Job Description

Job Title: Management Accountant

About SLC
Student Loans Company is a non-profit making Government-owned organisation set up in 1989 to provide loans and grants to students in universities and colleges in the UK.We are responsiblefor student support delivery in the UK.
Company Mission
We enable our customers to invest in their futures by delivering secure, accurate and efficient assessment, payment and repayment services.
Company Vision
Our vision is to be valued as a digital, customer-focused, centre of excellence.
Job Details
Overview of department: The Management Accountant role sits within the Management Accounting team with the Finance department at SLC.

Grade: G4

Reporting to: Senior Management Accountant

Budget Responsibility: N/A

Line Management Responsibility: N/A

Job Purpose: As a Management Accountant at Student Loans Company you will be chiefly responsible for producing business plans and budgets, whilst providing specialist financial advice to your client group. As a subject matter expert you’ll be a true business partner, highlighting risk, monitoring opportunities and presenting relevant information at key stakeholder meetings. For you, success is a financially aware client group, whose risk aware decisions are based on solid numbers and relevant information.
You’ll have the chance to challenge yourself, simply explaining financial concepts to non financial stakeholders, working in diverse areas, in a company whose turnover is amongst the largest companies in the country. What’s more, you’ll play a pivotal role in helping us to achieve challenging targets, using your interpersonal skills you’ll become a true business partner to your client group.
Key responsibilities:
  • To support the Finance Business Partner and the Directorate Accounting and Analysis Manager in the setting of the annual directorate budget through understanding and documenting the key business assumptions, main cost drivers and the impact of the service proposal/operating plans
  • Support the preparation of business plans and budgets, providing specialist advice
  • Produce and present period actuals and forecasts for budget holders, including preparing month accruals, transfers and adjustments
  • Issue reports and support budget holders in understanding the impact of the month results and forecasts against budgets (support the reporting analyst in automating this activity)
  • Produce the month end business review pack and highlight any significant issues with financial and other business results (support the reporting analyst in automating this activity)
  • Monitor and promulgate corporate governance throughout the function and review compliance with financial regulations
  • Actively feed into capacity planning
  • Contribute to understand customer requirements to provide a customer focused perception as well as engagement to resolve queries in a timely manner
  • Model and analyse the cost base and identify and monitor opportunities and efficiencies
  • Participate in budget holder key meetings to provide sound financial advice and support
  • Provide day to day support to business teams assisting as necessary to provide financial analysis
  • Support the procurement and commercial services as required as well as assisting in contract tenders as required
  • Support the integrity of the finance information within all reports and management information created, highlighting risks as appropriate
  • Manage the provision of investment and project accounting services as required for areas of responsibility
  • Conduct investment and other project appraisals, including business case analysis
  • Develop and maintain budgetary control over the programme of works by reporting variances, utilisation and risks/opportunities to the various Project Managers in an appropriate format and timely manner
  • To ensure that all financial governance and expenditure monitoring arrangements are adhered to
  • To ensure that the budget is in place for authorised establishment and that the correct approval process is being followed
  • Development of the service of senior stakeholders to ensure it meets their needs in a sustainable way

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

  • Student/part membership (or equivalent) of the relevant professional body having progressed to the final stage of qualification, or possession of sufficient experience to fulfil the requirements of the role without membership of the relevant professional body
  • Knowledge of current accounting standards
  • Advanced Excel skills
  • Management Accounting Experience
  • Proven ability to present financial risks and assumptions to non financial audiences
  • Experience in owning business problems and devising and delivering solutions
  • Experience in initiating improvements to customer service
  • Experience in identifying financial governance risks and issues and generating corrective action
Desirable Sills & Experience
  • Full membership of relevant professional body
  • Experience of Oracle based system
  • Post qualification experience
  • Experience in delivering investments appraisals that have influenced business decisions
  • Experience in supporting commercial activities
  • Experience in identifying business financial efficiencies and opportunities

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