Head of Financial Compliance in Swindon

Location: Swindon Support Office & Home Working

Salary: Competitive

About the Pets at Home Vet Group

Pets at Home Vet Group has 440 practices, approximately 90% of which are operated as separate Joint Venture businesses. Over 400 practices operate under the Vet4Pets brand and the remainder are Companion Care.  Our Joint Venture model is unique to the UK vet market and it offers ambitious vets an early route to practice ownership with professional support with finance, IT, People, Marketing and supplier relations. Each partner has full clinical freedom to do whatever they believe to be right for each individual patient, including using the products of their choice. We believe that our model drives superior performance compared to other company-owned models.

About the role

As a key member of the finance leadership team, this role will take responsibility for the Vet Group compliance function, acting as the main point of contact for all matters relating to accounting standards and application within the Group and at PLC level. This will include, but not be limited to IFRS9/10/15/16.

The role will offer you the opportunity to provide technical guidance and expertise for both the group and our Joint Venture companies, ensuring all statutory filings are accurate completed on a timely basis. The role will work closely with our Group Controlling team and Head of Tax, to ensure VAT and Corporation tax compliance, in addition to ensuring that transactions are carried out in a tax efficient way.

Key responsibilities will include: 

• Responsibility for guidance, monitoring and implementation of all new and existing accounting standard under IFRS, FRS101 and FRS102 (including Companies Act requirements)
• Overall responsibility for timely filing of accounts for c.500 entities (group companies, joint venture companies, holding companies and dormant entities
• Periodic provision of accounting for acquisitions and disposals
• Ensuring that all Corporation Tax payments are raised and made on time
• Ensuring that all VAT returns are completed and filed, for group companies and all Joint Venture practices
• Ensure all ONS surveys are completed, checked and submitted as required

About your experience

This role requires a qualified Accountant who can demonstrate a minimum of five years PQE, with a proven track record in technical accounting roles.  It is also essential that you are able to demonstrate both knowledge and experience of practically applying both IFRS and FRS accounting standards (ideally both existing and new implementation of these).

Experience with small company accounts, including corporate structures and Companies Act compliance will be really important to enable you to thrive in this role, coupled with experience of building and managing relationships across key stakeholder groups (primarily internal and external Auditors, and within Tax).

This role will enable you to apply your passion and experience within team management, developing a small team with varying levels of experience. Whilst this role is undoubtedly technically challenging, it is rewarding in equal measure – the role provides visibility across the wider group, is supported by a highly skilled team and crucially, plays a really important role in delivering a vital service to our Joint Venture Partners.  Your technical expertise will be both embraced and relied upon.

If this sounds like you, we would love to hear from you.