Management Accountant

At Thermo Fisher Scientific, our Finance teams are important to our business and functional teams to make educated, sound decisions that drive our Mission and make us a stable and trusted industry leader. From Financial Planning & Analysis, Tax, Treasury, Financial Reporting, Audit, Investor Relations, Strategy & Corporate Development to Accounting, our Finance functions have a diverse and global presence, providing significant opportunities to develop outstanding career experiences and perspectives., We have an exciting opportunity for a Management Accountant to join our Finance team based in Birmingham. This role would suit either an experienced Management Accountant looking for a varied and business-facing role, or a high-performing Assistant Management Accountant seeking the next step in their career progression. If you have a passion for financial accuracy and timeliness across a global, multi-faceted organization, Thermo Fisher Scientific's Accounting and Controllership function is the team for you. With a keen understanding of laws, regulations and compliance as well as reporting requirements consistent with USGAAP, this team uses innovative financial systems and controls, data security and robust processes to protect the company's assets and support its short- and long-term growth on a global scale. The successful candidate will be confident, proactive and able to hit the ground running, demonstrating previous management accounting experience and the ability to build effective relationships with stakeholders across the business. You will act as a finance business partner to designated functional areas, providing financial support, analysis and insight to help drive performance and support decision-making. This role is Hybrid - 3 days in Edgbaston Birmingham office and 2 days remote. We would love to consider those who are part qualified for this position. What you will do: Month-End and Financial Reporting

• Prepare and review monthly Profit & Loss accounts for support functions including IT, HR, Procurement, Finance and other administrative departments
• Support R&D financial activities, including review and analysis of timesheet data and associated costs
• Perform detailed P&L reviews and identify unusual transactions, trends and risks
• Prepare monthly balance sheet reconciliations and investigate outstanding items
• Complete P&L reconciliations and ensure accuracy and integrity of financial reporting
• Review general ledger activity, researching and correcting account discrepancies
• Assist with fixed asset accounting, including asset additions, disposals, transfers and depreciation reviews
• Support the maintenance and integrity of the fixed asset register
• Review capitalisation requests to ensure compliance with company accounting policies
• Ensure the timeliness, accuracy, and completeness of monthly close activities and reporting deadlines
Financial Analysis and Business Partnering
• Produce variance analysis against budget, forecast and prior year performance
• Provide meaningful commentary, insights and recommendations to support business decision-making
• Build strong relationships with budget holders and support them in understanding financial performance, risks and opportunities
• Challenge assumptions where appropriate and provide financial guidance to stakeholders
• Handle financial operations while collaborating with cross-functional teams in a global environment
Planning and Forecasting
• Support the Annual Operating Plan (AOP)
• Assist with periodic forecasting and reforecasting activities
• Work with stakeholders to understand cost drivers, assumptions and financial risks
• Support the preparation of management information, reporting packs and presentations
Audit and Compliance
• Support internal and external audit requirements and provide supporting documentation for asset additions, disposals and capital projects
• Ensure compliance with U.S. GAAP, Sarbanes-Oxley requirements, company policy, approval authority matrix and standard operating procedure
• Recommend changes to strengthen control environment
• Ensure appropriate documentation, controls and audit trails are maintained
• Exercise sound data stewardship - following data policies (retention, privacy, security) and detailing procedures
• Ensure effective data security and controls within ERP, financial systems, and data flows
Projects and Continuous Improvement
• Drive continuous improvement and use systems to increase controls and efficiencies
• Assist with process improvements, automation initiatives and standardisation activities
• Provide financial support, analysis and insight for ad hoc projects as required
• Identify opportunities to improve reporting efficiency and strengthen financial controls
• Support the completion of National Statistics submissions and other regulatory reporting requirements
• Undertake ad hoc financial analysis and reporting as required
• Provide support across the wider Finance team during periods of peak activity
  
  Bachelor's Degree plus 2-4 years of accounting or management accounting experience, preferably in a large multinational organization
• Previous experience within a Management Accountant or Assistant Management Accountant role
• Actively studying towards ACCA, CIMA or an equivalent professional qualification, or qualified by experience
• University degree in Accounting, Finance, Business or a related discipline desirable
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
• Strong understanding of month-end accounting processes, financial accounting standards and internal controls
• Experience preparing balance sheet reconciliations and P&L analysis
• Experience producing variance analysis and financial commentary
• Strong Excel skills and the ability to analyse and interpret large data sets
• Experience working with ERP/accounting systems; experience with financial reporting tools (e.g. BlackLine) desirable
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to build relationships with stakeholders at all levels
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and manage competing priorities
• Strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills
• Experience of business partnering with non-finance stakeholders desirable
• Experience supporting budgeting, forecasting and audit activities
• Experience of fixed asset accounting and fixed asset register management desirable
• Experience supporting R&D accounting, project accounting or capitalisation activities desirable
• System automation and process improvement mindset
• Demonstrated commitment to integrity and professional ethics
Personal Attributes
• Confident and professional communicator
• Proactive and willing to challenge where appropriate
• Able to hit the ground running with minimal supervision
• Organised and capable of managing multiple deadlines
• Strong team player with a collaborative approach
• Commercially minded with the ability to translate financial information into meaningful business insights
• Curious mindset with a focus on continuous improvement and adding value to the business
• Positive, adaptable and keen to learn and develop
• Takes personal accountability for decisions and actions
• Challenges the status quo; introduces and proactively seeks out new insights and solutions to strengthen our performance