Accounting Manager – London, UK

Summary

The Accounting Manager will spearhead the finance function for our UK and international subsidiaries, driving the transition from QuickBooks to a consolidated NetSuite ERP platform. This role is critical for establishing robust accounting processes and data governance across entities. The Accounting Manager will ensure accurate financial reporting in compliance with UK, Hong Kong and Singapore regulations and accounting standards, while mentoring local teams on best practices. This position reports to the Group Finance Director (or equivalent) and serves as the key accounting expert for our UK, Singapore, and Hong Kong operations. 

Key Responsibilities

Financial Systems Migration: Lead the migration of subsidiary ledgers from QuickBooks to NetSuite, including data cleansing and validation to address legacy data quality issues. Establish workflows to maintain clean, reliable financial data post-migration. 

Accounting Processes & Controls: Develop and implement standardised accounting procedures (invoice processing, reconciliation, month-end close) to replace ad-hoc practices. Streamline and improve finance processes to enhance efficiency and accuracy. Ensure that non-accountant staff (e.g. in sales or operations) are trained and guided when handling finance tasks, eliminating process gaps and errors. 

General Ledger & Reporting: Oversee all bookkeeping and journal entries for the UK entity and coordinate with finance teams in SG and HK. Prepare and review monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements. Ensure accounts are finalized within deadlines and in accordance with company policies and UK law. 

Compliance & Audits: Ensure financial reports comply with UK GAAP/IFRS and UK regulatory requirements. Coordinate statutory audits and prepare statutory accounts and tax filings (e.g. HMRC corporate tax, VAT returns) for the UK entity. Act as the local contact for external auditors and implement any audit recommendations. 

Subsidiary Oversight: Act as the accounting lead for our UK and Asia-Pacific subsidiaries – monitor their financial activities and consolidate results. Handle intercompany transactions, transfer pricing entries, and reconciliations between group and local books. Support the consolidation of multiple entities into the group’s reporting (NetSuite), ensuring accuracy in multi-currency consolidations. 

Accounts Receivable & Collections: Oversee accounts receivable for the UK entity, including invoice issuance, receivables follow-up and credit control processes. Rectify any past issues from non-finance staff handling AR by implementing proper credit management practices. 

Process Improvement: Identify and rectify bad data and inconsistencies in legacy records. Implement internal controls and checks to prevent errors (e.g. reconciliation oversight, approval workflows for journal entries). Continuously devise ways to streamline accounting workflows and improve data integrity, leveraging NetSuite capabilities. 

Business Partnering: Work closely with the CFO/Finance Director and department heads. Provide financial insights into subsidiary performance. Help non-financial managers understand financial reports and the importance of compliance. Ensure smooth communication between UK finance and the global finance team (e.g. share best practices, align on group policies). 

Required Qualifications & Experience: 

Education & Certification: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or related field. Fully qualified or part-qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent) is strongly preferred – a professional certification recognized in the UK ensures grasp of UK accounting and tax regulations. 

Accounting Standards Knowledge: Strong knowledge of UK GAAP (e.g. FRS 102) and familiarity with IFRS reporting standards. Understanding of UK statutory accounts requirements and exposure to international accounting (experience with Asia-Pacific entities or IFRS jurisdictions is a plus). 

Technical Skills: Proficient in accounting software/ERPs. Experience with NetSuite (ERP) implementation or similar financial systems consolidation is highly desirable. Familiarity with QuickBooks is beneficial for understanding the legacy setup. Advanced Excel skills required; ability to work with data exports and perform detailed reconciliations. 

Professional Experience: Approximately 5+ years of progressive accounting experience, including at least 2–3 years in a senior accountant or accounting manager role. Experience in multinational or multi-entity environments (e.g. consolidating US, EU & UK entities) is highly beneficial. Demonstrated experience in improving accounting processes or leading a system upgrade is a plus. 

Compliance & Audit: Hands-on experience preparing statutory financial statements and managing audits is required. Working knowledge of UK tax compliance (VAT, PAYE, Corporation Tax deadlines). Ability to liaise with auditors and implement robust internal controls post-audit. 

Soft Skills: Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities – able to diagnose issues in messy data and implement fixes. Strong communication skills, capable of explaining financial processes to non-financial staff and guiding a team. Leadership and independence – able to “step up” and build out the accounting function with minimal hand-holding. Well-organized, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines. A “can-do” attitude and team-player mindset, aligning with our company values. 

Work Authorisation: Candidates must have the right to work in the UK at the time of application.

Job Type: Full Time,Permanent, M-F Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Salary Range: GBP 65,000 – 75,000 

Cogency Global is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected characteristics including, but not limited to, age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race (including color, nationality, and ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive working environment where all employees are valued. Cogency Global provides reasonable adjustments for qualified individuals with disabilities and for sincerely held religious beliefs, in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 and other applicable UK laws. This commitment to equity and accessibility extends throughout the recruitment process and the entire duration of employment.