Management Accountant

As a Management Accountant at Harrods, your role is pivotal in driving the financial performance and strategic decision-making within our organisation.

Reporting to the Finance Manager- Retail, you'll work alongside directors, department heads and finance professionals to ensure efficient financial reporting and variance analysis in alignment with our business objectives. You will be responsible for managing and maintaining multiple cost centres.

As a member of the Finance & Procurement community, you will also be expected to ensure robust financial control and reporting accuracy is upheld. In addition, you will look to continuously improve relevant processes and procedures to drive both efficiency and accuracy.

About the Role

Month End reporting:

• Preparation and timely posting of monthly financial journals, ensuring accuracy and adherence to strict deadlines.
• Conducting monthly reconciliations of balance sheet accounts to maintain financial integrity.
• Producing periodic reports and analysis on cost centres, facilitating discussions with senior management. You will challenge and escalate overspends where necessary.
• Close monitoring of payroll expenditure and the preparation of periodic payroll forecasts in collaboration with senior management.

Budgeting/Forecasting:

• Collaborating with relevant senior stakeholders to develop and prepare detailed annual budgets, ensuring they align with strategic goals.
• Upholding the accuracy of the budgeting process within tight deadlines.
• Reviewing and challenging budget assumptions, including payroll and expenses, to enhance financial planning.
• Leading budget meetings, actively engaging with directors & department heads to understand business needs and align financial planning accordingly.
• Understanding, challenging, and reporting accurate monthly forecasts, ensuring transparency in financial projections.
• Communicating known overspends or underspends, enabling timely decision-making.

Ad Hoc Analysis and Support

• Critical analysis of fixed and variable costs in the profit and loss statement (P&L), with the aim of identifying opportunities for efficiency and cost savings.
• Undertaking ad hoc analysis and tasks as required within the Finance Team, contributing to the overall financial health of the organization.

General:

• Collaboration is central to your role. You'll collaborate closely with Finance team members, sharing insights and best practices, and with cross-functional teams to provide financial guidance and align financial planning with operational goals.
• Engaging with business stakeholders to understand their financial needs and providing valuable insights.
• To excel in your role, you'll leverage various tools and technologies, such as financial software, ERP systems (SAP), data analytics tools (SAP AFO), Microsoft office, and cloud-based solutions. These resources, combined with your financial acumen and line management skills, will play a pivotal role in ensuring Harrods' success and the professional growth of your team members as a Management Accountant.

About You

You will be in a similar role and professional qualified.  You’ll be an Analytical Thinker: You possess a keen analytical mindset, capable of dissecting complex financial data and deriving actionable insights that drive informed decisions. You’ll have Strong Communication and be able to convey financial insights clearly and collaborate seamlessly with diverse teams. You will have strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and translate complex financial information into simple terms.

You will also have:

• Professional Qualifications: you will be a qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA)
• Excellent PC literacy: especially Excel
• Adaptability: You thrive in an ever-changing financial landscape, showcasing your adaptability and agility in responding to shifting circumstances and priorities.
• Meticulous Eye for Detail: Your commitment to precision ensures that financial reporting and analysis are accurate and reliable.
• Problem Solver: Proficient at identifying financial challenges, you proactively seek solutions to drive financial optimization.
• Team Player: Your collaborative mindset aligns seamlessly with Harrods' culture, emphasising teamwork, mutual respect, and shared success.
• Time management: Ability to work well under pressure to meet deadlines, while managing multiple deliverables.

About Us

Harrods is one of the world’s leading luxury department stores and we’re becoming a destination for top designers, and the most sought-after brands from around the globe. Our combined mission is to make visiting our iconic Knightsbridge store one of the world’s most inspiring shopping experiences.

Our Promise to You

Help us make the impossible possible for our customers and we’ll do something remarkable for you. As well as offering a friendly environment to inspire your best work, we provide abundant opportunities and support to build an exceptional career across the varied specialisms of our business. 

Uniquely You

Whilst our job adverts outline the ideal qualities, skills, and prior experience for the role, we believe in the potential for growth and value individual strengths. If you can demonstrate the majority of skills and strong experience to thrive in this role, we would encourage you to apply. 

At Harrods we believe the personality and authenticity of our people sets us apart. We celebrate and invite applications from all cultures, backgrounds, tastes, and experiences and are proud of our culture where people from all walks of life can grow and thrive. What makes you unique makes us exceptional.

If you want to know more about life at Harrods, search #TogetherHarrods on LinkedIn, or follow us on Instagram @togetherharrods.