Assistant Corporate Accountant

Assistant Corporate Accountant

Shiseido UKI

WHO WE ARE

Operating in 120 countries with 42,000 employees and 70 nationalities, Shiseido offers a unique selection of Skincare, Makeup and Fragrance brands with a projected turnover over £7.0bn in 2022. Founded in 1872 in Japan, Shiseido Group is within the Top 5 leading cosmetics companies in the world and aims to inspire a life of beauty and culture.

Through our heritage, Shiseido constantly creates high-quality, safe and innovative cosmetics and develop brands deeply loved by people from all over the world, in line with our mission: Beauty Innovations for a Better World.

YOUR NEXT ROLE : Assistant Corporate Accountant

This position sits within the Financial Reporting team and plays a supporting role in delivering accurate accounting and management reporting for the UK market. The team manages month-end close activities, internal reporting, and supports statutory compliance and group reporting submissions to France and Japan HQ.

Reporting to the Finance Manager, the position offers strong career development opportunities within a fast-paced retail FMCG environment. It is well suited to candidates at the early stages of their career in management accounting, looking to build strong technical foundations and begin or continue progress with their professional qualifications.

The role focusses on supporting core month-end processes and management accounting, with opportunities to get involved in process improvement and reporting across the wider finance group.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

Support the Integrity of Month-End Reporting

• Assist with month-end close processes across Shiseido Group brands in UK & Ireland markets.
• Prepare journal entries and supporting balance sheet reconciliations for allocated business areas.
• Support monthly business analysis on management account movements and assist with preparation of the group quarterly reporting pack.
• Provide ad hoc analysis support to the Financial Reporting and Commercial Finance teams as required.

Business Partnering & Internal Support

• Support the Finance Manager in preparing monthly results for corporate departments, helping ensure costs are accurately recorded and clearly communicated to budget owners.
• Act as a point of contact for routine financial queries from corporate budget holders relating to forecasts, project costs, and expenditure.
• Assist with preparation of annual budgets and regular forecasting reviews

Audit and Compliance Support

• Support year-end and quarterly close activities, assisting with coordination of information for the external audit process.
• Assist with external and internal audit processes and maintaining J-SOX reporting requirements.
• Support preparation of VAT returns and other local compliance requirements under guidance, including employment taxes, environmental reporting, and statistical filings.
• Preparing accruals and other journal entries based on outcomes from monthly meetings with relevant stakeholders

Team Engagement & Improvement

• Identify and suggest opportunities for continuous improvement in month-end close activities.
• Contribute to ad-hoc analysis and project work for the Financial Reporting and Commercial Finance teams.
• Build knowledge and capability by learning from senior team members and engaging proactively in development opportunities.
• Foster a collaborative team environment through proactive communication and positive engagement.

YOUR BACKGROUND

We value diversity and creativity in all that we do. Your suitability will come through a range of experiences and backgrounds. Specifically, we encourage experiences from the below:

• Experience in management accounting, including journal entry preparation and involvement in the month-end close cycle.
• Exposure to preparing or supporting balance sheet reconciliations, including investigating and resolving reconciling items.
• A good understanding of basic accounting principles and double-entry bookkeeping.
• Experience working with, or supporting, external or internal audit processes is beneficial but not essential.
• Strong Excel skills; exposure to SAP or similar ERP systems and Power BI is beneficial but not essential.
• Confident communication skills, with the ability to liaise effectively with budget holders and stakeholders across the business.
• A proactive, curious mindset, with a genuine interest in developing technical accounting skills and progressing toward a professional qualification; currently studying towards ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent is an advantage.

BENEFITS YOU’LL LOVE

• The pay range for this position is set at £40,000 to £45,000 dependant on experience.
• Generous product allocation & discount to spend on our gorgeous products!
• Supporting the delicate work/life balance with enhanced time off through 26 days holiday + bank holidays + your birthday day off + time off for when you get married or move house PLUS enhanced parental allowance for those big life moments and the chance to buy more through our holiday buy scheme
• Plan for your future with our enhanced pension offering
• We operate an annual bonus scheme, based on personal development plans and business performance
• Flexible Fridays, so you can focus on what is important to you
• Flexible & hybrid work patterns to suit all backgrounds with 60% of your time being in the office
• Wellbeing programmes including mental health first aiders, free counselling, access to digital GP’s
• Financial support via exclusive retail discounts
• Employee Assistance Programme via Wisdom – health and wellbeing, financial support at your fingertips.
• Monthly access to L&D opportunities to help your continuous development

INCLUSION HEROS : Together, we can build a vibrant and dynamic team that reflects the diverse world we serve.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered. We believe that a diverse workforce enhances our creativity, innovation, and overall success.

We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability or religion and are proud to promote a culture which supports and appreciates people from all backgrounds. We are always open to flexible working, part time arrangements and any adjustments which you might need to get the best experience whilst at work.

We are dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities and ensuring that our hiring practices reflect our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

We are proud to be recognised as a disability confident employer and have a number of internal employee forums which promote advocacy for our teams. If you need any support or adjustments during your interview or application, please get in touch with us and we will be happy to support you.

OUR HIRING PROCESS

Once you have applied for the role, our in house recruitment team will screen your CV. We will do our best to get back to all candidates who apply, however in some cases it may not be possible due to the high volume of applications. If you have not heard back from us within 30 days of your application, unfortunately this may be you have not been successful on this occasion.

If your CV is shortlisted, then you will be contacted by our recruitment team. They will arrange a pre-screening call, to explore your motivation, suitability and role expectations. After the pre-screen, your application will be reviewed by the hiring manager. Successful applicants will be invited to at least 1 interview. Preferably, we would like to meet you in person and give you the opportunity to test your commute as well as see your potential place of work! In some cases, we may invite you to an assessment centre or to present your ideas in the form of a business presentation.

We know there are many AI tools in the market to help candidates with interview preparation and interviews. We encourage you to limit usage of these tools during live interviews, so that we are able to encounter your own personal reflections and thought processes contributing to the discussion.

Please note: If you do not have the right to work in the UK and would require sponsorship for this role then you must ensure you meet UKVI requirements for the position. Please reach out if you need further information on this and whether we offer sponsorship.

Shiseido UKI is proud to be recognised as a Disability Confident Committed employer.

This certification reflects our commitment to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Through inclusive recruitment practices, reasonable workplace adjustments, and ongoing support for colleagues with disabilities or long-term health conditions, we are dedicated to attracting, retaining, and developing diverse talent across our business.

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