Lead Finance Operations Accountant

JOB TITLE: Lead Finance Operations Accountant

JOB LOCATION: Belfast

TERMS: Permanent

THE JOB

The Lead Finance Operations Accountant will be responsible for the oversight and management of Accounts Payable (AP) and Accounts Receivable (AR) functions, treasury operations, and external reporting. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in treasury and utilities, ensuring efficient cash flow and working capital management in line with debt facility requirements. Additionally, the role requires strong commercial acumen and business partnering skills to support strategic decision-making and drive financial performance.

WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING?

Accounts Payable (AP) & Accounts Receivable (AR) Management:

• Full oversight and leadership of the AP and AR teams, ensuring efficient processing and financial controls.
• Development and implementation of policies and procedures to enhance AP and AR efficiencies.
• Monitoring and reporting on aged debt and supplier payments.

Treasury Management:

• Oversight of treasury operations, including debt facility management, FX transactions, and manual payments (e.g., wayleaves, ETFs, HMRC payments).
• Ensuring compliance with financial and regulatory obligations related to treasury functions.
• Liaison with internal and external stakeholders, including lenders, to manage and report on treasury matters.

Treasury Operations & Month-End Reporting:

• Ownership of month-end treasury operations, including bank and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Ensuring accurate and timely reporting of treasury activities.
• Review and improvement of treasury reporting processes and controls.

External Treasury Reporting & Stakeholder Management:

• Preparation and submission of external treasury reports, including Payment Practices reporting and lender reporting.
• Coordination with auditors and financial statement preparers to ensure treasury-related disclosures are accurate and compliant.

Public Subsidy Management:

• Full ownership and management of the GIS BDUK claims process, ensuring compliance with regulatory and funding requirements.
• Working closely with internal teams and external bodies to facilitate timely and accurate claims submissions.

Cashflow & Working Capital Management:

• Assisting in cash flow forecasting and working capital management, ensuring alignment with debt facility covenants.
• Identifying risks and opportunities related to cash flow and implementing mitigating actions.

Commercial Acumen & Business Partnering:

• Collaborate with key business stakeholders to provide financial insights and drive strategic decision-making.
• Support operational teams with financial analysis to improve profitability and cost efficiency.
• Develop strong business relationships to ensure financial considerations are integrated into wider business planning.

WHAT WILL YOU BRING?

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) with significant experience in finance operations.
• Strong treasury management background, preferably within a utilities or regulated industry.
• Experience in managing AP and AR functions, with proven leadership abilities.
• Hands-on experience in debt facility management, FX transactions, and treasury reporting.
• Strong analytical skills with a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience in external financial reporting and compliance.
• Strong commercial acumen and experience in business partnering.
• Experience working in a large corporate or utility company environment.
• Familiarity with financial systems and ERP platforms.

Desirable Skills:

• Knowledge of public subsidy claims processes and government funding mechanisms.

At Fibrus, we put our people first! As award winners in Advancing Diversity in the Workplace at the 2023 Women in Business awards and having recently been awarded the Investors in People ‘We invest in People’ standard accreditation, we are proud to be a company who encourage colleagues to do and be their very best.

Our culture is focused on trust, collaboration, growth and flexibility. We invest in our people, offering colleagues benefits that improve their personal lives as well as their careers! So along with competitive salaries and an excellent benefits package, we also offer our colleagues benefits including mental health workshops, professional development support and private healthcare.

We also recognise the importance of supporting our colleagues with life changes and have comprehensive policies around menopause, mental health, pregnancy loss and leave for maternity, parental and adoption. As we continue to grow, you would be joining a team of dedicated and passionate people who work super hard every day to improve the lives of those in our own communities by transforming the digital infrastructure of Northern Ireland and Great Britain! We’re building something special at Fibrus, with our team at the very heart of it and we are excited to speak to potential colleagues who share our purpose!

To apply to join the Fibrus family, please do so online and our Recruitment team will be in contact with you once we’ve had a chance to have a look at your application. We wish you the best of luck and thank you for your interest in Fibrus. #Fibrus