Financial Accountant at Kantar

Job ID: R046107
Location: Ikorodu Road, Lagos
Role Description

• Kantar is looking for an individual with excellent Analytical and critical skills, able to build a trust relationship within the finance team, Client Service and operational teams.
• The Senior accountant role will report directly Financial Controller. This position will have primary responsibility for statutory and fiscal reporting and overseeing local compliance and controls.
• They will also be responsible for supporting Finance Controller and other business stakeholders by providing information and analysis to enable decisions to be taken with full understanding of the financial impact they will have.  
• The role requires excellent financial and accounting skills, experience in dealing with regulatory bodies and managing an accounting team or working with a shared service centre.

Key Outcomes:

• Review and liaise with the relevant Shared Service centre to ensure accurate and timely compliance with all fiscal and statutory reporting requirements for business units and country level reporting including application of WPP and Kantar accounting policies
• Manage relationship with local fiscal and regulatory bodies and review monthly, quarterly, annual returns for accuracy and completeness
• Ensure an appropriate controls environment is in place working alongside the relevant shared service centre and IT division and monitor and report compliance with it
• Manage interactions with auditors and oversees audit compliance activities and statutory accounts sign-off
• Oversee the preparation of draft periodic budgets, capital plans and forecasts working closely with the Finance Controller
• Oversee production of financial information and analysis to enable business stakeholders working with their Finance controller to make decisions with full understanding of the financial impacts they will have
• Liaise with the Decision Support Analysts to ensure production of routine and ad hoc analysis and reports, that highlights significant variances and areas for further attention and analysis for example revenue, net sales, order-book, pipeline and utilisation
• Responsible for responding on relevant ad hoc queries from WPP/Kantar or their nominated 3rd parties e.g. insurance renewal questionnaires, new hire or severance templates
• Comply with all company, local, state, and federal accounting and financial regulations and management of statutory tax audits
• Ensure prompt preparation and payment of statutory remittances before the due date.
• Develop a reliable cash flow projection process and reporting mechanism that includes a minimum cash threshold to meet operating needs and 80% management rule
• Balance sheet reconciliations
• Cartesis reporting
• Ensure accurate ledger posting
• Manage interactions with auditors and oversees audit compliance activities and statutory accounts sign-off.

Role Requirements

• Tertiary education, preferably a Degree (B. Com, Business Administration, Accounting, Finance).
• Must have an advanced Finance Qualification (CPA / ACCA / ACA).
• Very strong knowledge in Excel & Word, an added advantage if you have advanced Excel / Word experience & skills.
• Must have a minimum of 5 years working experience having previously operated in a service orientated business.
• High integrity and keen eye for accuracy.
• Ability to work in deadline driven pressurised environment.
• Lateral thinker who can spot connections from a variety of sources.
• Strong ability to work independently and manage own time.
• Excellent written and verbal skills in English.
• Confident in communicating at all levels.