Head of Financial Accounting

Job Title Head of Financial Accounting Location London Description

Summary of Position

The Head of Financial Accounting will play a significant role in managing and enhancing a best-in-class Group financial control and reporting framework. You will lead a team responsible for statutory returns and reporting, developing and standardising accounting policy while overseeing all period end close processes.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsibility for the production of management information for the group and across multiple entities and divisions to focus on business performance.
• Reporting on all aspects of business performance including revenue, profit, working capital and also non-financial measures.
• Preparing Monthly Board pack summarising financial performance and analysis against budget, forecast and prior year with key insights to drive the business
• Analyse and develop a deep understanding of our cash and working capital performance.
• Working collaboratively with the business and finance department to define the necessary inputs you will need each period to produce the reporting.
• Leading the team to ensure the prompt and accurate delivery of all statutory and financial regulatory requirements for the Group and its entities at period end (monthly, quarterly, yearly).
• Ensuring all entity level financial reporting and control is maintained to a high standard on a monthly basis.
• Develop the team structure to streamline month-end procedures and deliver core financial processes.
• Manage central finance team to the completion of local and statutory audit requirements.
• Lead governance and balance sheet reconciliation and analysis throughout multiple reporting systems and structures.
• Ensuring that appropriate financial controls are in place.
• Provide up-to-date knowledge of relevant and developing accounting standards.
• Contribute to the development of the accounting and financial reporting strategy of the Group.
• Contribute more widely to the overall performance of the Finance function as part of the leadership team.

Skills/Experience

• Chartered accountant with strong training acquired.
• Relevant experience in industry, gained in the financial accounting function of a large corporate environment.
• Strong technical accounting skill set e.g., preparation of statutory accounts under IFRS.
• Delivery of finance automation such as implementation of Financial Close and Consolidation tools.
• Delivery of GenAI assisted workflows highly desirable.
• Advanced IT skills e.g., writing macros in Excel, SQL experience highly desirable.
• The ability to lead, motivate, and mentor a high performing team.
• Strong influencing and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge or willingness to learn to use new tools (e.g., Microsoft Power BI)

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

About Mishcon de Reya Group

The Group is an independent, international professional services business with law at its heart, employing over 1400 people with over 650 lawyers. It includes the law firm Mishcon de Reya LLP and a collection of leading consultancy businesses that complement the firm's legal services.

Mishcon de Reya LLP is based in London, Oxford, Cambridge, Singapore, Hong Kong and UAE. The firm services an international community of clients and provides advice in situations where the constraints of geography often do not apply.The work the firm undertakes is cross-border, multi-jurisdictional and complex, centred around three increasingly entwined and connected sectors: the Innovation Economy, Private Wealth and Capital, and Real Estate. The firm is known as a disputes powerhouse with a formidable capacity firmwide for dispute resolution.

The includes consultancy businesses ,(in London, Singapore and Dubai), , and (in Hong Kong). The Group also includes, which invests in the most promising early stage legaltech companies as well as the Mishcon Academy, its in-house place of learning and platform for thought leadership.

In 2024, the Group announced its first strategic acquisition in the alternative legal services market, flexible legal resourcing business Flex Legal. It also acquired a majority stake in Somos, a global group actions management business.

We strive to create a fully diverse and inclusive workplace where all our people are empowered to fulfil their potential. We are proud of our agile working culture and are always happy to talk flexible working.

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