Farnell
Farnell, an Avnet company, is a global high-service distributor of technology products, services and solutions for electronic system design, maintenance and repair.
Location: Leeds
Department: Farnell Global - Finance
Reports to: Senior Finance Manager - EMEA
Role Purpose
Our team in Leeds, West Yorkshire, is looking for a Finance Manager - EMEA. This is a newly created role, responsible for ensuring the integrity, accuracy and timeliness of financial accounting across multiple European legal entities, of c.$800m revenue. The role is instrumental in overseeing month-end close and will also focus on gross margin accounting, balance sheet governance and key financial (SOx) control compliance.
This position will lead efforts to strengthen financial controls, improve balance sheet reconciliation quality, drive process efficiencies, and identify opportunities to enhance profitability and reporting effectiveness. The role combines technical accounting expertise with a practical, hands-on approach to operational finance and continuous improvement.
This is a flexible, hybrid working role, giving you the work-life balance to work from the office (three days) and from home (two days). We are looking for a qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) with managerial expertise and ideally who has experience of inventory and Gross Margin accounting.
This role is for an inquisitive and highly organised individual who can work collaboratively as part of a busy team and build strong relationships with wider stakeholders.
Along with offering a competitive salary package, what's in it for you?
- A supportive team environment where everyone is working toward the same goal.
- A strong open-door policy within management
- An environment where you will be given the tools and opportunities to further your career
- Pension scheme
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays with the option to buy additional holiday
- FREE Onsite Parking & FREE Onsite Gym
- Flexible hybrid working
- Reward schemes – i.e. EV Car Scheme
What will you be doing?
Financial Accounting
- Lead the month-end, quarter-end and year-end close processes across multiple legal entities.
- Ensure accurate and timely reporting under IFRS and compliance with US GAAP reporting requirements for group consolidation.
- Review and approve journal entries, accruals, provisions and accounting adjustments.
- Review monthly financial results and investigate significant variances.
- Support the preparation of external audit deliverables.
- Ensure compliance with group accounting policies and reporting timetables.
Financial Control and Balance Sheet Governance
- Manage the balance sheet review process across all entities.
- Drive improvements in balance sheet reconciliation quality, timeliness and substantiation.
- Establish robust governance around high-risk and judgemental accounting areas.
- Review aged, unusual or unreconciled balance sheet items and ensure timely resolution.
- Develop and implement action plans to improve balance sheet health and reduce financial risk.
- Ensure intercompany balances are reconciled and resolved promptly.
Margin Accounting
- Responsible for ensuring accurate monthly gross margin accounting
- Working with the wider business on inventory and gross margin items, owning resolutions from a Finance and accounting perspective
- Review financial information to identify opportunities for margin improvement and cost optimisation.
- Challenge accounting and operational processes that negatively impact profitability.
- Support initiatives that improve financial visibility and decision-making.
- Execute and review key SOx controls within the month-end close process.
- Maintain documentation supporting key financial controls and accounting processes.
- Partner with Compliance, External Reporting and external auditors during control and year end testing activities.
- Identify control deficiencies and implement appropriate remediation plans.
- Promote a strong control environment and culture of accountability across the finance team.
Process Improvement and Efficiency
- Identify opportunities to simplify and standardise accounting processes across entities.
- Drive automation and reduction of manual activities.
- Lead initiatives to improve close-cycle efficiency and reporting quality.
- Support finance transformation and continuous improvement projects.
- Develop meaningful KPIs around close performance, reconciliation quality and control effectiveness.
Team Leadership
- Lead and develop a small accounting team, providing coaching and technical guidance.
- Working daily with our overseas BPO team to assist with resolution of escalations
- Set clear objectives and performance expectations.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability and collaboration.
- Support succession planning and team capability development.
- Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
- Significant experience in financial accounting, controllership or accounting management roles.
- Strong knowledge of IFRS.
- Strong balance sheet management and reconciliation expertise.
- Experience reviewing manual journal entries and accounting controls.
- Proven ability to improve accounting processes and strengthen financial controls.
- Experience managing multiple legal entities.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Advanced Excel and financial systems experience.
Desirable
- Experience within a multinational organisation.
- Experience working within a US-listed organisation or reporting into a US GAAP parent company.
- Experience operating in a SOX-controlled environment.
- Shared service centre and global process experience.
- Experience leading finance transformation initiatives.
- Knowledge of audit and regulatory compliance requirements across multiple jurisdictions.
Success Measures
- Timely and accurate month-end close.
- High-quality balance sheet reconciliations with minimal aged items.
- Successful execution of SOX controls and audit requirements.
- Reduction in manual accounting activities.
- Improved month-end close-cycle efficiency.
- Identification and delivery of margin enhancement opportunities.
- Strong compliance with IFRS, US GAAP reporting requirements and company policies.
- Development and engagement of the accounting team.
If you think this role could be the right one for you, then please APPLY NOW!
All applications will be reviewed by our Talent team, should we be interested in your profile we will contact you directly with a view to an initial chat.
#LI-FARNELL
#LI-EMEA
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills.
Avnet is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. If you are interested in applying for employment with Avnet and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply for a posted position contact our Human Resources Service Center in your region: Americas applicants – [email protected], Asia applicants - [email protected], EMEA applicants - [email protected].
Job Applicant EMEA Imprints
Skills Required
- Qualified accountant with ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent qualification
- Significant experience in financial accounting, controllership, or accounting management roles
- Strong knowledge of IFRS
- Strong balance sheet management and reconciliation expertise
- Experience reviewing manual journal entries and accounting controls
- Proven ability to improve accounting processes and strengthen financial controls
- Experience managing multiple legal entities
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Advanced Excel and financial systems experience
- Experience within a multinational organization
- Experience within a US-listed organization or reporting to a US GAAP parent company
- Experience operating in a SOX-controlled environment
- Shared service center and global process experience
- Experience leading finance transformation initiatives
- Knowledge of audit and regulatory compliance requirements across multiple jurisdictions
Avnet Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Avnet and has not been reviewed or approved by Avnet.
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Retirement Support — A company-funded pension alongside a 401(k) and a discounted employee stock purchase plan establishes strong long-term savings options. Company materials and plan documents underscore active pension funding and tools that help employees model outcomes.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Company resources emphasize paid time off, paid holidays, and flexible or hybrid work where roles allow. Benefits guides also outline leave programs, including paid family leave in the U.S.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — A broad well-being platform (THRIVE), EAP counseling, wellness reimbursements, employee discounts, and on-site health offerings extend support beyond core insurance. Development and community programs further contribute to a rounded total rewards experience.
Avnet Insights
What We Do
Avnet is a global electronic components distributor with extensive design, product, marketing and supply chain expertise for customers and suppliers at every stage of the product lifecycle. For the past 100 years, Avnet has helped its customers and suppliers around the world realize the transformative possibilities of technology. Our culture was founded on new ideas and emerging technology. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Avnet is a leading global technology distributor and solutions provider at the center of the technology value chain. Founded in 1921, we work with suppliers in every major technology segment to serve customers worldwide across a broad range of markets. Whether working on large-scale production or early prototypes, we meet customer needs through individualized, end-to-end service to streamline solutions and improve efficiency for customers worldwide. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, we serve more than 1 million customers in more than 140 countries and partner with global suppliers from almost every technology segment.
