Group Reporting Accountant

Who are we?

Howden is a collective – a group of talented and passionate people all around the world. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 20,000 employees spanning over 100 countries.

People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It’s what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down headhunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work / life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.

This is a hybrid role currently based in our Milton Keynes office.

The Role

This role would suit a person who loves to tackle accounting and finance challenges but would also enjoy working with other teams, external auditors, service providers (UK and internationally).

Even though Howden is operating within Insurance broking/underwriting, experience within Insurance could be advantageous (but is not crucial). Experience with accounting for financial services or service industry companies would be helpful.

What you'll be doing:

• Reporting to the Group Reporting Manager, the role includes both a variety of periodic reporting tasks as well as the opportunity to get involved in a number of ad-hoc projects.
• Preparation of the statutory annual financial statements.
• Assist in preparing external reporting packs and quarterly regulatory reports to FCA.
• Support with new projects and testing activities as required.
• Streamline and standardise existing processes in place with the aim of improving efficiency.
• Develop strong working relationships with the wider Finance team, and with key contacts around the Group

Who we're looking for:

• A sound knowledge of FRS102 and UKGAAP statutory reporting.
• Prepare and complete multiple financial statements, with experience in producing 15+ financial statements annually across various sectors.
• Ensure all financial statements comply with relevant regulations and standards, including UK GAAP and IFRS.
• Possess thorough knowledge of FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) regulations and ensure compliance in all financial reporting and processes.
• Exposure to CASEWARE would be a big advantage.
• Strong accounting and financial reporting background.
• Previous experience of operating as an Accountant within a Financial Services environment.
• Must be well organised and able to manage multiple tasks and effectively prioritise to meet deadlines

Professional Qualifications:

• Qualified or a professional qualification finalist (ACA/ ACCA/ CIMA).

What do we offer in return?

A career that you define.

Our business succeeds by allowing our people to make a mark in the areas they care about most: personal development, volunteering, and fundraising for charity, or creating new insurance products that address society’s greatest challenges.

And we know that separate home and work lives don't really exist. If you're happy and healthy at home, you're more likely to be happy and fulfilled at work – and vice versa. That's why we do our best to support our people in every aspect of their lives.

Diversity and Inclusion

At Howden we value diversity - there is no one Howden ‘personality type’. Instead, we’re looking for individuals who share the same values as us:

• Our successes have all come from someone brave enough to try something new
• We support each other, in the small everyday moments and the bigger challenges
• We are determined to make a positive difference, at work and beyond

We consider our people our chief competitive advantage and as such we treat colleagues, candidates, clients, and business partners with equality, fairness, and respect – regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or family circumstances.

Reasonable adjustments

We're committed to providing reasonable accommodations at Howden to ensure that our positions align well with your needs. Besides the usual adjustments such as software, IT, and office setups, we can also accommodate other changes such as flexible hours* or hybrid working*.

If you're excited by this role but have some doubts about whether it’s the right fit for you, send us your application – if your profile fits the role’s criteria, we will be in touch to assist in helping to get you set up with any reasonable adjustments you may require.

*Not all positions can accommodate changes to working hours or locations. Reach out to your Recruitment Partner if you want to know more.

Our sustainability promise

We’re on a life-long journey to become an ever-more sustainable group. It's a commitment to taking care of our people and the world we live in, to doing good business, and to making a positive impact wherever we can. Our governance processes, company policies, and review systems are all geared towards our goal of making a positive impact in the world. You can read more about our sustainability work here.