Management Accountant

Job Description

The Management Accountant is central to how ACT understands its performance. The role covers two things: delivering accurate, timely management accounts across all three divisions, and preparing the budgets, forecasts and cash position the Head of Finance and directors use to run the business. Construction finance brings its own challenges - WIP and CVRs, retentions, CIS and VAT reverse charge - and you'll be working with them every month. We're looking for a newly qualified or finalist accountant who wants real ownership early, holds the same standard in the numbers that we hold on site, and builds honest, constructive relationships with Heads Of and QS teams.

Job Requirements

Essential

• Newly qualified or finalist CIMA, ACCA or ACA
• Hands-on experience of month end close, accruals, prepayments and balance sheet reconciliations
• Strong Excel, including building and maintaining forecast models
• Able to explain numbers clearly to non-finance colleagues and challenge directors and QS teams constructively
• Be self-motivated and highly organised
• Be able to work to strict deadlines

Desirable

• Construction or contracting experience, in house or with contractor clients in practice: retentions, CVRs and WIP, CIS, VAT reverse charge
• Experience with Xero
• Exposure to Procore or a similar project system
• Experience preparing audit schedules

Job Responsibilities

Month End and Management Accounts

• Run the close calendar and checklist, chasing inputs from Commercial, Procurement and Payroll so the close starts on time.
• Deliver divisional and group management accounts with variance commentary by WD5, for Head of Finance review.
• Prepare accruals, prepayments, recharges, and CIS and VAT clearing reconciliations.
• Prepare bank and balance sheet reconciliations monthly, keeping a reconciling items log reviewed at each quarter end.
• Support WIP and revenue recognition from CVRs alongside the Commercial team.

Budgets and Overhead Control

• Prepare the annual overhead budget and quarterly re-forecasts, agreeing budget lines with each Head Of.
• Issue monthly department packs by WD6, after a second-person check.
• Maintain an unbudgeted spend log and flag overspends to budget owners as they happen, not at month end.

Forecasting and Cash

• Maintain the 13-week cash forecast using inflow inputs from Commercial.
• Track forecast accuracy month on month and explain the gaps.
• Model scenarios against the agreed cash floor for the Head of Finance and directors.

Controls and Audit

• Operate cut-off, period locks and journal authorisation in line with segregation of duties.
• Prepare audit schedules and supporting files for the external accountants and auditors.
• Keep process notes current so any part of the close can be picked up by someone else.

Business Partnering

• Produce cost reports for the QS teams and help them read and act on the numbers.
• Be the first point of contact for budget holders on their figures, explaining clearly and challenging constructively where spend or forecasts don't add up.