Assistant Management Account - Retail

Mountain Warehouse, the London-based outdoor goods retailer, is looking for an ambitious Assistant Management Accountant to join its Finance team. The role is permanent, full-time and hybrid, located in London. This is a chance to blend solid management accounting fundamentals with commercial sense, analysis and a focus on continuous improvement. If you enjoy a hands-on position that touches period-end reporting, financial control and performance analysis across a busy retail operation, this could be a great fit. The role sits in the finance function and reports to the Finance Manager, with key input from Finance Business Partners. You’ll be embedded in a team that handles a broad range of finance activities, offering exposure to month-end processes and reporting while developing toward a qualified Management Accountant position. The right person will bring a practical, accuracy-driven mindset and a willingness to grow their technical and business acumen in a fast-moving environment. Mountain Warehouse’s finance team supports a high-volume retail business, and the successful applicant will enjoy a hands-on role that emphasises robust control and clear reporting. This is a chance to contribute to financial outcomes, collaborate with colleagues across departments, and build experience that underpins future progression within management accounting.

A day-to-day in the numbers team

During month-end, you’ll prepare and post journals, ensuring income and expenditure are captured in line with policy, and you’ll calculate accruals and prepayments as part of the close cycle. You’ll review ledger activity to help keep the close smooth and timely, and you’ll work with the Accounts Payable team to ensure invoices are coded and posted correctly, finishing with balance sheet reconciliations due by agreed deadlines and support for the monthly management accounts and reporting packs.

On the analysis side, you’ll produce regular financial and operational reporting to aid informed decision-making, comparing performance against budget, forecast and prior year. You’ll surface meaningful insights into cost drivers, trends, risks and opportunities and back up Finance Business Partners and operational stakeholders with ad hoc analyses and financial information requests. You’ll also assist with budgets, forecasts and reforecasts and contribute to concise commentary on how the business is performing.

There’s responsibility for controls and compliance as well, from supporting year-end processes and audit deliverables to ensuring records stay accurate and aligned with company policies. You’ll help sustain a strong financial control environment by sticking to established processes and addressing issues that could affect accuracy in a timely way, while also supporting continuous improvement projects to enhance reporting and systems usage.

What you’ll bring to the role

• Minimum three years’ experience in a finance team within a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Studying towards ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent, or actively looking to study.
• Solid grasp of management accounting principles and month-end processes.
• Advanced Excel skills and confidence using financial systems.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Effective communication and the ability to build relationships with both finance and non-finance stakeholders.

Pay, benefits and practical details

The role offers a competitive salary and benefits package, with hybrid working arranged as three days in the London-based office and two days working from home. You’ll also receive a standard holiday allowance, a pension scheme, and a generous staff discount of 50% for you and 25% for family and friends.

Advice for applicants

Lead with your track record: in your resume, foreground at least three years of experience in a finance team operating in a fast-paced, high-volume setting, ideally with examples that show how you contributed to period-end close or reporting improvements.

Show your ongoing commitment to professional qualifications: clearly mention that you’re studying towards ACCA, CIMA, ACA or an equivalent credential, or that you’re actively pursuing study, and note any expected timelines if possible.

Demonstrate how you’ve used your technical skills: describe concrete situations where you applied advanced Excel, worked with financial systems, and supported month-end close or reconciliations, including any impact on accuracy or efficiency.

Be ready to discuss business insight and collaboration: you’ll be asked about how you’ve turned numbers into commentary on performance, how you’ve partnered with Finance Business Partners or non-finance stakeholders, and how you’ve handled ad hoc analyses and budgeting or forecasting tasks. A thoughtful example will help you stand out.