Charity Management Accountant

We're looking for a Charity Management Accountant to join our Merlin’s Magic Wand team and help ensure the financial foundations of our charity remain strong, accurate and effective.

If you're someone who enjoys combining hands-on finance responsibilities with meaningful analysis and insight and you want your work to contribute to creating moments of joy, play and life-long memories for children and families around the world facing adversity, this could be the role for you.

In this varied and collaborative role, you'll take ownership of the day-to-day finance operations across both Merlin's Magic Wand charities in the UK and USA. Working closely with the Charities Finance Director, you'll ensure financial reporting, controls, reconciliations and compliance activities are delivered to a high standard, providing the financial information needed to support effective decision-making across the organisation.  

You'll produce monthly management accounts, reporting and meaningful financial analysis, helping stakeholders understand performance and identify opportunities for improvement. You'll work with colleagues across fundraising, delivery and leadership teams, translating financial information into clear and actionable insight.

Alongside reporting responsibilities, you'll play a key role in maintaining strong financial controls, ensuring balance sheet reconciliations are completed accurately, and financial records remain audit-ready throughout the year. You'll also support compliance requirements, restricted fund accounting and wider financial governance activities.

You'll manage core transactional finance processes, including purchase ledger, sales ledger, journals and payment runs, helping to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of the finance function.  

As a key contact during the annual audit process, you'll coordinate information requests, prepare supporting schedules and work closely with external auditors to ensure a smooth and successful audit. You'll also support year-end reporting and help implement improvements arising from audit recommendations.

We're also looking for someone who enjoys improving processes and finding better ways of working. You'll review existing finance processes, strengthen controls and identify opportunities to increase efficiency and consistency across both charities.

This is a full-time, permanent role, working Monday to Friday.

• Recent experience working within a finance team, ideally in a management accounting role
• Experience preparing monthly management accounts and supporting financial reporting processes
• Strong financial analysis skills and the ability to produce meaningful management information
• Experience processing day-to-day financial transactions and maintaining accurate financial records
• Strong Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word skills
• Experience using Microsoft Dynamics NAV/Navision or similar accounting software (desirable)
• An understanding of VAT principles, with charity VAT knowledge beneficial
• Knowledge of charity accounting, fund accounting or Gift Aid (advantageous)
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to explain financial information to non-finance stakeholders
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy
• A proactive approach to problem solving, continuous improvement and managing competing priorities
• A genuine connection to the mission of creating joy, play and life-long memories for children and families facing adversity