18 August 2008

Deputy Head of Group Accounting Policies

This is a superb opportunity for a Chartered Accountant (or equivalent) with banking / financial services sector experience, and excellent IFRS technical knowledge, to work in a senior role within the Group Finance department of a Global Banking Group. The role demands a professional results-driven approach, a positive attitude, strong communication skills, and an enthusiastic team-building style.

This is a high profile and weighty role that can be split down into 6 categories as follows:

1. Accounting opinions
Analyse the more complex transactions and accounting issues, providing formal written accounting opinions. Review similar work prepared by team members and ensure accurate technical analysis and a high standard of written communication. Communicate the outcome of this analysis with business and financial management.

Accounting opinions span the full range of standards and types of financial services business. The jobholder is expected to have a sound understanding of Capital Markets and Treasury accounting, and understand the key principles of specialist areas?? accounting (e.g. Insurance, Fund Management), and to be able to give concurrent opinions based on the specialist area evaluation.

Coach team members in handling technical queries, bringing business knowledge and experience along with technical knowledge to bear in enhancing the team??s ability to deal with complex issues.

2. Accounting Policies
Ensure that Group accounting policies are accurately formulated and communicated around the Group. Provide guidance on questions arising from implementation around the Group. Provide advice and solutions to particular accounting issues, with regard to both US and IFRS implications, and coach business areas in problem solving.

3. Financial Statements
Supervise the drafting of published financial statements and accounting disclosures, ensuring compliance with accounting standards, using technically accurate language. Review similar work prepared by team members. Be able to take a broader view of reporting, across IFRS, US GAAP and business analytical requirements, in determining the most efficient and relevant formats for communication.

4. Reporting
To interpret accounting requirements in the context of businesses, structure these requirements in the most efficient way, and ensure that these requirements are translated into the group chart of accounts and supporting definitions, communicating these effectively around the Group.

Seek ways to improve reporting processes, to speed up and better control the Group Finance process and seek opportunities to rationalise/streamline the reporting burden on reporting entities.

5. Training and workshops
Deliver and participate in interactive workshops, create and deliver technical presentations to the finance teams, and coach team members accordingly.

6. Accounting Developments
Analyse the impact of new accounting developments on the businesses of the Group, and comment on developments from a technical perspective, and where required draft responses to standard setting bodies and banking industry participants on new proposals.

We are looking for a candidate with Banking or Financial Services Group experience, and experience of IFRS implementation in a banking context. Experience of applying accounting standards in practical business situations and of managing or supervising small teams would be advantageous.

For further information please call Anna Metcalfe on 020 7321 5005 or send your cv quoting reference AM75401.

Salary: 100000 Per Annum
Contact Name: Banking
Email: Banking.11428410@jobs.jobmate.biz
Phone: 020 7321 5000