Accountant - British Council

The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language. 
 
We work in two ways – directly with individuals to transform their lives, and with governments and partners to make a bigger difference for the longer term, creating benefit for millions of people all over the world. We help young people to gain the skills, confidence and connections they are looking for to realise their potential and to participate in strong and inclusive communities. We support them to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications. Our work in arts and culture stimulates creative expression and exchange and nurtures creative enterprise. We connect the best of the UK with the world and the best of the world with the UK. 
 
These connections lead to an understanding of each other's strengths and of the challenges and values that we share. This builds trust between people in the UK and other nations which endures even when official relations may be strained. We work on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2019-20 we connected with 80 million people directly and with 791 million overall, including online and through our broadcasts and publications.
 

Role Purpose

This role is responsible for supporting the end-to-end accounting process in the country, including month and year end close, and ensures consistent, accurate and robust financial accounting processes in line with accounting practices and corporate policies. This is a supporting role in the Financial Controlling and Accounting process which is a key function in the new organisational structure emerging from the Financial Transparency recommendations.

Main Opportunities and Challenges

• Support the team with end-to-end financial activities with tight deadlines
• Ensure consistent and robust accounting processes is followed in line with corporate policies

Main Accountabilities

• Complete all financial tasks required for the financial month-end pre-closing steps and provide support as required for the financial month-end closing steps
• Complete all financial tasks required for the financial year-end pre-closing steps and provide support as required for the financial year-end closing steps
• Maintain financial records as per corporate policy and internal audit
• Provide support as required on accounting transactions and adjustments (accruals, deferrals and provisions), including Intercompany accounting
• Provide support as required with manual journals and off-system payments requests ensuring accuracy and compliance with relevant policies
• Assist with reconciliation of all relevant accounts and ensure that this is completed to corporate standards
• Assist Senior Accountant with preparation of local Tax submissions and other statutory returns
• Complete Travel & Expenses audits as per policy addressing issues in a promptly manner
• Assist Senior Accountant / Financial Controller with provision of information to internal / external auditors
•  Assist in the implementation of audit recommendations
• Responsible for ensuring integrity of cash collection process
• Responsible for ensuring integrity of customers refund process
• Support the income reconciliation process by extracting relevant reports
• Ensure compliance with treasury policy
• Prepare monthly local staff salaries calculation, report month to month reconciliation
• Check overtime and TOIL claims in line with TACOS (local terms and conditions) and policy
• Calculate Social Insurance, where applicable, and prepare payments
• Control staff loans and advances on SAP and report offline month to month reconciliation
• Calculate monthly terminal gratuity (TG) provision and quarterly record on SAP; keep TG GLs up to date on SAP and matching offline sheets
• Ensure proper coding of the staff salaries to the correct WBS
• Prepare final payments for leaving staff and ensure no unsettled commitments or eligibilities between the employee and the council or between the council and the bank
• Provide Senior Accountant with the forecasted cash outflow related to payroll payments
• Control Reimbursement of Operational Entitlements for UKA staff
• Reconcile SAP payroll charges with HR on a monthly basis

Regional and Functional Team Working: 

• Contribute to ensuring the policies, procedures and systems are delivered with integrity
• Work closely and effectively as part of the regional and global finance teams
• Actively support equality and diversity and work to the British Council’s EDI policy at all times

About You (essential requirements for the role):

• 3 years of accounting experience. 
• Experience working with SAP
• Bachelor of commerce
• Accounting Knowledge
• Experience in Microsoft applications

Desirable requirements:

• Fully or partially qualified CMA, ACCA