Financial Close Manager

Function / Area: Finance, London
Reporting to: Financial Close Director
Position Summary
The position manages the team preparing the monthly underwriting results for the Syndicate and company within corporate timescales, at the required level of granularity. Responsible for financial controls related to all technical general ledger account balances including gross and ceded premiums, losses and acquisition costs. Manages the financial systems and all data elements feeding into them including the booking of losses and premiums. Point person for all projects and changes which impact financial close. Works closely and collaboratively with Actuarial, FP&A, IT and other key stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities

• Manage the timely and accurate production of the monthly underwriting results of the Syndicate and Company operations.
• Management, motivation and development of a small team of accountants, including annual goal-setting, feedback and performance reviews, and coaching and career development.
• Collaborate effectively with other functions in the organisation including FP&A, D&A, Actuarial, Reinsurance and IT teams to deliver accurate underwriting results to strict deadlines.
• Review and development of all financial controls, reconciliations and schedules related to gross and reinsurance technical account balances.
• Continuously identify opportunities for improvement of the financial close process activities with the aim of improving efficiency, review and controls related to the underwriting results production.
• Subject matter expert for all projects impacting financial close, including large-scale transformations, acting as finance point person for requirements, design solutions and testing.
• Oversee accurate booking of the underwriting results at an appropriate level of granularity and allocation, including line of business, location, accident year, year of account, currency and statutory class.
• Perform detailed analytical review of the underwriting P&L and balance sheet by legal entity, line and origin in order to identify accounting anomalies or areas that are not in line with expectations.
• Ownership of reinsurance accounting process to ensure adherence to the correct writing and earning patterns, and loss recoveries, for different types of reinsurance.
• Works closely with IT and third-party vendor to ensure effective maintenance of the financial systems environment, issue resolution, and appropriately governed change management.
• Manages team reconciliation of data between all core financial systems and maintenance of data quality within the Tandem financial system.
• Oversight and review of all technical general ledger account reconciliations including identification and resolution of data and control issues.
• Manages the team's provision and explanation of all relevant information and schedules to the organisations' auditors.
• Ensure adherence to appropriate accounting rules, primarily US GAAP.
• Key liaison with the Chicago head office technical accounting function, updating on the close process and any relevant key developments.
• Comply with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements and ensure, at a level appropriate to the position that appropriate measures are in place to ensure this compliance.
• May perform additional duties as assigned.

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) or qualified by experience.
• Strong knowledge of insurance technical accounting (company market and Lloyd's) and related accounting principles.
• Strong financial analytics skills, able to analyse key trends and ratios against expectations on an insurance P&L and balance sheet.
• Track record of driving through value-adding process improvements.
• Positive and collaborative attitude working with stakeholders across an organisation.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Experience of managing a small team of accounting professionals.
• Demonstrate good analytical and problem solving skills.
• Advanced Excel user skills.
• Accomplished communication skills.
• Ability to plan, organise and own role effectively.

Additional Information
Company Overview
CNA Hardy is a leading specialist commercial insurance provider for clients within the Lloyd's and company markets. We are part of CNA Financial Corp, the 8th largest U.S. commercial property and casualty insurance company. Established in 1897, CNA has approximately 5,700 employees, serving businesses and professionals in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. We offer a wide range of products and services, providing a superior suite of insurance solutions that any organisation conducting business requires.
CNA Hardy is an equal opportunity employer.
The Company
CNA Hardy is a leading specialist commercial insurance provider for clients within the Lloyd's and company markets. We offer a highly specialised and comprehensive portfolio of innovative and market leading products. Coverage is available to businesses of all sizes for domestic, international and global exposures.