Assistant Accountant - One Year Contract

Company Profile

Founded in 1977, GMO is a global investment manager committed to delivering superior long-term investment performance and advice to our clients. We offer strategies and solutions where we believe we are positioned to add the greatest value for our investors. These include multi-asset class, equity, fixed income, and alternative offerings.

We manage approximately $65bn for a client base that includes many of the world’s most sophisticated institutions, financial intermediaries, and private clients. Industry-wide, we are well known for our focus on valuation-based investing, willingness to take bold positions when conditions warrant, and candid and academically rigorous thought leadership. Jeremy Grantham, GMO’s Co-Founder and Long-Term Investment Strategist, is renowned as an expert in identifying speculative investment bubbles and also as a leading climate investor and advocate.

GMO is privately owned and employs over 430 people worldwide. We are headquartered in Boston, with additional offices in Europe, Asia and Australia. Our company-wide culture emphasizes commitment to clients, intellectual curiosity, and open debate. We celebrate and respect our differences, while embracing and valuing what each of us brings to work, as we know that diverse teams in an inclusive, caring environment achieve higher engagement and better client results.

Overview of Role 

The Assistant Accountant position is an opportunity to gain broad experience working within the GMO UK Finance team. This role will be responsible for assisting in producing the accounting records, management and financial reporting as well as cost and revenue analysis. The Assistant Accountant will work closely with the wider global finance team. This opportunity is to cover for a twelve month maternity leave.

Responsibilities

Accounting Records

•Maintenance of the books and records of GMO UK and GMO Netherlands

•Management of fixed asset register and calculation of depreciation

•Preparation and booking of prepayment and accrual schedules 

•Monthly general ledger account reconciliations 

•Reallocate central expenses to various cost centres

Accounts Payable

•Verification and posting of accounts payable

•Cash receipts and bank revaluation processing

•Review of supplier invoices, expenses and credit card statements

Cash Management

•Update daily cash report to encompass all cash account activity

•Periodic forecasting of cash flow and cash rebalancing 

•Monitoring of counterparty exposure risk 

•Review of monthly bank reconciliations

Supporting the accounting team with:

•Preparation of quarterly management reports, forecasts and other reporting for the Board of Directors and parent company

•Preparation of quarterly VAT returns 

•Preparation of transfer pricing and supporting schedules 

Skills and Knowledge Requirements 

•Pro-active, highly motivated and takes initiative 

•Organised, analytical with good attention to detail 

•Strong excel skills

•Ability to multi-task, prioritise and meet deadlines

•Independent and confident but possessing the judgement necessary to know when to seek assistance

•Excellent interpersonal skills

Qualification Requirements 

•University Degree. 

•Part qualified ACA, CIMA or ACCA Accountant.

•Accounting experience, preferably within an investment management firm.