Cygnet
Head of External Reporting
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Job Title: Head of External Reporting
Responsible to: Head of Tax and Corporate Reporting
Location: Kings Hill Office, Kent, ME19 4AE / Hybrid
Salary: Up to £80,000 per year
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Head of External Reporting to join Cygnet Group on a full-time basis at our Kings Hill office in Kent (ME19 4AE).
This is a hybrid role, with two days per week based in the office and three days working from home.
Main Purpose Of The Job
The Head of External Reporting will lead the Group's external financial reporting function, ensuring the accurate and timely preparation of consolidated financial statements and statutory accounts across the Group. The role will be responsible for maintaining compliance with UK and Ireland accounting standards, company law requirements and regulatory reporting requirements.
The role will oversee the Group consolidation process, including the accounting for acquisitions, disposals, foreign currency transactions and newly incorporated subsidiaries, including Irish entities. The Head of External Reporting will provide technical accounting leadership, manage relationships with external auditors and advisors, and support strategic projects across the Group.
Strong technical accounting expertise, excellent organisational skills, leadership capabilities, and the ability to manage multiple deadlines are essential.
Key Responsibilities
External Reporting
- Own the preparation of the annual financial statements for all 52 entities within the group.
- Oversee the consolidation process across all Group entities, ensuring completeness and accuracy of reported results.
- Review consolidation journals, intercompany eliminations and balance sheet reconciliations.
- Ensure appropriate accounting treatment for acquisitions, disposals, restructurings and other corporate transactions.
- Maintain and continually improve the Group's financial reporting processes and controls.
- Ensure compliance with applicable accounting standards and reporting requirements.
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Statutory Accounts
- Ensure statutory accounts are prepared and filed in accordance with relevant accounting standards and Companies House requirements.
- Review disclosures and accounting treatments for complex transactions.
- Coordinate year-end reporting timetables and manage delivery against deadlines.
- Provide technical accounting guidance to the wider finance team.
Irish Subsidiaries
- Oversee financial reporting and statutory compliance for Irish subsidiaries.
- Ensure compliance with Irish company law and local reporting obligations.
- Coordinate with local advisors where required.
- Review statutory accounts and regulatory filings for Irish entities.
Foreign Currency Accounting
- Maintain the Group's foreign currency accounting policies.
- Ensure appropriate translation of foreign operations into the Group consolidated financial statements.
- Review foreign exchange gains and losses and ensure compliance with relevant accounting standards.
- Advise the business on accounting implications of foreign currency transactions.
Technical Accounting
- Lead the assessment and implementation of new accounting standards and reporting requirements.
- Prepare accounting position papers and technical accounting assessments.
- Provide expert guidance on complex accounting matters across the Group.
- Develop and maintain the Group accounting policies.
- Support acquisition accounting and purchase price allocation exercises.
External Audit
- Act as the primary contact for external auditors.
- Coordinate audit planning and manage the annual audit process.
- Ensure timely resolution of audit queries and findings.
- Oversee the preparation of audit support schedules and supporting documentation.
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People Management
- Manage and develop the Corporate Accounting and Tax Manager and wider external reporting team.
- Set objectives, monitor performance and support professional development.
- Promote high standards of financial control, governance and reporting throughout the team.
- Ensure sufficient succession planning and training within the function.
Governance
- Monitor compliance with Group accounting policies and procedures.
- Responsible for statutory record keeping for all group entities, including all filings on Companies House.
- Administration of the share option scheme and other long-term incentives.
Ad Hoc
- Support strategic projects, acquisitions, disposals and corporate reorganisations.
- Oversee the quarterly reporting to NHS Monitor, including attending quarterly meetings.
- Assist with financing transactions including restructuring of intra group debt.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives within the reporting function.
- Provide support and guidance to senior management on technical accounting and reporting matters.
Why Cygnet?
We’ll offer you…
- Salary up to £80,000 per year
- Strong career progression and CPD opportunities
- Expert supervision & peer support
- Company paid Life Assurance scheme covering 3x salary
- Discount schemes including Perkbox, NHS Discount and Blue Lights Card
- Pension scheme
- Smart Health Toolkit, including 24 hour GP service with the option of prescription delivery to your local pharmacy
- “Cycle to work” scheme
- Gym Discounts across the UK as well as free online fitness classes with ClassPass, Nutritional Programmes and Fitness Consultations
What next?
If you care about making a difference – we want to talk to you.
Click the button to apply.
If you care about making a difference – we want to talk to you.
Click the button to apply.
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