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Financial Accountant - International

Employer
WHSmith
Location
Swindon, Wiltshire
Salary
Competitive
Closing date
21 Jun 2022

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Job Details

Job Description

 

Financial Accountant – International 

Australia, Singapore, Spain – just three of the 30+ countries where you can find our stores. Our International business experienced rapid growth in recent years, with many more opportunities for expansion in the pipeline. You’ll find us at airports, stations, hospitals and shopping malls all over the world, with stores run directly, through joint ventures or via ‘Franchise Partnership’ models. It’s an integral part of the company’s growth strategy.  

We now have an exciting opportunity for a qualified Financial Accountant to join our Finance team based at our Greenbridge Head Office in Swindon. Reporting into the Financial Accounting Manager, you'll play a key role in ensuring the integrity of WHSmith’s International business’ accounts. 

What you’ll do: 

Responsibility for cost accounting for our International stores and will: 

  • Develop in-depth understanding of the costs for each of our International locations 
  • Ensure accurate cost accounting and provide detailed P&L and accrual analysis at month end  
  • Support the Operational teams and the Financial Planning Manager on cost forecasts during the planning cycles 
  • Build relationships with key stakeholders 
  • Franchise and Wholesale reporting: you’ll run the weekly and monthly fee reporting, as well month end P&L and balance sheet reconciliations. 
  • Responsibility for the month end consolidation of our International subsidiaries and submission to Group Finance. 
  • Support the Financial Accounting Manager to ensure the balance sheet is fully reconciled and controlled 
  • Support the production of the 3 Year Plan, Budgets and Forecasts of the cash flow and balance sheets for our international subsidiaries 
  • Support the year end statutory accounts production and audit processes 
  • Support the weekly cash forecasting processes 
  • Conduct periodic visits to international businesses to ensure good financial governance and to assist in any matters arising throughout the year 

Who we’re looking for: 
We are looking for someone that is a Qualified accountant with a Financial Accounting background. Experience within the retail industry would prove advantageous; however an interest in International Retail is vital. You will be an excellent communicator who can engage, communicate and influence with both financial and non financial managers. Your planning and organisational skills will be excellent and you’ll be able to prioritise a broad and extensive range of activities.  

You’ll have excellent analytical skills and a strong user of Microsoft Excel, including Pivot Tables, V-Lookups and Sum Ifs. You must have a keen eye for detail and accuracy, to ensure all financial data is summarised in a logical and informative manner appropriate for a variety of audiences.  

Company

WHSmith started in 1792 with a small news vendor in Little Grosvenor Street, London, followed by the opening of our first bookstall in Euston Station in 1848. We quickly established ourselves as the favoured newsagent, stationers and bookseller opening stores across the UK. From this point on, there has been no looking back.

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