Senior Management Accountant

Location: London, Clerkenwell (hybrid working: 3 days in the office, 2 days WFH, subject to company policy)

Reports to: Head of Financial Reporting & Controls, Supported by: 2x Senior Project Accountants, 2x Accounts Assistants

Works closely with : Finance Operations Manager (cash, payroll coordination), Head of FRC

ZHA is a large, internationally active architectural and design practice operating across multiple entities and currencies. The finance function supports a fast-paced project-based business with significant international complexity.

This is a senior, delivery-critical role. The Senior Management Accountant will own the monthly close process end-to-end, producing management account drafts to a high standard and within agreed deadlines.

The role is the technical backbone of the reporting function and will directly support the Head of Financial Reporting & Controls in building a high-performing, proactive finance team.

This role requires an individual who can take ownership of month-end activities from the outset, bringing strong technical knowledge and practical experience in delivering accurate and timely month-end close processes.

Month-End Close & Management Accounts Own and coordinate the full monthly close process across the Group, ensuring all ledgers are closed accurately and on time

Produce monthly management account drafts for review by the Head of Financial Reporting & Controls

Collate, review, and challenge monthly reconciliations prepared by the team — ensuring completeness, accuracy and consistency

Prepare and post month-end journals including accruals, prepayments, depreciation, and intercompany

Post the monthly payroll journal in coordination with the Finance Operations Manager, ensuring all payroll entries reconcile to zero

Maintain and own the month-end close timetable, chasing outstanding items and escalating blockers proactively

Prepare flux analysis and variance commentary for management account packs

Group Accounts & Multi-Entity Reporting Manage multi-entity consolidation across Group companies, including intercompany eliminations and reconciliations

Handle foreign currency accounting across multiple currencies — revaluation, translation, and gain/loss postings

Ensure consistency of treatment across entities and maintain a clear audit trail

Support the preparation of Group reporting packs for the SMT and Board

Project Accounting Support Collaborate with the Project Accountants to ensure project revenue, cost, and WIP are correctly reflected in the management accounts

Review project accounting entries and flag inconsistencies or unusual movements

Support the month-end cut-off process for project-related income and expenditure

Team Support & Development Act as the primary technical resource for the team — available to advise junior colleagues on how to prepare information correctly and understand why

Review work prepared by the two Project Accountants and two Accounts Assistants, providing constructive feedback and coaching

Help build a culture of accuracy, ownership and deadline discipline within the team

Contribute to process documentation and controls improvement initiatives

Audit & Compliance Prepare audit schedules and support the external audit process — ensuring information is accurate, well organised, and delivered on time

Maintain audit-ready reconciliations and working papers throughout the year

Support the Head of FRC on ad hoc compliance and regulatory reporting requirements

Systems & Process

Work primarily in Sage 200 and Deltek — prior experience preferred; strong systems literacy essential

Contribute to ongoing systems improvement and process automation initiatives

Maintain the nominal ledger structure with discipline — ensuring postings are correct and the chart of accounts is clean

Essential Qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent) — fully qualified preferred; strong part-qualified candidates with exceptional experience considered

Progressive management accounting experience, with clear ownership of the month-end close in a previous role

Demonstrable experience of multi-entity consolidation and foreign currency accounting

Strong project accounting knowledge — revenue recognition, WIP, cost allocation

Experience in a professional services, architecture, consultancy or international project-based environment strongly preferred

Confident working with Sage 200 and/or Deltek — or proven ability to navigate complex ERP/project systems quickly

Highly organised and deadline-driven — able to manage a close timetable and hold others accountable to it

Strong communicator — able to explain technical accounting to non-finance colleagues and to coach junior team members clearly

Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment with competing priorities

Desirable Prior experience in an architecture, design or project-led creative professional services firm

Exposure to international entities — particularly China, Germany or Spain

Experience supporting or leading an external audit process

Experience with finance systems implementations or improvement projects

Personal Attributes

Technically strong and confident; willing to roll up their sleeves when needed

Naturally organised with a strong sense of personal accountability

Collaborative team player who communicates well and builds trust quickly

Calm under pressure — able to maintain quality and composure during peak periods

Intellectually curious and improvement-minded — always looking for a better way

Takes pride in the accuracy and presentation of their work

To apply for this role, please click on the apply button below. You will need to complete the application form. Please ensure that you include a copy of your CV and cover letter.

Please note that candidates shortlisted for this role will be required to complete an in-office assessment as part of the recruitment process.

ZHA is a vibrant mix of ideas and perspectives, and this diversity is one of our greatest strengths. Driven by employee engagement, we cultivate an inclusive environment to empower people from all backgrounds to achieve their ambitions at ZHA.

We assess candidates on the basis of their skills, experience, and potential, and all applicants will be considered equally for employment regardless of race, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, neurodivergence, family or parental status, age, or disability status.

If you have any questions about this vacancy or require any reasonable adjustments to ensure the recruitment process is accessible, please let us know in the designated section of the application form so we can support your participation.