Financial Reporting Manager

Job Title: Financial Reporting Manager

Contract type: Permanent

Location: London Marylebone + Aylesbury - Hybrid 3 days a week in the office

Salary: Up to £60,000 Per annum

Job Purpose

The role supports the Financial Reporting Manager in developing, maintaining, and enhancing financial accounting procedures across Chiltern Railways, ensuring the accuracy, completeness, and statutory compliance of both management and financial accounts. This position plays a key role in the preparation of financial reports, statutory accounts, and regulatory submissions, while also supporting internal controls and contributing to the continuous improvement of finance processes.

To ensure that job specific activities do not introduce unacceptable business and safety risks to any aspect of the Company s operation, and that the appropriate policies and procedures are implemented and adhered to, ensuring that all such activities comply with the relevant contractual, statutory accounting and audit requirements.

Key Responsibilities

To support the Financial Reporting Manager to develop, maintain and improve financial accounting procedures throughout Chiltern and ensure local and statutory accounts are complete, accurate and conform to relevant accounting standards.

• Assist with Department for Transport (DfT) workflows and reporting as required
• Work closely with the FP&A team to produce financial reports such as the balance sheet and cashflow for Arriva Group using information from source systems and periodic meetings with the Finance Business Partners (FBP) converting to the appropriate format
• Completion of monthly Group balance sheet and cashflow reports providing clear and accurate variance analysis and justifications
• Preparation of statutory accounts in line with UK GAAP, tax packs and liaising with Group on various aspects of the accounts
• Production of periodic balance sheet reconciliations ensuring adequate supporting evidence and documentation is in place
• Review all balance sheet reconciliations prior to further review by the Finance Director and Head of Finance. Provide feedback to the reciliation preparers on any issues and improvements that could be implemented
• Review and utilise the capital and project expenditure cashflow forecasts/ budgets prepared by the Finance Business Partner
• Manage the preparation and submission of Group tax reporting, ensuring all evidence requirements are met
• Act as a liaison with Group Tax on matters of corporation tax and maintain accurate tax account records
• Work in conjunction with the projects and assets FBP to perform an asset verification exercise at least annually for assets held on the fixed asset register to confirm their status - in existence, still in use, assessment for impairment as applicable
• Ensure appropriate internal controls and governance are in place on project accounting and capex, liaising with the project accountant as required. Group reporting on this area (ICS & CSA) is completed on time and the finance manual is aligned/updated to current practices
• Preparation of periodic IFRS journals in line with current practices and ensure accounts are maintained and reconciled to the Group reporting system
• Completion of periodic intercompany true ups and reconciliations each calendar month ensuring to liaise with relevant counter parties as required
• Preparation and completion of periodic pension journals and associated financial reporting
• Timely preparation and submission of audit deliverables and liaising with parties as necessary

Personal Specification

• To assist in the implementation of new systems, reports and procedures as required
• Ensure the Finance Manual remains up to date and aligned with current practices
• Proactively identify and implement process improvements across financial reporting and control activities.
• Support the business in its evolution by integrating new reporting requirements and processes

Essential Criteria

• Qualified ACA, ACCA or similar
• Minimum of 3 years experience working in a financial/accounting position
• Should possess good excel skills (lookups, sumifs, pivot tables, ifs)
• Good communication and system skills

Desirable Criteria

• Experience within a comparable industry
• Experience of public sector
• Business Central accounting software knowledge

Please apply on company website