Endowment Accountant and Business Partner

We are currently looking for an Endowment Accountant and Business Partner to work with our busy and growing Finance team.

Key Responsibilities

Business partnership:

• Provide a full business partnering support to the Endowment business unit:
• Build, maintain and develop effective relationships with members of the Endowment team and work closely with them to improve mutual knowledge and financial understanding.
• Serve as a key partner to Endowment leadership, acting as a ‘critical friend’ by challenging assumptions and activities were necessary to ensure alignment of strategic and financial goals.
• Develop the business partner role into one that is fully able to proactively support strategic decision making, provide forward-looking insight and analysis, deliver effective financial performance information, and support the development of a culture of value-for-money within the Endowment.

Accounting, reporting, budgeting and planning:

• Perform the accounting for the property and financial investing activities of the business unit, including property rental income and expenditure derived from third party managers’ reports.
• Prepare regular financial reports, including P&L statements, balance sheets and cash flow statements which are tailored to both the Endowment’s and the wider organisation’s needs and aligned with their structures.
• Prepare regular short- and long-term cash flow forecasts, and support cash management within the endowment as well as across the wider group.
• Develop and track key performance indicators.
• Develop and produce effective dashboards and other reporting to provide insight and support decision making.
• Lead from a finance perspective the budgeting and forecasting processes for the Endowment, and support their integration into the wider organisation’s processes.
• Support the annual property valuation process.

Data insight and integrity:

• Have a thorough understanding of the management, maintenance, flow and reconciliation of the financial data relating to the Endowment across multiple systems.
• Conduct rigorous analysis of financial data, trends, and performance metrics to derive insights and offer recommendations for informed decision-making.
• Use advanced financial modelling and analytics to produce actionable insights.
• Ensure the accuracy and integrity of financial data for the endowment portfolio.

Collaboration:

• Support the Endowment team with any new process, including working with other teams to ensure end-to-end financial integrity.
• Support investment processes by assisting with KYC and overseas tax forms.
• Collaborate effectively within the Finance team to enhance performance and ensure alignment with organisational objectives.
• Work with internal/external auditors and other stakeholders are required.
• Support governance processes by providing necessary financial information and analysis.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Knowledge and qualifications:

• Qualified or part-qualified accountant (e.g., ACCA, ACA, CIMA or equivalent) or qualified accounting technician (e.g. AAT) – desirable but not essential.
• Understanding of the accounting framework and financial challenges for the property and financial investment sectors.
• Strategic financial knowledge.

Experience:

• Demonstrable success in preparing management information related to property and investment activities.
• Solid strategic financial acumen and commercial awareness.
• Established track record of cultivating successful business relationships and partnerships.

Skills and abilities:

• Highly numerate with advanced Excel skills (essential, will be tested).
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and communication skills (essential).
• Advanced user of Access Financials, Access Analytics and Access Office Integration (desirable).

Personal attributes:

• Self-starter, able to work under own initiative and organise own time to meet deadlines.
• Proactive in building and maintaining robust business relationships.
• Strong business sense, with an ability to see the bigger picture beyond the numbers.
• Deadline-oriented with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills.
• Commitment to maintaining confidentiality and integrity in financial matters.
• Flexible, able to work with and contribute to the team.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.

Benefits:

• Up to 12% employer pension contributions
• Annual personal development budget
• Annual health and wellbeing personal allowance
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and parental leave pay accessible without length of service requirements.
• Health and wellbeing programme that offers optional free yearly health check-ups.
• Support for healthy eating via fruit bowls and onsite lunch facilities.
• Agile working, flexible hours, and supportive IT kit.
• Shower facilities and bike lock area.
• Generous annual leave (27 days + bank holidays)
• Subsidies for glasses
• Employee Assistance Programme