About the role
At DS Smith we have an exciting opportunity to join our Business Services Finance team as an Assistant Accountant. This role is based at our Business Service Centre in Caerphilly and is a great opportunity to learn the end-to-end role of accountancy, while being immersed in different teams so that you can gain a full understanding of financial processes and accounting in a FTSE 100 organisation. We offer a proven development pathway and study support so that you can pursue your chosen professional qualification!
In this role, you will assist in the delivery of a world class accounting service to our UK business in accordance with service level agreements, performing general accounting and reporting activities. The position will require an understanding of our business process at each site, which we will guide you through, and will require interaction with the Purchase to Pay and Credit & Collections departments within the Business Service Centre.
Other responsibilities that you'll get involved with include:
Providing appropriate and timely financial reports covering various metrics as required by site management, including monthly management accounts and variance analysis
Supporting accountants in producing a monthly Profit & Loss Statement and Balance Sheet
Supporting Group and Divisional reporting requirements
Providing routine and ad-hoc analysis as requested by site operations, Finance Business Partners, Division and Group Finance
Supporting Annual Planning and periodic forecasting process
Processing of standard and non-standard journals
Ensuring that all general ledger accounts are reconciled on a timely basis
About you
IT literate, including good knowledge of Microsoft Excel
An Accountancy or Finance related degree or qualification
Willingness to learn and develop your skills through individual work and by working closely with your team
Excellent time management skills so that you can help the whole team during busier periods
Previous experience of providing accounting or reporting services would be advantageous
Experience of using SAP or a similar ERP system would also be helpful
Benefits
Competitive salary
Discretionary bonus
Study support towards a professional qualification
25 days holiday, plus bank holidays
Pension, life assurance and income protection
Sharesave scheme
Employee Assistance Program
Digital GP and Health Checks
Retail and leisure discounts
Cycle to work scheme
Location: This role is based at our Caerphilly office on a hybrid basis - 3 days a week in the office and 2 at home
About us
We are DS Smith, together with International Paper, we are a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions and other fibre-based products. We believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. We employ more than 65,000 colleagues in North America and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), who are experts in innovation, manufacturing, design, sales, sustainability, supply chain, and much more. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Become part of a world-leading organisation and do your best work with us!
Fair recruitment at DS Smith
To fulfil our purpose of redefining packaging for a changing world, we aim to build a diverse, motivated, and engaged workforce. Our goal is to create a culture of inclusion where everyone is treated fairly, differences are valued, and everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.
Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria
#LI-CE
Skills Required
- IT literate with good knowledge of Microsoft Excel
- Accountancy or Finance related degree or qualification
- Willingness to learn and develop skills through individual and team work
- Excellent time management skills
- Previous experience providing accounting or reporting services
- Experience of using SAP or a similar ERP system
DS Smith Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about DS Smith and has not been reviewed or approved by DS Smith.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is considered okay to good across many roles, with some plants indicating competitive or above‑market hourly rates for operators and similar positions. This supports a broadly fair perception of base pay even as experiences vary by site.
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Healthcare Strength — U.S. offerings include day‑one medical/vision and dental, employer HSA contributions, and 100% company‑paid life and short/long‑term disability, alongside an EAP. Some role descriptions also highlight mental‑health and fertility options.
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Retirement Support — Packages commonly reference a 401(k) with company match and, in some locations, pension eligibility or company‑funded retirement contributions. This positions retirement benefits as a meaningful component of total rewards.
DS Smith Insights
What We Do
DS Smith provides innovative packaging solutions, paper products and recycling services with a commitment to sustainability and a circular economy. Our core purpose is to Redefine Packaging for a Changing World, and our expert teams work closely with like-minded partners to incorporate renewable resources for products that minimize our environmental impact, reduce complexity and increase profitability through supply chain optimization
