Management Accountant

Who are we?

Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. We're experts helping clients adapt and thrive in a changing world. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mind-set, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 23,000 employees and spanning 56 countries.

Our people are our biggest asset as well as our largest shareholder group and are everything that makes us unique; our inclusive culture, the quality service we offer our clients, and our continued growth, all come from our people-first approach. There’s no such thing as individual success. We all need to play our part, contributing our skills and experience to make a true difference. That’s Howden.

Why work at Howden?

We have always been employee-owned and driven by entrepreneurial spirit. Right from the beginning, we've focused on employing talented individuals and empowering them to make a real difference to the company, whilst building successful and fulfilling careers at the same time. Simply put, we hire talented specialists and give them what they need to make a difference for clients. Always have, always will.

People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It’s what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down disappointed head-hunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work/life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.

The Role

The Management Accountant will deliver accounting services for both Business Unit and Operating Entity reporting purposes, and analysis to assist with business planning processes.

This individual is responsible for ensuring that their activities align with Group policy in order to achieve targets, meet monthly, quarterly and annual reporting deadlines, ensure the development of the business and deliver a comprehensive service.

What you'll do

• Production of monthly management accounting and reporting information to a strict timetable for business units within the Group.
• Production of general ledgers journals.
• Monthly revenue reporting, to include posting and reconciliation of technical ledgers.
• Preparation of month end journals, including intercompany and recurring charges.
• Ownership and preparation of balance sheet account reconciliations, including investigation and resolution of identified issues/concerns.
• Assist with the production of information and data for VAT and tax returns, including those for any overseas companies and branches.
• Continual development of reporting solutions.
• Ad-hoc management reporting and financial analysis.
• Keep updated with all regulatory and legal changes.
• Ensure that records are maintained at all times on the Company systems.
• Respond appropriately and accurately to urgent issues as they arise.
• Develop new processes and procedures documents relevant to job role to ensure documents are current and accurate.

Who we're looking for

• Flexible and able to quickly adapt to change.
• Motivated and resilient.
• Accuracy and attention to detail.
• Good interpersonal skills and communication skills (written and verbal).
• Able to work in a high pressure environment.
• MS Office Literate (advanced Excel – nested VLOOKUP's, data manipulation, pivot tables etc).
• Previous experience of operating as an Accountant is essential, and within a Financial Services environment desirable.
• An understanding of payroll and previous experience/exposure to payroll reports and postings desirable not but crucial.
• Technical knowledge of financial reporting under UK accounting standards.
• Professional accountancy qualification or Passed Finalist with a recognised body (ACCA/CIMA etc) or qualified by experience.

What do we offer in return?

A career that you define.

Our business succeeds by allowing our people to make a mark in the areas they care about most: personal development, volunteering, and fundraising for charity, or creating new insurance products that address society’s greatest challenges.

And we know that separate home and work lives don't really exist. If you're happy and healthy at home, you're more likely to be happy and fulfilled at work – and vice versa. That's why we do our best to support our people in every aspect of their lives.

Diversity and Inclusion

At Howden we value diversity - there is no one Howden ‘personality type’. Instead, we’re looking for individuals who share the same values as us:

• Our successes have all come from someone brave enough to try something new
• We support each other, in the small everyday moments and the bigger challenges
• We are determined to make a positive difference, at work and beyond

We consider our people our chief competitive advantage and as such we treat colleagues, candidates, clients, and business partners with equality, fairness, and respect – regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or family circumstances.

Reasonable adjustments

We're committed to providing reasonable accommodations at Howden to ensure that our positions align well with your needs. Besides the usual adjustments such as software, IT, and office setups, we can also accommodate other changes such as flexible hours* or hybrid working*.

If you're excited by this role but have some doubts about whether it’s the right fit for you, send us your application – if your profile fits the role’s criteria, we will be in touch to assist in helping to get you set up with any reasonable adjustments you may require.

*Not all positions can accommodate changes to working hours or locations. Reach out to your Recruitment Partner if you want to know more.

Our sustainability promise

We’re on a life-long journey to become an ever-more sustainable group. It's a commitment to taking care of our people and the world we live in, to doing good business, and to making a positive impact wherever we can. Our governance processes, company policies, and review systems are all geared towards our goal of making a positive impact in the world. You can read more about our sustainability work here.