Accounting Assistant

PA Consulting Group; Royston; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global consulting firm is seeking an experienced accountant to manage month-end close activities and ensure accurate financial reporting. The role requires a detail-oriented individual with at least 2 years of accounting experience and strong Excel skills. You will prepare balance sheet reconciliations and assist with statutory accounts preparation in a hybrid working environment. This position offers a chance to work in a fast-paced setting with various responsibilities, making it ideal for dedicated professionals eager to contribute to a dynamic team.

Benefits

Health and lifestyle perks

25 days annual leave plus a bonus half day on Christmas Eve

Generous pension scheme

Annual performance-based bonus

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of related accounting experience.
• Experience in a high-paced accounting environment.
• Solid understanding of general ledger processes.

Responsibilities

• Manage month end close and general ledger activities.
• Prepare monthly balance sheet reconciliations.
• Assist in statutory accounts preparation.

Skills

Attention to detail

Excel skills (VLOOKUPS, SUMIFS, Pivot tables)

Analytical skills

Problem-solving skills

Multi-currency experience

Education

2 years experience in accounting

Tools

PeopleSoft Financials

Job description

Global Innovation and Technology Centre, Back Lane, Melbourn, Hertfordshire, SG8 6DP, United Kingdom, Melbourn SG8 6DP, GB

We believe in the power of ingenuity to build a positive human future.

As strategies, technologies, and innovation collide, we create opportunity from complexity.

Our teams of interdisciplinary experts combine innovative thinking and breakthrough technologies to progress further, faster. Our clients adapt and transform, and together we achieve enduring results.

We are over 4,000 strategists, innovators, designers, consultants, digital experts, scientists, engineers, and technologists. And we have deep expertise in consumer and manufacturing, defence and security, energy and utilities, financial services, government and public services, health and life sciences, and transport.

Our teams operate globally from offices across the UK, Ireland, US, Nordics, and Netherlands.

PA. Bringing Ingenuity to Life.

You will work with the Accounting Manager to manage a portfolio of entities i.e. Norway/Ireland/New Zealand.

This is a full-time role and you must be able to attend the office every Tuesday and Wednesday with the rest of the team.

Key Responsibilities

• Managing month end close – ensuring all general ledger activities including the processing of journals for the fixed assets, accruals, prepayments and intercompany processes are timely and accurately performed
• Maintain accurate fixed asset registers including, recording additions/disposals, depreciation entries and reconciliation to the general ledger
• Prepare monthly balance sheet reconciliations
• Prepare and post monthly payroll journals
• Prepare monthly payroll P&L reconciliations
• Review of Norway VAT return and New Zealand GST file and posting journals
• Assist the Accounting Manager with the preparation of the statutory accounts
• Preparing information packs for the external audits and responding to external audit requests within the set timeframes
• Preparation of SOX audit schedules and responding to requests from the SOX audit team
• Comply with internal controls, including SOX controls
• Ensuring the smooth running of the intercompany recharge processes that you are allocated
• Completing monthly analysis of key P&L accounts
• Documentation and monitoring of internal controls and procedures

Hybrid working

our approach is to be in the office or on client site a minimum of 2 days per week. However, the actual time you spend and where you spend it will vary by role or assignment.

Qualifications

A minimum of 2-years related experience in an accounting environment

Skills / Personal Qualities

• Strong attention to detail & highly organized
• Strong Excel skills, including knowledge of VLOOKUPS, SUMIFS & Pivot tables
• An individual with a ‘hands on’ attitude and an initiative to drill into transactional detail
• Experience of working in a multi-currency environment
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to deliver to deadlines and prioritise tasks in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to work across reporting lines

Nice to have

• Willingness to study/currentlyACA / ACCA / CIMA
• Knowledge of PeopleSoft Financials accounting package
• Experience of audit

We know the skill-gap and ‘somewhat need to tick every box’ can get in the way of meeting brilliant candidates, so please don’t hesitate to apply – we’d love to hear from you.

Apply today by completing our online application

Please be aware that some of our UK roles at PA Consulting require a UK security clearance.

All PA people are required to undergo background checks and to achieve the Baseline Personnel Security Standard however, some UK roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting, where applicants must have at least 5 years of continuous residency in the UK.

We therefore ask that you only apply if you meet the residency requirements (i.e. you are a British citizen or have been resident in the UK for the past 5 years), as this is the prerequisite for a security clearance. If you're unsure about your eligibility, we encourage you to review the UK Government’s guidance on security vetting before applying.

Additional information

Life At PA encompasses our peoples' experience at PA. It's about how we enrich peoples’ working lives by giving them access to unique people and growth opportunities and purpose led meaningful work.

Our purpose guides how we work with our clients and our teams, and support our communities, to deliver insight and impact, solving the world’s most complex challenges. We're focused on building a workplace that values human difference and diverse mindsets, and a culture of inclusion and equality that unlocks the potential in our people so everyone can be their best self.

We are dedicated to supporting the physical, emotional, social and financial well-being of our people. Check out some of our extensive benefits:

• Health and lifestyle perks accompanying private healthcare
• 25 days annual leave (plus a bonus half day on Christmas Eve) with the opportunity to buy 5 additional days
• Generous company pension scheme
• Opportunity to get involved with community and charity-based initiatives
• Annual performance-based bonus
• PA share ownership
• Tax efficient benefits (cycle to work, give as you earn)

We’re committed to advancing equality. We recruit, retain, reward and develop our people based solely on their abilities and contributions and without reference to their age, background, disability, genetic information, parental or family status, religion or belief, race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity (or expression), political belief, veteran status, or any other range of human difference brought about by identity and experience. We welcome applications from underrepresented groups.

Adjustments or accommodations - Should you need any adjustments or accommodations to the recruitment process, at either application or interview, please contact us on [e-mail]