Financial Accountant

Position:                    Financial Accountant – Back-Roads/Topdeck
Reporting to:             Financial Controller
Location Base:          Chiswick, London, UK (3 days office, 2 days remote)           
Contract:                    Permanent                             

Here at Flight Centre Global Touring, we’re a travel company specialising in group tours and inspiring people through life-changing travel experiences. Through our brands Topdeck Travel, Back-Roads Touring and Grasshopper Adventures we are ever developing our product range, driving growth in key sales markets (Australia, New Zealand & North America), innovating product delivery and ensuring we deliver a first-class customer experience. Don’t worry if you can’t find Global Touring when you search online – this is our internal brand, externally we only use our customer facing brands.

Topdeck, Back-Roads and Grasshopper serve different customers, however our ‘one best way’ approach is consistent and effective in supporting the specific strategy and activity for each brand. At Global Touring, each team member works across both of our brands with equal commitment.

We’re looking for someone to join our team that aligns perfectly with our brand and values... if this sounds like you then keep reading! 

Overview
The Financial Accountant role is a crucial part of the Finance team working together with the Management Accountant and Transactional Finance team to deliver Monthly and Annual Financial results.

We’re looking for a Proactive, self-motivated, detail-oriented financial accountant, who is not afraid to extend their skill set into any aspect of finance. We are a growing team so the scope of the role will be broad from the outset, with emphasis on leading the Period End reporting, Audit support, Report building, System Testing, Team Mentoring, strong Commercial Business Partnering with a focus on Financial Control aspects.

Key Responsibilities.

• Responsible for the delivery of accurate month end reporting for Global Touring to our shareholders, the Flight Centre Travel Group in line with the agreed timetable consisting of Day 1 and Day 4 reporting, the production of the management accounts, the HORP, and upload of information into SUN (the global reporting system).
• Ensuring balance sheet accounts are reconciled monthly, accounting is in accordance with IFRS, and risks / opportunities are identified.
• Working with the Management Accountant and Financial Controller to understand variances between actual month end results, forecast, budget and prior year.
• Together with the Management Accountant delivering all monthly, quarterly and annual local Sales Taxes, CAA, ABTA and other regulatory returns, including a detailed understanding of TOMS VAT rules.
• Cost centre construction and reporting with specific focus on Overheads.
• Responsible for the management of FX accounting and derivative postings.
• Review of the loan / intercompany accounts ensuring all transactions are correctly recorded and balances agreed on a monthly basis.
• Key player in acting for Global Touring with EY, our external auditors. Responsible with the Financial Controller for the smooth running of the year end audit and delivery of statutory accounts data.
• Helping to identify areas of potential control risks and developing solutions.
• Focus on improving processes, not just in your own role but across Finance and the wider business.

Experience, Requirements and Key Behaviors

• Qualified accountant with a minimum of 3 years’ experience in a high volume, low margin business within a listed group.
• Hands-on with a keen eye for detail and a passion for getting the accounting right.
• Genuine, practical experience of completing complicated reconciliations.
• Excellence with Excel, with a systems orientated mindset. Key focus in providing facts and data to the team and the wider business.
• Able to explain complicated accounting concepts in a clear and straight-forward manner.
• Good knowledge of accounting best practice and IFRS.
• Experience of working within a tour operator and with FX accounting knowledge would be an advantage.
• Proactive in dealing with issues and a desire to make changes that continuously improve their processes, their team and themselves.
• Used to managing stakeholders across a variety of time zones.
• Ability to work under pressure and ensure deadlines are met.
• Problem solver with a positive can-do attitude, looking for solutions.
• An excellent communicator and team player with a high level of emotional intelligence.
• Demonstrated experience using AI tools to enhance efficiency, problem-solving, and work quality is an advantage
• And of course, a love for all things travel-related!

Corporate and Social Responsibilities
You should demonstrate a commitment to the following, within Global Touring:

• improving recycling processes
• stopping the use of all single-use plastic items
• promoting the use of reusable items such as Tupperware and water bottles
• protect our company culture of openness to all people regardless of gender, age…

Team member benefits
Our benefits are ever changing and are offered to UK employees (some with specific length of service required to access), as subject to change. Access guides and usage policies and T&Cs can all be accessed upon joining.
 
Travel & Entertainment

• Annual free trip with one of our brands
• Family & Friends discount on Global Touring trips
• Travelwise – Internal travel agent with access to exclusive industry deals and discounts.
• Eurostar – Flat rate fares across the network
• Hotels – travel industry concessions at selected international chains
• Perkbox (UK) membership with flexipoints added monthly
• Finance & Lifemin
• Pension contribution (UK)
• Access to FCTG employee share plan (Global)

 
Health & Wellbeing

• Free annual eye test
• Healthwise forum
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Cycle to work scheme

Working arrangements & leave

• 23 days annual leave + Bank Holidays
• Birthday leave
• Flexible working
• L&D days (up to 4x days per year)
• Volunteer Leave
• Additional Annual leave purchase
• Bonus up to 10% based on profits linked performance

Hungry for more? Shoot over your resume along with a cover letter telling us why this is the job for you – and equally why you’re right for us.

We support flexible working, and for the right candidate we’re open to this role being partially based remotely. Ideally, we’d like you to start immediately but won’t rule out anyone worth waiting for.

Hungry for more? Shoot over your resume along with a cover letter telling us why this is the job for you – and equally why you are right for us.

Global Touring Values 
Our values aren’t just words on a page. They’re the backbone; the steering wheel;
the soundtrack to how we embrace each day. Like a well baked brownie, every ingredient
combines to achieve the rich consistency fuelling the soul of Global Touring.      

Stay curious
We are natural born explorers. Our people question old solutions, apply alternative thinking and embrace being challenged in the search for outcomes. We’re excited by the journey on and off the road – expanding our knowledge, adapting to feedback and questioning the status quo. Value ideas over hierarchy. Have the courage to take risks. Don’t let perfection prevent growth.

Choose transparency
We take the right way, not the easy way. We’re straight up even through the toughest conversations; tackling challenges head-on and with integrity. Honour commitments. Communicate with clarity. And build relationships based on mutual respect. Forget hidden agendas, we treat everyone fairly – despite a preference for instant coffee.

Don’t pass the buck
If we do it, we do it well. We are empowered to make decisions based on data and experience – holding each other accountable along the way. Spare the excuses. Be fearless in the pursuit of results. And take responsibility – even when no one’s looking. There will be bumps in the road; that’s ok. We own our mistakes and learn from the challenges as well as the successes.

Together we go further
Across oceans and office desks, it’s more than a love for travel that keeps us connected.
There are no silos here; we are each other’s toughest critics and loudest supporters – especially around the ping pong table. People with diverse backgrounds, different identities and varied experiences make our company exceptional. We embrace alternate perspectives, recognise each other’s strengths and champion collective genius.