Senior Manager, Financial Accounting

Job description

Overview The Senior Manager - Financial Accounting is responsible for leading the financial accounting function across the assigned entities, ensuring accurate, timely and well-controlled month-end close, statutory reporting, balance sheet governance, intercompany accounting, fixed asset and project accounting, payroll and accrual processes, and audit deliverables. The role provides strong technical accounting and control leadership, partners with senior stakeholders across India, Australia and the UK, and ensures reporting outputs are produced with maximum efficiency and minimum risk. The role will lead and develop the financial accounting team, drive standardisation, automation and continuous improvement, strengthen documentation and review discipline, and maintain a robust control environment aligned with Japanese SOX (“JSOX”)/SOX, Group policies and applicable accounting standards. Key Accountabilities and main responsibilities Strategic Focus • Lead the financial accounting agenda for assigned entities, ensuring complete, accurate and timely reporting to Group Finance, senior management and relevant stakeholders. • Provide technical accounting guidance on complex transactions, close matters, policy application and accounting treatment across BAU and transformation activities. • Establish clear ownership, review standards, reporting calendars and documentation expectations across the financial accounting team. • Drive standardisation, simplification, automation and continuous improvement across month-end close, reconciliations, statutory reporting, intercompany, fixed assets and project accounting processes. • Provide meaningful analysis and insight on financial results, balance sheet movements and reconciliations. Operational Management • Own and oversee month-end, half-year and year-end financial accounting close deliverables in accordance with agreed timetables and applicable reporting requirements. • Actively participate and support month end close process including reviewing and approving journals and preparation of balance sheet reconciliations. • Execution of quarterly and annual SOX controls and procedures. • Review monthly results, journal entries, accruals, prepayments, payroll-related accounting, bank reconciliations and key balance sheet reconciliations. • Manage internal and external audit deliverables, including planning, evidence coordination, issue resolution, audit action tracking and timely closure of open matters. • Lead statutory reporting deliverables, including preparation and review of financial statements, board memorandums, audit schedules and related supporting documentation. • Oversee intercompany accounting, including balance confirmations, reconciliations, recharge reviews, dispute resolution and elimination readiness for consolidation. • Lead fixed assets and project accounting governance, including WIP review, capitalization assessment, useful life documentation, FAR/TAR reconciliations and depreciation review. • Support JGAAP, US GAAP, IFRS and local reporting requirements by ensuring accounting differences and judgemental matters are appropriately identified, documented and reviewed. • Review complex transactions such as acquisitions, disposals, restructures, refinancing, impairments, intangible assets, project costs and other judgemental accounting areas. • Partner with Finance Systems, FP&A, Financial Accounting teams and regional finance teams to resolve process, system and data issues and implement durable improvements. • Ensure month-end and reporting risks are identified early, escalated appropriately and supported by clear remediation plans. People Leadership • Lead, coach and develop the financial accounting team, setting clear objectives, priorities, review expectations and quality standards. • Allocate work effectively, manage capacity during peak reporting periods and support succession planning, cross-training and knowledge management. • Review team deliverables, provide timely feedback and build strong technical accounting, stakeholder-management and control capability within the team. • Promote accountability, collaboration, inclusion and continuous improvement across the broader Finance function. • Build trusted relationships across India, Australia and the UK and influence stakeholders to resolve issues and meet reporting deadlines. Governance & Risk • Ensure accounting and reporting activities comply with applicable accounting standards, legal and regulatory obligations, Group accounting policies and internal control requirements. • Maintain an effective control environment over financial accounting processes, including JSOX/SOX controls, reconciliations, review evidence, segregation of duties and audit-ready documentation. • Identify, assess and communicate accounting, reporting and control risks and oversee timely remediation of control gaps or process deficiencies. • Ensure supporting documentation is complete, accurate, retained in line with record-management requirements and suitable for audit and governance review. • Uphold high standards of conduct, confidentiality and professional judgement, protecting the reputation of MUFG Pension & Market Services. The above list of key accountabilities is not an exhaustive list and may change from time-to-time based on business needs. Experience & Personal Attributes Experience • Chartered Accountant or equivalent professional accounting qualification. • 10+ years of progressive accounting, financial reporting and controllership experience, including significant responsibility for month-end close, statutory reporting, audit and balance sheet governance. • Demonstrated experience leading financial accounting teams in a large, multi-entity and multi-currency organisation. • Strong knowledge of IFRS and experience with JGAAP and/or US GAAP reporting is desirable. • Proven ability to review complex accounting matters and prepare or review high-quality technic