Senior Financial Systems Controls Accountant

**Ocado Group is an equal opportunities employer and as such makes every effort to ensure that all potential employees are treated fairly and equally, regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion, age, disability or union membership status.**

A new opportunity for a **Senior Financial Systems Controls Accountant** is now available to join us on a **1 year **Fixed term contract Working Hybrid with 2 days a week in the amazing Hatfield Head offices and 3 days working from home

This is a hands-on role for an experienced finance professional with scope to add value, implement financial controls methodology, policies and procedures reporting to the Head of Financial Controls.

You will be an experienced Senior Qualified Accountant able to demonstrate strong risk and systems controls skills to become the "go to" Financial systems controls SME. You will be working in a fast past, dynamic and commercial environment, with responsibility to ensure Financial Controls methodology is in place and adhered to. The right individual will draw upon technical knowledge, commercial insights, and excellent interpersonal skills to drive, influence and challenge the business to achieve short and long term financial objectives, and to highlight and mitigate financial control weaknesses and related risk.

This role will provide experience and support to other members of the team and effectively support the business during the design and implementation of these systems controls and effect any change required through roll-out of risk and control matrices across the Group.

This role will engage with various stakeholders to provide focused insight and solutions in support of the business' financial strategy, developing and maintaining a strong control environment to provide assurance over the financial statements. You will also support system enhancement and other strategic projects that impact finance and finance systems.

***What else will you be doing?**
- Take personal ownership for the design, implementation and ongoing monitoring of the Group's Financial Controls methodology including adherence with the firm's relevant accounting policies and procedures and ensuring latest developments are included and best practice considered
- Support the design and delivery of the financial systems controls plan to implementing and embedding of the second line within the Finance function
- Collaborate with the wider Financial Controls team and ensure systems controls in other processes and the systems controls are linked in to ensure the end to end process is addressed
- Responsible for the testing of key systems controls and ensuring appropriate recommendations for improvements are implemented to ensure a 'no surprises' environment.
- Deliver effective tailored training, guidance and advice to Finance and non-finance teams enhancing visibility of the importance of financial systems controls in their respective areas to ensure systems controls are embedded
- Responsible for preparation of KPI's tested input into the monthly Financial Controls KPI pack and presenting where required
- Ability to interpret complex issues, distil key points to be addressed and develop effective, practical & simple recommendations to resolve problems Identify, assess and champion improvements to financial systems controls in place ensuring appropriate recommendations for improvements are implemented
- Responsible for ensuring that all risk and control matrices and process flows remain up to date and well documented
- Maintain close working relationship with the Group's Auditors and external financial control advisors
- Facilitating audits and liaising with internal and external auditors to ensure issues raised are all resolved, escalated or agree next steps in a timely manner and monitor progress for closure of all issues Strong influencer for embedding a culture of strong financial systems controls across the Group
- Able to present to Senior Finance Leadership, wider finance community and other stakeholders in relation to financial systems controls
- Participate in projects supporting Ocado's rapidly growing business, driving improvements to accounting and reporting processes that support the growth of the business

***About you...**

**Essential skills and experience required**
- 3+ years Post Qualified Experience (preferably 5 years ACA / ACCA or equivalent)
- Demonstrable experience in a similar role and experience of operating at Senior Financial Accountant level in internal audit, second line or other assurance roles
- Experience of designing assurance methodology (e.g. financial systems controls, internal audit, SoX), including implementing, designing and monitoring financial systems controls
- Risk and Control Matrices (RACMs)
- Segregation of Duties
- High integrity, trustworthy and reliable with ability to deliver with a high degree of autonomy
- Enthusiastic, confident and a team player with a flexible and positive approach to work
- Able to pay attention to detail whilst combining with the ability to see the 'big picture'.
- Ability to hold workshops, project manage and drive consensus across different stakeholder groups
- Ability to forge strong working partnerships with other teams and functions
- A good understanding of general IT knowledge, with good working knowledge of systems and related systems controls
- Strong analytical, presentation and report writing skills
- Experience of designing, implementing, monitoring and documenting a financial control methodology
- Proven ability to explain technical matters to non-experts
- Desire to assess effectiveness and optimise financial systems & drive change

**Not essential but an advantage**:

- Assurance Qualification (CIA/ CMIIA or equivalent)
- Experience of COSO methodology and Oracle Risk Management Cloud
- Experience of business process management / GRC software
- Experience of auditing (internal or external) cloud based Finance systems
- Strong Microsoft Excel skills and experience of ERP systems (e.g. Oracle Fusion preferable)

***Benefits**

***What we offer you**

Our employee benefits are designed for you, we care about people and we've ensured we have a wealth of benefits that focus on your well-being. We regularly review our benefits to ensure we are supporting our employees appropriately.
- 30 days 'working from anywhere in the world' policy
- Wellbeing support through dedicated apps and an Employee Assistance Programme
- 25 days annual leave, rising to 27 days after 5 years service (plus optional holiday purchase)
- Pension scheme (including employer contribution matching up to 7%)
- Generous Private Medical Insurance (within the first month of joining)
- Income Protection (can be up to 50% of salary for 3 years) and Life Assurance (3 x annual salary)
- 22 weeks paid maternity leave and 6 weeks paid paternity leave (once relevant service requirements complete)
- Train Ticket loan (interest-free)
- Cycle to Work Scheme & Salary Sacrifice Car Leasing scheme
- Free shuttle bus to and from Hatfield Train Station to the Hatfield offices
- Free shuttle bus to and from Welwyn Garden City Train Station to the Welwyn Garden City offices
- Opportunity to participate in Sharesave and Buy as You Earn share schemes