Lead Control Accountant

Were 1st Central a market-leading insurance company utilising smart data and technology at pace. Rapid growth has been based on giving our 1.4 million customers exactly what they want: great value insurance with an excellent service. And thats the same for our colleagues too; we won Insurance Employer of the Year at the British Insurance Awards 2024 and our Glassdoor score is pretty mega too!

Were looking for a Lead Control Accountant to play a key role in shaping and maintaining the Groups financial controls framework working closely with the finance senior leadership team.

Supporting a business with ambitious growth plans this role is all about strengthening and sustaining a robust welldesigned control environment. Youll bring specialist financial controls expertise to Group Finance while maintaining independence from the wider operating model allowing you to provide impartial riskbased challenge and insight. Your work will help ensure our controls remain proportionate effective and aligned to the Groups overall risk appetite and commercial strategy.

The role is based in Haywards Heath West Sussex and we love hybrid working. Youll spend most of your time working from home with around one day a week in the office. But if you prefer being officebased more often that works for us too.

Core skills were looking for:

• Financial controls & risk judgement strong understanding of control frameworks with the ability to assess risk and drive proportionate improvements.
• Analytical thinking confident reviewing complex processes identifying issues and recommending practical solutions.
• Influencing & collaboration able to provide independent challenge and work effectively with senior stakeholders across the business.

Whats involved:

• Youll support the design and continual monitoring of the Groups financial control framework across Finance and the wider business.
• Youll ensure appropriate monitoring and escalation are in place for key operating financial metrics.
• Youll support the administration of training and maintain key policy and procedure documentation across the Group providing assurance reviews and evidence across teams.
• Youll support the identification of control issues and ensure these are assessed prioritised and addressed in line with agreed governance and risk appetite.
• Youll work with Compliance Risk and Internal Audit to ensure finance KRIs the risk and control framework and key controls are resilient proportionate and effective.
• Youll support the ongoing review and continuous improvement of controls across Finance including those relating to the preparation of all financial statements (internal and external reporting).
• Youll provide cover during absence for the Head of Tax Investments and Control
• Youll support the administration of horizon monitoring for financial services regulatory change that could impact the Group providing assessments and recommendations across the Finance function and Senior Finance Leadership Team.
• Youll lead and deliver targeted reviews across key finance processes providing clear constructive feedback and recommendations to process owners.
• Youll support the development of junior team members through day-to-day guidance coaching and quality oversight.
• Youll deliver coaching and feedback to direct reports to achieve KPIs and SLAs and conduct regular performance reviews including probationary reviews and annual appraisals as necessary.
• Youll provide supportive people leadership helping to create a high-performing inclusive team and addressing issues fairly and promptly.
• Youll support hiring activity where required helping to attract and retain the right capability for the team.
• Youll help ensure ongoing compliance with company standards and relevant regulatory requirements.
• Youll contribute to risk and control reporting and oversight ensuring documentation and evidence are appropriate up to date and fit for purpose.
• Youll promote a strong risk culture ensuring the team understand their responsibility to identify escalate and report risks.

Experience

• Internal or external audit experience
• Newly qualified or significant relevant accounting experience
• Desirable to have previous exposure in a group accounting function across multiple tax and regulatory jurisdictions
• Desirable to have previous exposure in SOX COSO frameworks across a multi-divisional group
  

Skills

• Ability to influence and coach colleagues in other teams and departments
• Proficient in Microsoft applications
• Strong analytical communication influencing and organisation skills
• A high level of oral and written communication skills communicating effectively with senior managers colleagues internal and external stakeholders
• Strong analytical skills and ability to drive process improvement based upon analysis of data
• Work effectively under pressure and think clearly and logically in challenging situations
  

Knowledge

• Likely to be a qualified accountant ACCA / ACA
• Knowledge of financial services or similar regulated environment and how this impacts the arrangements within a finance function

Behaviours

• Passionate about the value and security of controls and how these lead to efficient and effective control functions across the business
• Results driven with a constant eye on the detail but understand the audience.
• Empathetic approach to leadership with an ability to get the best out of a wide range of stakeholders. A driven attitude to deliver controlled change and rapidly overcome obstacles.
• An agile approach to project management and able to rapidly react to changes in business priorities to take advantage of emerging business and customer opportunities.

If youre excited by this opportunity and believe you have the skills to make a real impact wed love to hear from you apply today!

What can we do for you

People first. Always. Were passionate about our colleagues and know the best people deserve an extraordinary working environment. We owe it to them so thats what we offer. Our workplaces are energetic inspirational supportive. To get a taste of the advantages youll enjoy take a look at all our perks in full here.

Intrigued Our Talent team can tell you everything you need to know about what we want and what were offering so feel free to get in touch.