Financial Accountant

Are you an experienced financial professional? Pilgrims' Friend Society is expanding, and we need a Financial Accountant to take charge of legal entities for our Housing Schemes. Reporting to the Financial Controller, the Financial Accountant will be responsible for running and reconciling finance sub-ledgers, ensuring accuracy and compliance.

Our focus is providing a loving and caring environment for our “family members” (our residents) and maintaining the Christian ethos that is important to many of them.

The group operates on 20 sites with over 700 staff and an annual income of c.£20m.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the preparation and processing of journal entries, including accruals, to ensure an efficient and accurate month-end close.
• Oversee the month-end and year-end closing procedures in Sage, proactively identifying and resolving any discrepancies.
• Take ownership of reconciliations for all balance sheet accounts, ensuring transparency and accuracy.
• Collaborate with other charities within the Group to reconcile inter-charity balances and accruals, while constantly looking for ways to streamline the process.
• Provide detailed analysis of the P&L to offer clear insights into monthly financial performance.
• Work closely with the Financial Controller to identify trends, variances, and areas for financial improvement.
• Take initiative in producing monthly financial reports for managers across PFS, ensuring these reports are not only accurate but also actionable.
• Collaborate with the Financial Controller to refine existing reporting and develop new reports that align with the charity’s evolving needs.
• Play an active role in the annual budgeting process, collaborating with the Financial Controller and key stakeholders to align the budget with strategic priorities.
• Prepare and submit ad-hoc reports, including regulatory returns to the ONS, Charity Commission, and other relevant authorities, ensuring they are timely and compliant.
• Support the Financial Controller with a wide range of finance tasks, from monthly close activities to strategic initiatives.
• Identify areas where processes can be improved or automated, driving efficiencies across the finance function.
• Work closely with non-finance managers to support their understanding of financial data and provide insights that help drive decision-making.
• Build strong working relationships across the charity, advocating for the finance department’s role in achieving the charity’s broader goals.
• Take ownership of your own professional growth by seeking out opportunities to expand your knowledge and skills.
• Participate in training and development programs and actively suggest ways to enhance the team’s capabilities.
• Actively engage with the charity’s values, attending the Support Office noon prayers via Teams and embodying the charity’s mission in your day-to-day work.

About you:

• Recently or part qualified ACA, ACCA, CIMA, highly desirable.
• Relevant finance or accounting degree, or equivalent practical experience.
• Proven track record in management accounting, ideally within the charity or non-profit sector.
• Experience with month-end and year-end closing, balance sheet reconciliations, and financial reporting.
• Strong experience in process improvement and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Proven experience with Sage 200.
• Forward-thinking mindset with the ability to challenge existing processes and propose innovative solutions.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to translate financial data into meaningful insights for managers and leadership.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with both finance and non-finance teams.
• Proficiency with Sage accounting software (or similar), along with advanced Excel skills.
• Self-motivated, with a strong ability to take ownership of tasks and projects, even in the absence of detailed supervision.
• Strong alignment with the charity's values and a genuine passion for making a difference.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment while maintaining attention to detail and accuracy.

*Applicants must be evangelical Christians (This role has an Occupational Requirement to be filled by a Christian under the provisions of the Equality Act (2010).).

Hours:

Full-time contract, working 35 hours a week-Monday to Friday.

Hybrid working- 3 days in the office 2 days at home

Benefits:

• Hybrid working
• Flexible workig hours
• 5 Weeks' paid holiday per year, as well as bank and public holidays
• Life assurance scheme
• Medicash
• Perkbox – including an Employee assistance programme.
• Long-standing service rewards
• Birthday rewards
• Social events
• Pension scheme

- What our staff say about us: …“It is a friendly and welcoming place to work” … -

We are committed to having a diverse senior management team and we encourage applications from disabled and Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic candidates, as these groups are underrepresented on our senior management team at present.

Please note: this vacancy may close sooner if sufficient applications have been received so please apply as soon as possible if interested.