Our Mission

Coventry University Group is a global education group with a mission of Creating Better Futures. We are driven by our passionate belief in the transformational power of education and research to enable and empower our students, colleagues and partners and to improve the world around them. Our people are key to our success and each role contributes to the Group’s ongoing progress in communities around the world.

The Role

We are recruiting a Group Financial Accountant to join the  Group Accounting team of the finance department. In this role you will be responsible for the preparation of the groups annual financial statements including meeting audit and submission deadlines, reviewing the balance sheet control account reconciliations and providing ad-hoc advice on financial accounting and control matters, including identifying any risks that need to be identified on the appropriate risk register.

This role will take ownership of the planning, delivering, monitoring and reviewing the completion of the annual financial statements for the University Group, including working with the relevant directors to complete the subsidiary companies’ draft financial statements in readiness for the approval from the Subsidiary Companies’ Boards of Directors.

In this role you will produce year-end audit files and all supporting documentation for review whilst working closely with the group’s external auditors and liaising with finance colleagues to ensure all audit queries are resolved and statutory and regulatory deadlines are met. You will be required to review and process all post audit adjustments and amendments of the group’s accounts ahead of formal sign off.

You will support the development of regular cash flow reporting and forecasts at company level, enabling effective cash management and where possible optimise investments of surplus funds, as well as providing assurance over the going concern status of group entities   

Our Successful Candidate

You will be a qualified accountant (eg ACA, ACCA, CIMA) with at least an associate level membership, fellowship level membership would be advantageous. Your employment background will include substantial financial accounting experience. 

You will possess extensive working knowledge of financial accounting and statutory reporting requirements, including experience in preparing statutory accounts and liaising with external auditors. In addition, you will demonstrate experience in cash flow planning and reporting, as well as in the reconciliation and management of balance sheet control accounts. This can include substantial experience in leading external audits.

You will have experience of accounting and reporting under FRS 102 and  familiarity with the SORP for Higher Education. Experience of previously working in Financial Accounting within the HE sector would be advantageous.

You will be ICT literate with excellent planning and organisational skills relevant to the role and you will have an inquisitive nature which enables you to investigate problems and situations beyond routine questioning.

The Benefits

Along with a competitive salary we offer an industry leading Rewards and Benefits package which includes:

• Excellent Employers Pension Contribution
• 30 days Annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• New Holiday Purchase Scheme up to 5 additional days
• Life Assurance 4 x Salary
• BUPA Cash Plan
• 50% off Tuition Fees for staff dependants
• CU Reward Scheme – Discounts across a range of High Street/ Online Retailers
• Cycle To work scheme

Our Culture

As a global Education Group, equality, diversity, and inclusion are embedded within the fabric of our organisation and are a key focus of our core values. We harness the power and potential of the diverse cultures, backgrounds, abilities, and experiences of our students, colleagues, and partners to create opportunities for all.

Full Job Description and Person Specification

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