Management Accountant
// Role Summary
RBSL is seeking a Management Accountant in Telford to provide critical financial analysis, ensure robust controls, and manage complex defence contract compliance, supporting senior leadership decision-making.
// Key Responsibilities
- Act as a critical link between finance and operational stakeholders.
- Ensure robust financial controls and manage defence contract compliance.
- Provide strategic financial analysis for senior leadership.
- Manage inventory valuation and financial forecasting.
- Support investment decision-making through financial modelling.
// Role Specification
About Us
Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) is a defence engineering company based in the UK, specialising in the design, manufacture, and support of military vehicles for both the British Army and international customers.
Position Overview
This role serves as a crucial bridge between the finance department and operational teams. The successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining strong financial controls, navigating the complexities of defence contract compliance, and delivering strategic financial analysis to inform senior leadership decisions regarding cost base, inventory, investments, and pricing rates.
What Will You Do
Financial Control & Reporting
- Ensure the integrity of accounts within your remit by adhering strictly to Company Financial Policies.
- Provide accurate data during reporting cycles to assist senior leaders in understanding cost base, stock levels, and rates.
- Collaborate with cost centre managers to efficiently close out financial positions around key reporting milestones.
- Manage rolling forecasts for costs, cash, and headcount, including accruals, prepayments, and balance sheet reconciliations.
Defence Compliance & Rates
- Develop working relationships with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Cost Assurance and Analysis Service (CAAS).
- Assist in the calculation, negotiation, and agreement of business charging rates with defence auditors.
- Construct financial forecasting models for overhead rates, direct labour rates, and material handling.
- Review internal overheads and labour costs to ensure compliance with statutory guidelines for Allowable Costs (Appropriate, Attributable, and Reasonable).
Business Partnering & Planning
- Engage directly with cost centre managers to offer financial insights that highlight operational opportunities and vulnerabilities.
- Drive the mid-term planning process through constructive challenge of inputs.
Inventory & Stock Management
- Uphold company inventory policies through regular, rigorous reviews.
- Ensure valuation accuracy, calculate Net Realisable Values (NRV) and Moving Average Prices (MAP), and manage excess, surplus, and slow-moving stock.
Investments
- Review and analyse business cases, project proposals, and capital expenditure requests.
- Perform financial modelling (NPV, IRR, payback period) to support investment decisions.
- Oversee the recording of fixed asset transactions, including acquisitions, tracking, depreciation, amortization, impairment testing, and disposals, ensuring accurate processing in the ERP system.
- Monitor Capital Work-in-Progress accounts.
- Prepare financial schedules for fixed assets and provide variance analysis for capital expenditures.
What Qualifications You Should Have
- Experience working in manufacturing or defence environments.
- A recognised accounting designation, or progress towards one, or extensive Qualified By Experience (QBE).
- Experience with Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and cloud computing arrangements, distinguishing between capitalizable configuration costs and operational expenses (IFR16, IAS 16, IAS 38).
- Proficiency with enterprise software suites such as SAP (FI/CO modules).
- The confidence and diplomatic skill to objectively review budget inputs, question assumptions, and enforce financial discipline.
What We Offer You
RBSL is committed to being an employer of choice, fostering a supportive culture for career development. We offer excellent opportunities for growth through specialist technical roles, essential support functions, and leadership positions.
In addition, RBSL offers:
- Competitive salaries reviewed annually.
- Annual bonus incentive scheme.
- 37-hour working week over 4.5 days.
- Employer pension contributions up to 10%.
- Hybrid and flexible working arrangements.
- Life assurance cover.
- 5 weeks of holiday plus bank holidays, with a holiday purchase scheme.
- Health cash plan.
- Salary sacrifice benefits (e.g., cycle to work, electric vehicles).
- Access to discounts and cashback for high street and gym.
- Long Service rewards with additional holiday.
- Enhanced maternity and paternity benefits.
- Free access to the onsite gym.