financial accountant jobs

About Abstract Recruitment

Abstract Recruitment is a growing UK recruitment business supplying temporary and permanent staffing solutions across a range of sectors, including driving, industrial, warehouse, logistics and commercial.

Abstract Recruitment operate in a fast-paced environment where accurate financial reporting, commercial awareness and effective financial management are essential to our continued success.

We are looking for an experienced Management Accountant to join our finance function and play an important role in supporting the financial performance and strategic direction of the business.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys working with numbers but, more importantly, understands what those numbers mean for the wider business.

The Role

The successful candidate will be responsible for preparing and analysing management accounts, providing meaningful financial information and supporting senior management with commercial and operational decision-making.

Working closely with colleagues across finance and the wider business, you will help monitor financial performance, identify opportunities to improve profitability, manage costs and strengthen financial controls.

You will need to be confident working with large volumes of financial information, able to identify trends and discrepancies, and comfortable presenting financial information in a clear and understandable way.

Previous recruitment industry experience would be highly advantageous, particularly within a business supplying high volumes of temporary workers.

Key Responsibilities

Management Accounts and Financial Reporting

• Prepare accurate and timely monthly management accounts.
• Produce monthly profit and loss accounts and balance sheet reporting.
• Complete balance sheet reconciliations and investigate variances.
• Analyse actual performance against budgets and forecasts.
• Prepare monthly financial reports for directors and senior management.
• Identify financial trends, risks and opportunities.
• Ensure financial information is accurate, complete and delivered within agreed reporting deadlines.

Commercial Analysis and Profitability

• Analyse gross profit and profit margins across clients, branches, sectors and business divisions.
• Monitor revenue, cost of sales and operating expenditure.
• Review client and contract profitability to identify areas of improvement.
• Analyse temporary labour costs, charge rates, pay rates and associated margins.
• Identify underperforming accounts and highlight potential commercial risks.
• Provide financial insight to support pricing decisions and contract negotiations.
• Work with operational teams to understand financial performance and improve profitability.

Budgeting and Forecasting

• Assist with the preparation of annual budgets and financial forecasts.
• Monitor performance against agreed budgets.
• Prepare variance analysis and investigate significant differences.
• Support financial planning and business growth initiatives.
• Develop and maintain financial models to support business decisions.
• Provide regular updates on expected financial performance.

Cash Flow and Working Capital Management

• Prepare and maintain cash-flow forecasts.
• Monitor working capital and identify potential cash-flow pressures.
• Analyse aged debtor reports and support effective credit control.
• Monitor client payment performance and highlight potential risks.
• Support the management of cash flow across the business.
• Identify opportunities to improve financial efficiency.

Payroll and Financial Reconciliation

• Work alongside the internal payroll team to ensure weekly payroll costs are accurately reflected within the accounts.
• Review and reconcile weekly payroll journals.
• Monitor temporary worker payroll costs against client revenue and expected gross profit.
• Investigate payroll and financial discrepancies.
• Ensure appropriate payroll-related accruals and liabilities are recorded.
• Support month-end payroll reconciliations and reporting.

Financial Control and Compliance

• Support VAT reporting and compliance.
• Maintain robust financial controls and accounting procedures.
• Ensure accurate balance sheet reconciliations.
• Assist with statutory accounts and year-end audit requirements.
• Liaise with external accountants, auditors and other financial advisers.
• Support improvements to financial systems, processes and reporting.
• Ensure financial records are maintained accurately and appropriately.

Business Partnering and Continuous Improvement

• Work closely with directors, senior managers and operational teams.
• Translate financial information into meaningful commercial insight.
• Challenge financial performance where appropriate and recommend improvements.
• Support business cases and financial assessments for new opportunities.
• Identify opportunities to improve reporting, controls and financial processes.
• Help develop a stronger understanding of financial performance across the business.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Previous experience in a Management Accountant or similar finance role.
• Part-qualified or fully qualified accountant (CIMA, ACCA or ACA), or equivalent relevant experience.
• Strong understanding of management accounts, profit and loss reporting and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Experience with budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis.
• Strong analytical and numerical skills.
• Excellent Excel skills and confidence working with financial data.
• Experience using Sage, Xero or similar accounting software.
• Strong commercial awareness and an understanding of business profitability.
• Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills.
• Ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and meet reporting deadlines.

Desirable Experience

• Previous experience working within a recruitment agency or temporary staffing business.
• Experience supporting a business with significant temporary labour expenditure and weekly payroll.
• Understanding of recruitment agency gross profit and margin structures.
• Experience analysing profitability by client, branch, division or contract.
• Experience within a multi-branch or multi-site business.
• Experience supporting businesses with significant turnover and transaction volumes.
• Experience working with senior management and directors on commercial decision-making.

Personal Attributes

We are looking for someone who is:

• Commercially minded and confident interpreting financial information.
• Analytical, methodical and solutions-focused.
• Proactive and comfortable taking ownership of responsibilities.
• Confident challenging information and asking the right questions.
• Able to work independently while collaborating effectively with colleagues.
• Approachable and able to communicate with people at all levels.
• Organised and comfortable working in a fast-paced business.
• Focused on accuracy, accountability and continuous improvement.

What Success Looks Like

The successful candidate will:

• Deliver accurate and timely monthly management accounts.
• Provide clear visibility of financial performance across the business.
• Improve understanding of profitability by client, branch and division.
• Provide meaningful cash-flow forecasts and financial analysis.
• Identify opportunities to improve margins and control expenditure.
• Ensure payroll costs are accurately reconciled within the accounts.
• Support directors with reliable financial information and commercial insight.
• Contribute to stronger financial processes and controls.

Why Join Abstract Recruitment?

At Abstract Recruitment, we recognise that our people are at the heart of everything we do.

You'll be joining an established and growing recruitment business where your contribution will have a genuine impact.

This is an opportunity to work closely with senior management, influence financial performance and help shape the financial reporting and commercial understanding of the business as it continues to grow.

Pay: £50,000.00-£55,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person