Data Accountant (12month FTC)

Job description

Data Accountant The Opportunity The Data Accountant is a 12 month fixed term contract role within the Record-to-Report (RTR) function of Global Finance Services (GFS). The role is based in Manchester. You will sit within the RTR function of GFS and is responsible for the integrity, quality and continuous improvement of financial data and controls across the GFS operating model. It is analytical and controls-focused. Combining hands-on finance operations knowledge with ownership of the GFS actuals reporting infrastructure, it also has a forward-looking responsibility. This responsibility is to embed AI tools and data-driven working practices into GFS processes. The Role We are looking for a finance professional with RTR knowledge, a practical understanding of financial controls, and the technical capability to design and own a self-service reporting suite. You will bring hands-on experience of period-end close, SOX compliance and data analysis, combined with fluency in Power BI and AI tools. You will be comfortable operating across multiple entities and communicating findings to a CFO-facing audience. Role Responsibilities Controls and RTR Complete and report on SOX journal testing (RTR-2.6.1), document results and lead remediation of issues identified. Help maintain the GFS controls framework, including the CSA programme and control self-assessments. Monitor reconciliation completion and quality during month-end and report final status to GFS leadership; work in collaboration with Intelligent Enterprises to ensure ARCS master data is accurate and reconciliation automation is optimised. Identify and escalate data integrity issues, including those originating in supplier or customer master data, that affect financial reporting accuracy. Support internal and external audit with clean, well-documented data extracts and process evidence. Variance Reporting and Analytics A core output of this role is the develop and ongoing ownership of the GFS actuals variance reporting suite. This covers monthly and quarterly cycles across the P&L and Balance Sheet, and GFS accountants refresh and operate it independently. Forecast and budget variance analysis sits with FP&A and is outside the scope of this role. Develop monthly P&L reporting packs covering month-on-month actuals movements by cost centre and GFS process tower (RTR, PTP, OTC), with exception commentary frameworks to support accountant review. Develop monthly Balance Sheet packs covering month-on-month movements by entity, with ageing analysis and reconciliation status where relevant. Develop quarterly packs covering quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year P&L and Balance Sheet movements, with trend analysis and narrative support for GFS leadership reporting. Build all reports to be self-refreshing or one-click refreshable by GFS accountants using Power BI, Power Query or equivalent, with no dependency on manual data manipulation by the Data Accountant. Produce clear data dictionaries and refresh guides so accountants can operate, interpret and present packs without technical support. Lead the underlying data model: ensure source data connections from Oracle Fusion and Maconomy are stable, documented and version-controlled. Set and enforce data standards for the reporting suite: naming conventions, hierarchy understanding, currency treatment and intercompany eliminations. Iterate packs in response to business change: new entities, restructuring, changes to the GFS operating model or chart of accounts. Develop exception and threshold alerting within the reporting suite to flag material movements automatically, reducing manual review time for accountants. GFS Performance Reporting Develop and maintain GFS operational KPI dashboards covering reconciliation completion rates, SLA performance, open items ageing and process tower throughput. Track and report on GFS optimisation and improvement initiatives. Use SQL and AI-assisted tools to interrogate financial