A game For All...

The FA are excited to be searching for a Financial Accountant to join the team on a 6-month fixed-term contract. This role is responsible for the accurate recording and reporting of transactions within the FA Group, along with supporting the Senior Financial Accountant and wider FA finance team on other accounting tasks.

What will you be doing?

Core:

• The Financial Accountant is responsible for managing the FA Group's monthly financial close activity, including:
  • Preparing and posting monthly journals.
  • Preparation of monthly balance sheet reconciliations, including liaising with commercial finance to review and challenge variances.
  • Managing the month-end process to ensure timely reporting (including opening, closing, and roll forward of the ledger)
  • Preparing a monthly timetable and financial accounting calendar.
  • Prepare, understand and deliver the below EBITDA analysis.
  • Enacting changes to the chart of accounts.
  • Assisting in the preparation of monthly balance sheet presentations for the Finance Director.
• Review grant income schedules, ensuring grant income is appropriately recognised and tracked over the life of the grants.
• Liaise with commercial finance, reviewing commercial deals and ensuring appropriate accounting treatment.
• Assisting the Senior Financial Accountant with the internal audit and review processes.
• Plan and co-ordinate the external audit process (with the support of Group Finance), including managing the day-to-day relationship with our external auditors.
• Maintenance of the group fixed asset register and ensuring additions and disposals are properly accounted for in line with the group's accounting policies.
• Managing Financial accountings relationships across transactional teams (AP/AR/Treasury)
• Approval of manual bank transactions and BACS payments in line with the bank mandate.
• Support the Tax Manager with monthly VAT reporting and quarterly VAT returns.
• Stakeholder management across the business and external finance teams of other footballing nations/bodies.
• Support with the implementation of our new ERP system.

Compliance:

• Day-to-day external audit management, including assistance in preparing the FA Group and subsidiary financial statements.
• Ensure timely completion of interactive accounts for the FA website, liaising with marketing and communications teams.
• Maintain group accounting policies.
• Central point of contact for technical accounting queries.
• Ensure statutory compliance and filing deadlines are met.
• Review Office of National Statistics returns and ensure on-time filing.

Change:

• Critically assess processes and lead improvement projects where appropriate.
• Provide support and assistance to the wider group as required.

Other:

• Executes additional tasks as required to meet the FA's changing priorities.
• Comply with all company policies and procedures to ensure that the highest standards of health, safety, and well-being can be maintained.
• As part of the FA's commitment to ensuring a safe environment for everyone in football, every employee will be required to complete a DBS check. The level of the check required will be based on the activity of the specific job role and in line with legislation and government guidance.

What are we looking for?

Essential for the role:

• ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualified.
• 0-2 years PQE.
• Confident and personable, who enjoys building and managing strong relationships both internally and with external organisations.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Self-starter who excels at time management and workflow prioritisation.
• Ability to work well under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Ability to understand the broader impact of decisions andensureg all stakeholders are appropriately engaged.

Beneficial to have:

• Experience with management of financial accounting systems (Great Plains, Proactis, Management Reporter, Jet Reports)

What's in it for you?

We are committed to ensuring everyone can flourish in their roles. To achieve this, we have unique office spaces under the arch of the iconic Wembley National Stadium, which is the home of English Football. We are also delighted to offer a world-class, Elite Performance Centre, St. George's Park in Staffordshire, which is an exceptional setting to develop and inspire high-performing England teams and leaders.

We pride ourselves on offering a competitive salary as well as great opportunities to develop and grow in your role. But that is not all; we also have a range of exciting benefits, some of which can be found below:

• Access to event day tickets at Wembley Stadium, alongside a host of regular internal events throughout the season, encourages you to connect and learn with your colleagues and look after your mental health and well-being.
• Free, nutritious lunches at Wembley Stadium and St. George's Park.
• Free private medical cover.
• A contributory pension scheme.
• An additional 'Thank You' day's leave, volunteering days, as well as 25 days of annual leave (based on a full-time, permanent contract)
• A hybrid working model which offers greater flexibility.

For more information on what it is like to work at The FA, please visit our FA Careers page, https://www.thefa.com/about-football-association/careers

Currently, we are working within a hybrid working model whereby the expectation is to work from your contractual location for part of the week, and as and when required by the team. The remaining days can be worked remotely. We will continue to monitor this model, and it may be adjusted in future if deemed necessary. The contractual location of this role can be found on the FA Careers page.

We are a diverse workplace, aspiring to represent football across the country. The Football Association actively promotes inclusion and diversity, encouraging you to be the best version of yourself at work. 

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. If you have any particular requirements in respect of the recruitment or interview process, please mention this during your application.

As part of the FA's commitment to ensuring a safe environment for everyone in football, every employee will be required to complete a DBS check. The level of the check required will be based on the activity of the specific job role and in line with legislation and government guidance.