Financial Accountant - Nordics

Are you looking to make a difference within a broad Accounting role? Do you have prior international/ specifically Nordics accounting experience?

We have just partnered with an acquisitive growing organisation looking to add firepower to their accounting team. 

Main purpose of the role

This is a critical role within the finance team, reporting to the Head of Group Finance Shared Services. It focuses on delivery of seamless, accurate and complete month end process for 5 Nordics entities and the potential acquisition in the future to ensure compliance with regulations and supporting the business with decision making. 

Main responsibilities

Transactional finance:

Have complete ownership and work closely with various team members in the country to capture, record and reconcile transactions in an accurate and a timely manner striving to streamline the process as much as possible. This will include gathering and monitoring financial data, ensure there are controls in place to recognise the revenue and guide the business on the requirements that should be met in order to raise customer invoices.

Ensure the accounts payable process is working smoothly and the liabilities are recorded accurately and in the correct period.  Overseeing supplier payments to ensure aged balances are cleared while maintain cash flow controls. Support preparation of VAT returns and liaise with external finance provider to investigate and resolve any unusual VAT transactions and monitor VAT returns are filed on time to local authorities.

Monitor accounting for a monthly payroll by liaising with the local team, ensure postings are accurate on the person/customer basis and all payroll reporting requirements are met.

Prepare necessary accruals and prepayments calculations to ensure costs are recorded in the correct period. Prepare other month end journals as necessary.

Ensure complete and timely reconciliation of intercompany balances. Investigate variances and follow up to ensure corrections are carried out and variances are eliminated. Ensure that intercompany payments process is clearing all outstanding balances and not causing any intercompany variances.

Financial reporting:

Hold overall accountability for production of the monthly and annual reporting, proactively ensure they are accurate and delivered to deadline in line with group and regulatory policies, procedures and guidelines. Accountability for the integrity of reported figures in P&L, ownership of the balance sheet and ability to provide insights on reported numbers. Provide meaningful explanations for large variance to balance sheet and P&L movement to prior year to Group on any potential issues identified.

Prepare local ledger data for BPC uploads and reporting requirements.

Ensure all balance sheet reconciliation are prepared and reviewed on a regular basis, and all review points are followed up and potential risks or opportunities are communicated to Group of Finance Shred Services and Director of FBP on a timely basis.

Regulatory compliance and Audit: Lead the preparation of statutory accounts and lead regulatory compliance requirements for entrusted entities including financial statement reporting and tax requirements while working alongside various consultants and stakeholders. Lead the audit for local entities. Ensure the deadlines are met and accounts are filed on time.

Controls: Ensure group policies and processes across are being adhered to, suggest simplified solution to manage the accounts preparations ensuring robust protection of our assets with a pragmatic approach and with continuous improvement in mind.

Stakeholders Engagement: Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Group Accounting, Finance Services, FBP. Build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders, such as vendors, customers, and 3rd party service providers. Become a point of contact with Local Managing Director and local team.

Ad hoc tasks as directed by Head of Finance Services, Group Finance and Financial Accounting director.

About you...

• Qualified ACCA/ACA or CIMA 
• Strong knowledge of financial systems, processes, and regulations.
• Being open to learn and understand local regulations and document these.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Good communication, interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrate experience of new process implementation.

Preferable:

• Marathon,
• Dynamics 365 finance experience
• SAP BPC or similar reporting tool experience