Why apply for this role?
Opportunity to combine financial accounting with commercial cost analysis.
Work closely with operational teams, budget holders and senior stakeholders.
Gain exposure to capital expenditure, maintenance costs and project analysis.
Involvement in management accounts, budgeting, forecasting and financial reporting.
Opportunity to influence cost control, identify efficiencies and drive business improvements.
Join an established finance team with opportunities to broaden your experience.
We are working with a well-established organisation to recruit a Commercial Accountant. This is an excellent opportunity for a part-qualified accountant with industry experience who is looking to develop their commercial exposure while continuing to build on their financial accounting skills. The successful candidate will enjoy a varied role, working closely with operational teams to provide meaningful financial insight while supporting the wider finance function.
About the Job
Reporting to the Financial Controller, the Commercial Accountant will undertake a dual role combining commercial cost analysis with financial accounting responsibilities. You will work closely with budget holders, engineering teams and external contractors to analyse expenditure, identify cost-saving opportunities and support operational decision-making, while contributing to the delivery of management accounts, reconciliations, audit and tax compliance.
Key Responsibilities:
Commercial & Cost Analysis
Prepare accurate, timely and detailed analysis of construction costs.
Analyse capital and maintenance expenditure against budgets and KPIs, identifying trends, cost drivers and explaining key variances.
Work with budget holders, engineering teams and external contractors to understand financial performance and constructively challenge expenditure.
Identify potential issues early and proactively recommend practical solutions, cost savings and efficiency improvements.
Produce clear management reports and present financial and commercial performance to managers and non-finance stakeholders.
Participate in performance meetings and review groups, contributing to continuous improvement and developing new approaches to financial analysis and reporting.
Assist with regulatory cost reporting, including Annual Cost Reporting and Price Control.
Financial Accounting & Controls
Support the preparation of management accounts, year-end reporting and internal and external audit requirements.
Ensure accurate reporting of contractor and engineering costs.
Prepare and review balance sheet reconciliations, investigating and resolving discrepancies promptly.
Assist with annual budgeting and rolling forecasts, working with budget holders to ensure assumptions are robust.
Maintain effective internal financial controls and recommend practical improvements.
Support tax compliance activities, including VAT, Corporation Tax, CIS, IR35 and PSA.
Provide cross-cover for finance colleagues, supporting the team during busy periods and taking on additional responsibilities as business requirements evolve.
Previous Experience
Essential:
Part-qualified accountant, with exams completed towards ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent.
Industry finance experience, including detailed cost and variance analysis.
Experience preparing balance sheet reconciliations and management accounts.
Understanding of internal financial controls.
Experience working with non-finance colleagues, including supporting budget holders and presenting financial information.
Strong analytical skills and commercial awareness.
Confidence to constructively challenge expenditure and recommend practical solutions.
Strong Excel skills and confidence using financial systems.
Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
Good report-writing skills and confidence presenting financial information to a range of stakeholders.
Highly organised, flexible and adaptable, with the ability to work as part of a team and manage a varied workload.
Desirable:
Degree in Accounting, Finance or a related discipline.
Previous business partnering experience.
Experience analysing capital and maintenance expenditure, contractor costs or project costs.
Tax compliance experience, including VAT, Corporation Tax, CIS, IR35 and PSA.
Experience using reporting tools or automation to improve processes.
For further information on this opportunity or if you are considering the next step in your career get in touch with Ollie Mairs at HireIQ in complete confidence.
WHJS1_NI
…