journals, accruals and key accounting judgements.
• Supporting the preparation of statutory accounts and group consolidations, taking the lead on the year-end audit and auditor relationships.
• Managing intercompany accounting and ensuring appropriate financial controls are maintained.
• Preparing VAT returns, including partial exemption calculations, and supporting wider tax compliance.
• Maintaining cash flow visibility, including rolling 13-week and seasonal forecasts.
• Monitoring bank covenant compliance and supporting external reporting requirements.
• Playing an active role in finance systems implementation, automation and process improvements.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues across finance and the wider business to improve reporting, efficiency and financial insight.

There will also be opportunities to contribute to wider finance projects and potentially take on people management responsibilities as the role develops.

About You

We're particularly interested in hearing from accountants who have trained within accountancy practice and are either considering their first move into industry or have already made that transition.

You'll ideally bring:

• ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualification.
• A strong technical accounting foundation, particularly statutory reporting, financial controls and balance sheet management.
• Experience of month-end reporting, year-end accounts preparation and audit processes.
• Excellent Excel skills and confidence working with complex financial information.
• Strong attention to detail, sound judgement and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• The ability to build effective relationships and communicate confidently with colleagues across a business.

Experience of group consolidations, multi-entity accounting, finance systems implementations or reporting tools such as Power BI would be advantageous, although not essential.

Above all, we're looking for someone who enjoys the technical side of accounting, takes pride in producing accurate financial information and is motivated by the opportunity to improve processes and make a genuine contribution.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This role offers an appealing combination of technical accounting, commercial exposure and professional development.

You'll benefit from:

• A varied and challenging role within an established, privately owned business.
• Exposure to multiple entities and a broad range of accounting complexities.
• The opportunity to work closely with an experienced Group Financial Controller.
• Involvement in systems transformation, automation and continuous improvement.
• The chance to influence financial reporting and strengthen processes across the business.
• Scope to develop your responsibilities, including potential future people management.
• A collaborative working environment where your ideas and contribution will be valued.

Interested?

If you're a qualified accountant with a strong technical background and are looking for a role offering genuine variety, responsibility and the opportunity to make an impact, we'd love to hear from you.