Job Description

Job title: Management Accountant

Hours:

37.5 hours per week

Location: Havant Leisure Centre

Salary: circa

40,000 per annum

Looking for a workplace that ignites your passion, values respect, encourages innovation, and embraces being dynamic? Look no further! This role offers you the opportunity to join a team that believes in empowering its colleagues to unlock their full potential with Horizon.

The Trust:

Horizon Leisure Centres is a leisure trust operating since 1997, with centres in Waterlooville, Havant and Guildford. We are passionate about health and wellbeing and are committed to making an outstanding positive impact on our customers and within our local community. Our mission is to support and inspire our local communities to live healthier and happier lives by providing affordable access to sport and leisure facilities to all.

The Role:

This newly created role plays a key part in strengthening the Trust's financial control and statutory accounting processes. The Accounting Lead will manage and support a small finance team and take responsibility and fulfill essential financial operations -- including balance sheet reconciliations, VAT returns, fixed asset management and lead on the external audit and preparation of audit pack.


Horizon are planning to bring Direct Debits in house along with cashless centres. As such a key part of this role will be to support and lead as necessary on implementing this and then the oversee the in-house Direct Debit process longer term, ensuring timely collection, income reconciliation, and compliance with relevant schemes (AUDDIS, ADDACS, ARUDD). This role will work closely with the Finance Business Partner to ensure clean data and effective financial reporting across the Trust.

Interested? Want to know how you can join our team?

Take a look at this great opportunity!


We are looking for a Management Accountant to join us in transforming our business from 'good' to 'great'! This is a thrilling time for our company, and we need a key team member like you to help us achieve unprecedented success.

What does the role involve?

A hands-on role that requires you to:


Oversee the end-to-end administration of in-house Direct Debit collections, ensuring timely processing through BACS. Maintain compliance with DD scheme requirements (AUDDIS, ADDACS, ARUDD). Monitor failed collections and work with operational teams to ensure appropriate follow-up. Prepare monthly balance sheet reconciliations (e.g., deferred income, payroll and other control accounts, accruals, prepayments, intercompany). Work with Payroll Manager to prepare the monthly payroll journals. Maintain and update the fixed asset register, depreciation journals and capital expenditure controls. Support monthly reporting cycles with timely and accurate schedules. Waste, hospitality, inventory control management. Ensure all lease accounting is accurate and aligned to accounting standards. Lead on Reserves accounting Support on investment and banking Support on annual budget Support on figures for business cases Cash flow forecasting Correct treatment and compliance for grants and donations. Prepare and submit accurate quarterly VAT returns, ensuring full compliance with HMRC guidance - partial exemption VAT and capital goods scheme - sports exemption. Apply correct VAT treatment across transactions, including partial exemption rules. Comply with charity accounting standards (SORP) ONS returns monthly and annually. Prepare detailed working papers and schedules for the annual audit. Serve as a key contact for external auditors, responding to queries and supporting statutory account preparation. File charity commission returns annual Lead on financial accounting system, monitor developments and ensure team aware as needed. (Accounts IQ) Drive improvements in financial processes, controls, and documentation. Identify areas for cost saving Review contracts and spend and work with budget holders on preferred supplier list.

Skills and competencies

:

Essential:

Hands-on experience in financial accounting, reconciliations, and audit support. Experience preparing and submitting complex VAT returns. Experience overseeing or directly managing Direct Debit processing. Previous experience managing or supervising finance staff.

Desirable:

Charity or leisure trust experience. Familiarity with BACS and Direct Debit scheme rules (AUDDIS, ADDACS, ARUDD). Knowledge of leisure management systems (e.g., Legend, Gladstone). Understanding of charity SORP and fund accounting principles. Power BI /Power Query.

Your Qualifications

AAT qualified, or part-qualified accountant (ACCA, ACA, CIMA) (essential)

What you can expect from us:

A comprehensive induction and training programme; you don't need to have worked in the leisure industry before. We will teach you all you need to know! Support from the wider team who have a great deal of combined knowledge and experience and who are eager to help you succeed! Variety; no two days is the same! An environment that encourages innovation and free thinking, surrounded by really dynamic, empowered individuals.

Benefits:

Free access to our award-winning gym's and exercise classes for you and a +1 Employee discounts and wellbeing platform Healthcare Cash plan Free 24/7 access to GPs using our SmartHealth plan Employee Assistance Programme - support for when you need it most 23 days annual leave + 8 days bank holiday Internal recognition schemes Opportunities for training, development and progression Free onsite parking - subject to availability Hybrid and family friendly policies Generous company sick pay scheme Employee referral scheme Company pension scheme Death in service benefit And much more....

This role will be based at Havant

but will be expected to travel to other company

site as the need requires.

Interview Process:

The recruiting manager will review your CV and if shortlisted, you will be invited to a formal interview/assessment process where we will evaluate your suitability for the role.


There may be times when due to the volume of applicants to need to close a vacancy early to avoid disappointment, be sure to get your application in as soon as possible!





If you are a recruitment agency, please note we operate a PSL and do not take cold calls.