Financial Accountant

Carson McDowell is Northern Ireland's leading commercial law firm, the law firm of choice for many of Northern Ireland's Top 100 companies and international companies doing business here. Our rich mixture of people, culture, heritage and reputation makes us who we are. Our continued success is dependent on attracting and retaining the top talent in all areas of the business. We now have a vacancy for a Financial Accountant to join our Finance team. The Financial Accountant (FTC) supports the Financial Controllers and wider finance team in maintaining accurate financial records, preparing management information, and ensuring compliance with internal controls and external regulations. This role acts as a key link between transactional processing and financial control, taking responsibility for more complex reconciliations, assisting with reporting, and supporting statutory and regulatory compliance. Responsibilities Reporting & Analysis

• Prepare monthly management accounts and departmental reports.
• Support the Financial Controllers in operational performance reporting, including time, capacity, and turnover analysis.
• Prepare and analyse nominal ledger reports for budget holders and management.
• Contribute to the preparation of statutory accounts and audit schedules.

Compliance & Audit

• Ensure compliance with internal controls and assist with the implementation of new procedures.
• Support the Financial Controllers with statutory, regulatory, and tax compliance tasks (e.g., VAT returns, PSA, P11D).
• Liaise with auditors and provide required documentation during audits.
• Preparation of quarterly statements in accordance with the Solicitors Accounts Regulations (SARs).

Financial Processing & Control

• Support the Finance Assistants in purchase ledger, nominal, office, and client ledger activities.
• Review reconciliations for key balance sheet accounts (including supplier, client, and office ledgers).
• Review of month-end and year-end journals.

Budgeting

• Collaborate with Heads of Departments and HR to produce annual expenditure budgets.

Team Support & Communication

• Act as a point of contact for finance queries from legal and support staff.
• Provide cover and support for other finance team members as required.

Individual Education & Qualifications

• Essential Chartered Accountant (ACA/FCA)

Experience

• Essential 2 years working in a similar role requiring a high degree of accuracy.
• Essential working within a finance team.
• Essential working with MS Excel, Outlook & Teams.
• Essential working with computerised accounting software.
• Desirable working within a Regulated environment.
• Desirable working within a Professional Services environment.

Skills & Abilities This role covers a broad spectrum of both accountancy and administrative activities and consequently requires an individual that has initiative and the ability to operate across a diverse range of tasks.

• Essential Strong communication, interpersonal & organisational skills.
• Essential Ability to meet strict timetables and deadlines.
• Essential Ability to work individually and as part of a team.
• Essential High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Essential - Ability to use initiative.