Interim Head of Financial Accounts

Job Title: Interim Head of Financial Accounting

Location: London

Contract: Interim (6-12 months)

Rate: Competitive / Dependent on experience

Overview:

We are looking for an experienced Interim Head of Financial Accounting to join our finance team on a temporary basis. This key role is focused on delivering the Group Financial Statements and overseeing the statutory audit within strict deadlines. You will be instrumental in leading the Financial Accounting team, ensuring high-quality financial reporting in a complex and fast-paced environment.

As the Interim Head of Financial Accounting, you will collaborate closely with senior finance leaders, including the Deputy Head of Financial Accounts and Executive Finance Director, while also managing the wider team's deliverables. You'll leverage your technical expertise to support and drive improvements in our financial accounting processes, all while meeting the needs of the business.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the preparation and delivery of the Group Financial Statements, ensuring accuracy and compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Oversee the statutory audit process, managing relationships with the external Big 4 audit firm, and resolving any technical accounting or audit issues that arise.
• Manage the financial accounting team's output, ensuring quality and timeliness of reporting across a complex environment.
• Collaborate with senior finance leaders, supporting both day-to-day operations and long-term strategic objectives.
• Take responsibility for preparing complex consolidations and posting entries to the general ledger, ensuring accuracy at all times.
• Support and guide the team through the year-end process, balancing competing priorities and tight deadlines.
• Maintain a flexible working style-at times stepping in to support senior leadership, and at other times managing the team as the lead.

Essential Skills & Experience:

• Extensive experience in leading complex year-end processes, including working with a Big 4 audit firm.
• Strong technical accounting expertise, with the ability to resolve complex accounting issues.
• Proven experience in preparing and reviewing complex financial consolidations.
• Highly detail-oriented with exceptional organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to balance multiple competing priorities in a high-pressure environment.
• Hands-on experience posting entries to the general ledger and preparing group financial statements.
• Comfortable working both independently and collaboratively with senior stakeholders.
• Proven experience using Oracle and Axiom systems in a financial accounting or reporting capacity.

Desirable:

• Previous experience in a similar leadership role within financial accounting.
• Exposure to large, complex financial systems and reporting environments.

Why Join Us:

This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. You'll be working with a talented team, managing critical financial processes, and reporting directly into senior finance leadership. If you're ready to take on a challenging and rewarding interim position, we'd love to hear from you.