WHSmith
Finance Manager - Financial Accounting
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Finance Manager - Financial Accounting
GRADE D
At WHSmith Europe our people are at the heart of everything we do. They are the ones that go the extra mile for our customers, the ones that enable our growth. The Finance Manager - Financial Accounting is responsible for accurate, timely and well-controlled accounting for key retail partnerships, including M&S, Costa and wholesale arrangements. The role owns month-end reporting, balance-sheet integrity, margin and waste accounting, and the controls supporting partnership results. It also delivers clear profitability analysis and dependable financial information, while supporting business partners and the forecasting process with accurate actuals, assumptions and insight.
The role has line-management responsibility for two qualified Financial Accountants: one responsible for capital and fixed assets, and one responsible for inventory, IFRS 16 and logistics accounting.
What you will be doing:
Financial accounting and control
- Own the monthly close for assigned partnerships, ensuring income, costs, accruals, provisions and journals are complete, accurate and supported.
- Prepare and review management accounts, delivering results to timetable with clear explanations of material movements.
- Own relevant balance-sheet reconciliations, resolve reconciling items promptly and maintain clear evidence of review.
- Perform and control margin, supplier income, waste, shrink, discount and inventory-related calculations, reconciliations and true-ups.
- Maintain a robust control framework, documented processes and an effective audit trail; identify control gaps and implement corrective action.
- Ensure appropriate accounting treatment and consistent application of Finance policies, escalating significant risks or judgements.
- Support year-end reporting, external audit and internal assurance requests.
Reporting and profitability analysis
- Produce complete, reconciled P&Ls by partnership, format and store, linking sales, margin, waste, labour and operating costs.
- Analyse actual performance against prior year and forecast, explaining key drivers, unusual items, risks and opportunities.
- Provide accurate reporting and concise commentary for M&S, Costa, wholesale and other partnership arrangements.
- Investigate store or format-level performance queries and ensure conclusions are supported by reliable financial data.
- Improve the consistency, transparency and usability of partnership reporting.
Partnership accounting and data integrity
- Own M&S and Costa month-end accounting, including reconciliations, charges, waste reporting and commentary.
- Reconcile financial results to relevant till, sales, inventory, operational and finance systems.
- Work with process owners to resolve data breaks and prevent recurrence across sales, cash, margin, waste and inventory.
- Monitor the completeness and quality of source data and ensure adjustments are controlled, evidenced and approved.
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Business support and forecasting
- Provide business partners and operational stakeholders with accurate actuals, reconciled data and clear explanations of performance.
- Support forecasting by supplying robust run-rate information, validating assumptions and highlighting financial risks and opportunities.
- Contribute financial analysis to ad hoc reviews and business cases.
People leadership
- Line manage, coach and develop two qualified Financial Accountants, setting clear objectives and ensuring high standards of delivery, control and accountability.
- Oversee the Financial Accountant responsible for capital and fixed assets, including the integrity of the fixed-asset register, capital accounting and associated controls.
- Oversee the Financial Accountant responsible for inventory, IFRS 16 and logistics accounting, ensuring accurate reporting, reconciliations and robust financial controls.
- Review and challenge key outputs, judgements and balance-sheet positions across both areas, providing cover and escalation support where required.
Process improvement
- Simplify, standardise and automate recurring accounting and reporting activities.
- Strengthen data quality, system reconciliations and links between financial and operational reporting.
- Maintain clear process and control documentation to support continuity and effective knowledge transfer.
- Contribute to wider Finance control and transformation initiatives.
What we are looking for:
- Qualified ACA, ACCA or CIMA accountant.
- Strong financial accounting experience, including month-end close, balance-sheet reconciliations, journals, accruals and control review.
- Experience preparing or reviewing management accounts and analysing P&Ls and profitability drivers.
- Proven experience of managing and developing qualified finance professionals, with the confidence to review and challenge technical accounting outputs.
- Sound judgement, attention to detail and the ability to identify and resolve accounting or data-quality issues.
- Confident communicator who can explain financial information clearly and support Finance and non-Finance stakeholders.
- Advanced Excel skills; experience of Alteryx, Power BI or similar tools is advantageous.
- Retail, hospitality, franchising or partnership accounting experience is desirable.
- Ownership and accountability, with a commitment to accuracy, control and timely delivery.
- Analytical and curious, able to identify the key message within complex information.
- Proactive and solutions focused, taking issues through to sustainable resolution.
- Organised and resilient, able to manage competing deadlines in a fast-moving environment.
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How we reward our teams:
- Hybrid Working Model from home and in the office
- 4pm Friday Finish
- Flexible Working
- 25 Days holiday, plus your Birthday off, plus Bank Holidays with an opportunity to buy extra days holiday
- Family Friendly Leave
- Company Pension scheme
- Annual Bonus based on company and personal performance
- Competitive Salary and Car Allowance
- Private Medical
- Cycle to work scheme
- Staff Discount Card for railway stores (subject to policy)
About us:
Celebrating over 230 years, we’re proud to have grown into a globally recognised brand present in over 30 countries – the air of familiarity people love and trust on their journey. As a diverse group of over 6,000 colleagues, we’re all on the same journey to a better business through our commitments to our planet, people and the communities we serve.
Our business operates from two key locations, In a vibrant area of London, close to Aldgate and Liverpool Street Station, while the other is located at Swindon's International Business Park, just off the M4 with excellent transport links and over 100 on-site parking spaces.
For WHSmith Europe, our mission is simple – to create value for our stakeholders by providing a platform for global brands across airports, hospitals, rail stations and other markets. Our operational environment is fast-paced and highly regulated, requiring exceptional standards of maintenance, compliance, health & safety and colleague welfare across every location.
We’re all about creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace where everyone can be themselves and do their best. No matter your background, age, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, race or ethnicity, marital status, religion, sex, sexual orientation or anything else that makes you, you—you’re welcome here.
We’re also open to flexible working where possible, so if that’s something you need, let’s chat. And if you need any adjustments during the selection process, just let our Talent Acquisition team know—we’re happy to help!
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