European Statutory Reporting Manager chez Nomad Foods

Nomad Foods was formed in 2015 and with revenues of €2.6bn is the largest frozen food company in Europe. Nomad owns a portfolio of leading brands including Birds Eye, Findus and iglo, supplemented in 2018 with the purchase of Goodfellas Pizza and Aunt Bessie’s, and in 2021 with the purchase of Ledo and Frikom.

We manufacture and distribute a range of branded frozen food products across 22 European countries with the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Sweden and France representing our five largest markets.

The long-term goal of Nomad is to develop a global portfolio of best-in-class food brands by growing organically and through strategic M&A.

We are proposing that our new Shared Finance Centre (SFC) will house both our Financial Accounting teams and our Financial Planning and Analysis Centre of Expertise. 

Our vision is to build trusted, equal partnerships through the delivery of timely and valuable services that will ensure growth and business success for Nomad Foods. The team will deliver a step change in performance through a relentless focus on excellence in execution and continuous improvement, enabling us to simplify and standardise our processes and procedures, which in turn, enables quality decision-making, delights our customers and supports Nomad Food’s business objectives.

The Shared Finance Centre will be an outstanding place to work for finance professionals, with new and exciting opportunities to develop careers and by being recognised alongside the very best by our people.

Reporting into the Statutory & Tax Controller - Shared Finance with a dotted line into the Head of Financial Accounting in Shared Finance, this role is responsible for ensuring data/requests for information for all in scope regulatory submissions are compiled/completed accurately and in accordance with deadlines e.g. VAT, Intrastat and the timely production, sign-off and submission of statutory accounts globally.  This role will work with our external outsource provider to ensure they are provided timely and accurate information for them to complete statutory audit and tax return information to be prepared for submission.

An opportunity has arisen in Record to Report, supporting the entire European Nomad portfolio of businesses.  It will be leading the process and being accountable for providing accurate and timely accounting/tax information to our external service providers, auditors, regulatory and tax authorities across Nomad’s European multi-billion portfolio (40-50 entities). 

The role will manage and coordinate the end-to-end process for collection of information required of external service providers to prepare and submit our regulatory returns in accordance with agreed service levels and timetables.              

The role will incorporate driving interaction between all stakeholders and coordinate the efficient resolution of key reporting/process issues as they arise. 

Specific responsibilities include:

Coordinate and manage the preparation of statutory and tax filings

• Ownership of the end-to-end Statutory Reporting cycle for all Nomad entities
• Accountable for the timely completion of SFS and CIT filings for all Nomad entities
• Ownership of the relationship with KPMG ensuring constant communication between both parties and resolution of any issues related to Statutory Reporting is dealt with in a timely manner
• Review and sign off of SOX Controls relating to VAT and CIT computations
• Be the first point-of-contact for issues arising around the reporting cycle and ensure their effective, efficient resolution
• Be a trusted partner for all stakeholders
• Review of large entities’ annual tax computations and statutory financial statements for completeness
• Support KPMG in the preparation of tax calculations for statutory accounts filing
• Manage the collation of relevant information to provide to KPMG for preparation of statutory accounts and tax returns
• Manage the collection of information for other regulatory and statutory filings
• Ensuring the success of the end-to-end project plan for the timely production, sign-off and submission of statutory accounts across the group
• Ensuring timely submission of information to support VAT Claims/tax audits/statutory accounts production and managing issues in relation to this
• Managing escalations around ad hoc requests / issues
• Be an initial reference point for accounting and tax matters across Nomad’s portfolio

Accountable for the preparation of statutory accounts and tax filings

• Ensure all monthly stat adjustments are submitted as required
• Ensure statutory accounts are appropriately reviewed for accuracy before submission
• Ensure tax computations (both direct and indirect) are appropriately reviewed for accuracy before submission
• Support local controllers with year-end activities and audit as required
• Assist with tax audits as required
• Leading internal and external stakeholder relationships (e.g. IT, Tax Team, Co Sec.) and to oversee successful service delivery. This includes liaising with KPMG and external auditors to improve the processes around statutory audits to ensure statutory accounts are up to date and completed in line with required deadlines

Statutory Audit

• Manage annual statutory audit with PwC: provide accounts, support substantive testing, address queries
• Derive reporting timeline with stakeholders to ensure that there is an efficient and robust reporting cycle throughout the year
• Performance manage annual reporting cycle; holding parties to account and escalating to relevant parties where appropriate
• Monitoring and reporting upon the adequacy and effectiveness of processes around statutory accounts processing and working with appropriate stakeholders to remediate any deficiencies

Other

• Develop KPIs and ensure performance is constantly monitored and reviewed and ensure corrective, timely action is taken where appropriate
• Lead by example in developing a continuous improvement mindset within the team and across the SFC
• Lead and develop the team and support their professional growth

Essential

• A qualified accountant, with a ACA, ACCA, or international equivalent with significant post qualified experience
• Significant prior experience in managing Statutory and tax reporting (IFRS, Local GAAP, Corporate tax reporting, Indirect tax reporting)
• Experience in managing External auditors
• Experience in managing outsourced accounting providers
• Manage team of senior professionals
• Strong organisational skills, including ability to prioritise own workload in a pressurised environment to tight deadlines
• Knowledge of IFRS and other European accounting requirements and their practical application
• Experience of audit and year-end close process
• Advanced influencing skills
• Project management, leadership skills
• Display a can-do attitude
• Possess a high attention to quality and be able to work collaboratively with key internal and external customers
• Can work with people at all levels
• Have a straightforward, open personality and an enthusiastic, positive attitude

Desirable

• FMCG
• Public accounting with big four firm or internal audit with a large corporation
• Contract management for outsourced operations
• Computer skills in major ERP platforms (preferably SAP)