Centre of Expertise (COE) Executive

Are you looking for the next step in your finance career? Have you considered a position servicing the creative industry?

Bertelsmann Global Business Services Ltd (BGBS) is an accounting shared service centre established in 2018 to provide accounting functions for Bertelsmann group companies in the UK. Comprising of a team of over 50 and based at the Penguin Random House distribution centre on the outskirts of Colchester, the group companies served by BGBS include Penguin Random House, Dorling Kindersley, BMG, Arvato SCM and Little Tiger. The services provided by BGBS include Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Banking and General Accounting (general ledger, fixed assets, tax, financial reporting etc.).

We are looking for an experienced Financial Accountant to join our Essex based Finance team to be part of the Centre of Expertise department providing a range of financial services to both our publishing and non-publishing customers in the UK.

Key responsibilities:

• Format, collate and maintain a balance sheet reconciliation summary.
• Create a strong control environment in the process around month end reconciliations.
• Liaising with internal & external stakeholders to ensure integrity of period end reporting
• Challenge and investigate differences to improve quality information Maintained.
• Ensure correct application of Group Accounting Policies
• Assisting with the monitoring and assessment of internal controls
• A mixture of independent analysis, as well as collaborative working within the team and presentation to key stakeholders.
• Adhoc projects including analysis of technical accounting for specific customer topics and assistance with the external audit process. 

What you’ll bring:

This role will be best suited to a candidate who is an experienced, proficient, and focused finance professional. You should have strong communication and organisation skills, demonstrating the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships whilst working to set deadlines of reporting.  You will have a high level of analytical, judgemental, and problem-solving skills, to help drive and implement efficiencies and be able to manage multiple working files. Quality will be at the forefront of your priorities, looking to strive and achieve efficient and effective reporting in the changing working environment. Ideally you will have advanced experience and knowledge of IT and systems, including proficiency with Microsoft Excel.

You will preferably be a qualified (ACA, ACCA, CA, CIMA) accountant with relevant experience. Prior audit knowledge or exposure is favoured.  

Minimum criteria:

• Demonstrable experience of taking a proactive approach to problem solving.

Minimum criteria:

• Demonstrable experience of taking a proactive approach to problem solving.

Application instructions

Please apply with your CV and cover letter outlining why you are the right candidate for the role by 11:59pm on Sunday 1st December.

Salary

Circa £43,000 dependent on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus bonus and benefits.

What you can expect from us

Our people are the heart of our business, and we work hard to support a culture of responsibility and recognition.

Our benefits include:

• Financial – income protection, life assurance, childcare allowance
• Wellbeing – healthcare cash plan, critical illness cover, health checks
• Lifestyle – enhanced parental leave, tech scheme, free and discounted books

For our full benefits list please visit: https://www.penguinrandomhousecareers.co.uk/what-we-offer/

Hybrid working

While our offices across the UK are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. For this role we expect that you will attend the office, based in Colchester, 2/3 days per week.

About Penguin

We’re the UK’s largest publisher; made up of some 2,000 people and publishing over 1,500 books each year. Our doors are open to all kinds of talent. In a constantly evolving industry, we work hard to stretch the definition of the word publisher. Here, you’ll work with a breadth of talent who all play their part to make each of our books a success. Together, we make books for everyone because a book can change anyone.

The recruitment process

You can read about our recruitment process at https://www.penguinrandomhousecareers.co.uk/how-we-hire/

As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, we offer interviews to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the role, and opt-in on their application form. The essential criteria for this role are listed under the ‘What you’ll bring’ section. There may be times when the volume of applications means we cannot take all eligible candidates to interview.

We encourage you to tell us about any reasonable adjustments you may need by emailing PRHCareersUK@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk. Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable to for us to support your request.

Please note, we are not able to accept agency CVs for this role. Any CVs sent speculatively will not be eligible for a fee.

Company: Penguin Books Limited 

Country: United Kingdom 

State/Region: Essex 

City: Colchester 

Postal Code: CO7 7DW 

Job ID: 275486