Accountant (18-month maternity cover)

We are looking for a talented Accountant (maternity cover) to join our team specializing in Finance for our Meritor - Corporate Finance Department in Cwmbran, United Kingdom. This is an 18‑month maternity cover role, open for secondment. 

In this role, you will make an impact in the following ways:

• Strengthening general ledger integrity: Ensure accurate and complete posting of fixed assets, intercompany transactions, accruals, prepayments, and bank reconciliations, providing a robust and reliable financial foundation.
• Driving efficient month-end close: Coordinate timely and precise month-end activities, reducing close cycle times while maintaining high accuracy and control standards.
• Enhancing financial reporting quality: Deliver clear, consistent, and accurate financial information that supports both group reporting requirements and local statutory needs.
• Embedding best practices: Identify, implement, and continuously improve accounting processes and controls to drive efficiency, consistency, and compliance across the function.
• Supporting audit excellence: Act as a key point of contact for SOX, internal, and external audits, ensuring well-prepared documentation, smooth audit interactions, and timely issue resolution.
• Ensuring audit readiness and compliance: Provide complete and accurate information to external auditors to meet group and statutory audit requirements without delays or rework.
• Standardizing across European entities: Partner closely with European accounting teams to harmonize processes, controls, and best practices across all sites.
• Delivering statutory reporting: Assist with the preparation of UK statutory financial statements, ensuring accuracy, compliance with local regulations, and alignment with group policies.

To be successful in this role you will need the following: 

• Strong technical accounting expertise: Solid knowledge of general ledger management, including fixed assets, intercompany, accruals, prepayments, and bank reconciliations, to ensure accuracy, integrity, and compliance.
• Effective month-end and reporting discipline: Ability to plan, coordinate, and deliver accurate and timely month-end close and financial reporting under tight deadlines.
• Audit and compliance mindset: Confidence working with SOX, internal, and external auditors, providing clear documentation, accurate data, and maintaining strong controls to meet group and statutory requirements.
• Collaborative and improvement-focused approach: Willingness to work closely with European accounting teams to standardize processes, implement best practices, and support high-quality statutory financial statement preparation.

Education/ Experience:

• College, university, or equivalent degree in Accounting, Finance or related field required.
• Minimal relevant professional work experience in the field of study required.