Trainee Reporting Management Accountant

SP Electricity North West manages and invests in the power network that supplies electricity to the 2.4m homes and businesses across the North West. Our 2,400 colleagues manage the 13,000km of overhead lines, 44,000km of underground cables and thousands of electricity substations to keep power flowing and supporting green growth. We’re one of six distribution network operators in the UK and are regulated by Ofgem.

We’re proud that in December 2024 we were named Utility of the Year by Utility Week magazine who said we punched above our weight and used innovation to solve some of the industry’s most difficult challenges. Come and be part of our team and make a difference.

Now part of the Iberdrola and ScottishPower group, we’re collectively building smarter, greener electricity networks that will get Britain growing by investing in a better future, quicker.

A Fantastic Opportunity: Trainee Reporting Management Accountant

The Trainee Management Accountant will support the Group Financial Accountant and Finance Systems team in maintaining a robust financial reporting and internal control environment, while developing broad experience across management accounting, financial systems, budgeting, forecasting and financial control.

The role will support the preparation, maintenance and continuous improvement of finance reports within the Tagetik system, including reports submitted to Group Finance. You'll perform key financial control checks, investigate reporting issues and help ensure financial information is complete, accurate and supported by appropriate evidence.

You will also support the monthly management of the COO cost centre, including expenditure analysis, budgeting and forecasting. In addition, you'll assist with reviewing the application of capitalisation policies and completing monthly capitalisation reconciliations.

This role provides a valuable introduction to the wider Finance function and includes opportunities to support regulatory reporting, undertake ad-hoc financial analysis and contribute to process improvement initiatives. The role is designed to support progression towards a professional accountancy qualification such as CIMA or ACCA.

The successful candidate must, at the start of employment have permission to work in the UK without sponsorship.

For this role there is opportunity for agile working following completion of your probationary period.

What we’re looking for

We welcome applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences who meet the following criteria:

Essential

• Degree-level education, or equivalent relevant education or experience.
• A genuine interest in developing a career in accountancy and finance.
• Commitment to studying towards a recognised professional accountancy qualification, preferably CIMA or ACCA.
• Strong numerical and analytical skills, including the ability to reconcile information and investigate variances.
• Good Excel skills and confidence working with financial data and spreadsheets.
• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to producing accurate work.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and recurring monthly deadlines.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills with the ability to build positive working relationships.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving, learning and continuous improvement.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team environment.

Desirable

• Experience or exposure to Tagetik systems.
• Experience or exposure to SAP.
• Understanding of financial controls, audit evidence or control documentation.
• Basic understanding of capital and operating expenditure.
• Progress towards, or intention to begin, a CIMA or ACCA qualification.

Previous experience of Tagetik or SAP is not essential as full training will be provided.

What we’re offering

We value your expertise and in return, you’ll receive:

• An annual bonus scheme
• 25 days annual leave increasing with length of service
• Private Healthcare
• Salary sacrifice EV car scheme
• An employee rewards portal offering discounts on several well-known brands
• A market-leading contributory pension scheme
• Employee assistance programme
• Opportunity for professional development through our L&D function.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We’re proud to foster a workplace where everyone can thrive. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve. We believe that embracing our differences makes us stronger.

If you need any adjustments or support during the application process, please contact our Recruitment Team at [email removed] or call [phone removed] (option 2).

Any offer made will remain conditional until pre-employment checks are complete to a level deemed satisfactory by SP Electricity North West. Due to the of this role, the following pre-employment checks will be required; references from previous employers and Barring Service (DBS), Financial checks, and a Drug & Alcohol test.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early.

We don't accept speculative CVs from agencies. Any received we will assert ownership of the candidate and no fee will be payable