The Role
Manage financial accounting activities including journals, balance sheet controls and reconciliations; prepare internal and external reports, statutory accounts and audit support; provide management and board reporting with variance analysis; support tax and compliance activities; identify process improvements and drive automation to enhance reporting efficiency.
Summary Generated by Built In
We're looking for a Financial & Tax Accountant to join us on a 12 month contract to play a key role in delivering accurate financial reporting, maintaining robust balance sheet controls, and supporting statutory and tax compliance activities.
Working closely with internal and external stakeholders, this role contributes valuable financial analysis, supports process improvements, and helps enhance the efficiency and automation of reporting practices.
This is an excellent opportunity for a finance professional who enjoys working collaboratively, values continuous learning and improvement, and is committed to delivering high-quality financial outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage financial accounting activities, including preparing journals, maintaining balance sheet controls, and completing balance sheet reconciliations in line with accounting standards and policies.
- Prepare and deliver accurate internal and external financial reporting, building effective relationships with key stakeholders and supporting reporting requirements.
- Support the production of statutory accounts, technical accounting papers, and audit activities, including responding to queries from external auditors.
- Produce management and board reporting, including variance analysis on balance sheet, cash flow, and debtor movements, providing insight to support decision-making.
- Contribute to tax and compliance activities, enhance financial controls, and identify opportunities to improve processes, increase automation, and drive operational efficiency.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
- Professionally qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA) with experience in financial accounting and reporting.
- Technical knowledge of IFRS and balance sheet accounting, with the ability to apply accounting standards in both year-end reporting and day-to-day activities.
- Experience of identifying, developing, and implementing improvements to financial processes, controls, and financial modelling tools.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present and explain financial information to both finance and non-finance stakeholders.
- Organised and methodical approach to work, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to effectively prioritise workload and meet recurring deadlines.
To ensure continuity and an effective delivery of service, successful candidates will be required to commit to a minimum 14-month period in role after achieving competence. This also includes existing colleagues who move by internal promotions and transfers. This time allows our future colleagues to support personal career development by allowing time to build strong knowledge and expertise.
Benefits
- A defined benefit pension from day 1 – one of the best in the UK.
- Free travel on all London Northwestern and West Midlands Railway services for you, your spouse/partner, and dependents.
- 75% off all other train operating companies for you, your spouse/partner, and dependents.
- 8 Friends and Family Day passes to gift per annum on our network.
- A 24/7 Virtual GP service for you and your household.
- Our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)- A confidential employee benefit that supports you with personal or work-related issues affecting your home life, work life, health, or wellbeing
- Our cycle to work scheme with Evans Cycles.
- A retail discount portal- offering savings, discounts and cashback at over 800 retailers and restaurants.
About
London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway operate rail services across the Midlands, the Northwest and London, with Birmingham at the heart of our network. West Midlands Railway provides most of the local services across the region, offering direct connections to towns and cities including Redditch, Stratford‑upon‑Avon, Worcester, Hereford, Shrewsbury, Telford and Northampton. Our London Northwestern Railway brand serves the route between London and Liverpool via key locations such as Crewe, Birmingham, Milton Keynes and Northampton. On 1st February 2026, London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway entered public ownership and both services are now part of WM Trains Limited operated by DFTO. Our mission remains unchanged: to provide a safe, comfortable and reliable service for passengers across 235 miles of track and 150 stations, from London to Liverpool and Hereford to Lichfield. We expect over 80 million journeys to be made this year, that’s more than 1,252 services every day, and we remain committed to delivering the rail experience our passengers expect.
Skills Required
- Professionally qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA)
- Experience in financial accounting including preparing journals and balance sheet reconciliations
- Technical knowledge of IFRS and balance sheet accounting
- Experience producing statutory accounts, technical accounting papers, and supporting external audits
- Experience producing management and board reporting, including variance analysis on balance sheet, cash flow and debtor movements
- Experience identifying, developing and implementing improvements to financial processes, controls and financial modelling/automation
- Effective written and verbal communication skills to present financial information to finance and non-finance stakeholders
- Organised, methodical, strong attention to detail and ability to prioritise workload to meet recurring deadlines
- Commit to a minimum 14-month period in role after achieving competence
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The Company
What We Do
WM Trains Limited, operating as West Midlands Trains, is a British state-owned train operating company. It runs commuter and local services across the West Midlands and on the West Coast Main Line, connecting London, the Midlands, and the North West.
