Scheme Accounts Analyst

We're looking for a Scheme Accounts Analyst to join our Pension Scheme Accounting Team. This is a great opportunity for someone with strong analytical skills who enjoys working with financial data, reconciliations and problem-solving in a collaborative finance environment.

In this role, you'll support the day-to-day financial control of the Nest pension scheme by reviewing reconciliations, monitoring cash and banking activity, investigating exceptions and contributing to month-end accounting processes. You'll work closely with TCS, Northern Trust and NatWest to ensure financial information is accurate, issues are resolved promptly and controls are operating effectively.

You'll also help prepare financial analysis, maintain procedures, support audit activity and contribute to the continuous improvement of processes and controls. This role offers excellent exposure to pension scheme accounting and is an ideal opportunity for someone looking to develop their career within a complex and highly regulated financial environment.

As part of a supportive team, you'll have the opportunity to build your technical knowledge, take ownership of key activities and play an important role in maintaining the financial integrity of one of the UK's largest workplace pension schemes.

Minimum criteria for this role are:

• Experience of cash, bank or financial reconciliations, ideally in a pension scheme, financial services, administration or high-volume transaction environment
• Experience of analysing high-volume and high-value transaction data, identifying trends, exceptions and areas requiring investigation
• Strong numerical and analytical skills, with a clear understanding of accuracy, completeness, evidence and control requirements
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills and confidence working with financial systems, reporting tools and large datasets
• Experience of working with third-party providers and following up operational or financial issues through to resolution
• Degree educated, studying towards an accounting qualification, or able to demonstrate equivalent relevant experience
• A positive attitude to routine and difficult problems, with persistence in following items through to completion

Flexible and agile working

To make the most out of hybrid working, we've introduced different ways of working, which include (subject to role requirements):

• hybrid of office (Canary Wharf, London) and home working (there will be an expectation to attend the office, once - twice a week, or more, as required) 
• reduce or vary working hours
• reduce or vary the days worked

Within the Finance team there are multiple disciplines, including the core financial control activities for which this role would be responsible. It is an exciting time to join the Finance function as the CFO is looking to make a significant amount of change and enhancement in each area, while also seeking synergies and alignment across the Directorate.

Within the Finance team and looking after the accounting for the Nest Pension Scheme (the Scheme) itself, is the Pension Scheme Accounting team (PSAT), which is responsible for:

•  Ownership of the Scheme general ledger, ensuring all entries are complete, accurate, timely, appropriately supported and subject to effective review
• Production of high-quality monthly Scheme accounts
• Managing and delivering specific key external publications relevant to the Scheme, such as the Scheme Annual Report and Accounts (SARA), annual TPR return, and submitting quarterly returns to the ONS and ABI
• Providing challenge to the Fund Administration Team to ensure the data flows from the Scheme Administrator (TCS) and Fund Administrator/Custodian (Northern Trust) are timely and accurate
• Ensuring routine finance and cash reconciliations supporting the Pension Scheme financial statements are completed by the Scheme Administrator timely and accurately
• Main finance point of contact for SAPE
• Monitoring of the Scheme General Account and approval of payments from the account
• Day-to-day ownership of the banking relationship for Nest ensuring banking issues are dealt with effectively
• Day-to-day ownership of the tax adviser relationship ensuring all tax relevant to the Scheme is reclaimed where appropriate