Management Accountant

Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity for a Management Accountant to join our Finance team, based in A&O Shearman's Belfast office.

Financial Control team - Belfast
The Belfast Financial Control Department provides services to the A&O Shearman network of offices covering management and financial accounting & reporting. Offices currently served are London, Belfast, Ireland, US, Middle East and Netherlands
There is a strong client service ethic, and we work to Service Level Agreements, targets and deadlines to deliver in line with client expectations.
This role will primarily have a US focus and be based in Belfast.

Key Relationships

The role has several key relationships, including with the US Head of Financial Control, as well as the Financial Control and Financial Operations teams.

What you will do

• Support in the preparation of the monthly management accounting for the US and other offices, including preparation and review of the P&L and balance sheet to agreed timetables.
• Perform daily bank reconciliations, highlighting unreconciled items to other teams and escalating to senior team members when necessary.
• Produce accurate monthly results, posting journals, reviewing costs, and ensuring all balances are fully supported, understood, and explained.
• Perform monthly balance sheet reconciliations, investigate movements, resolve reconciling items, and ensure timely clearance of aged balances.
• Prepare monthly variance analysis versus budget and forecast, clearly explaining key drivers, ensuring a timely and high-quality P&L signoff.
• Support management team in the budgeting and forecasting cycles, by preparing high-quality budget assumptions built on measurable data
• Ensure strong financial control, maintaining accurate data in finance and forecasting systems and adhering to internal control and accounting policies.
• Contribute to the statutory and group audit process, preparing audit-ready schedules, responding to queries, and supporting the year-end close.
• Identify and implement process improvements, aiming to improve efficiency, reduce manual effort, and enhance the quality of management information.
• Work closely with the Senior Management Accountants, Team Lead and Financial Control team, supporting wider finance initiatives and contributing to value-adding analysis and insight.
• Communicate financial information clearly and confidently to non-finance stakeholders, adapting messages to suit the audience.
• Manage competing priorities across month-end, forecasting, and BAU activity, escalating issues early where delivery or quality may be impacted.

What you will have

• Member of, or working towards becoming a member of, a recognised professional accounting body (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent), with 1-2 years experience in a professional services or comparable environment.
• Desirable - Ability to working partial US hours (12pm to 8.30pm GMT) several times per week (Monday to Thursday, with recognised Premium Hours Payment).
• Demonstrates strong time management skills, with the ability to work effectively under pressure and adopt a flexible approach to meet tight reporting deadlines. Proven ability to prioritise workloads and manage multiple tasks concurrently within a fast-paced environment, responding effectively to shifting priorities and ad-hoc management requests.
• Ability to deliver high-quality client service through the development of strong, trusted-advisor relationships with key stakeholders, clients, and senior management.
• Analytical and problem-solving capabilities, with the ability to develop meaningful, well-reasoned points of view and provide clear, actionable insight.
• Self-motivated and solution-driven, with the ability to work independently, demonstrate initiative, and consistently deliver work to a high standard.

What we can offer you
We recognise that our people are our most valuable asset, which is reflected in the wide range of benefits that are available to our employees. Some of these benefits include: our occupational pension scheme, group income protection cover, private medical insurance, mental health resources and free apps, health and wellbeing services encompassing GP service, emergency back-up care support, parental and special leave, holiday entitlement increasing with length of service, holiday trading, online discounts and lifestyle management services.

We recognise the value of flexible working and embrace hybrid working, allowing our people to work from home up to 40% of their working time. We do, however, remain committed to working together in person for the remaining 60% of time so that we can learn, grow and succeed together.

Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our recruitment team who will work with you to provide any adjustments as required.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE - A&O Shearman does not accept unsolicited CVs. For further information, please see our UK Recruitment Agency Policy and our commitment to direct sourcing