Finance Associate (London, UK)

Alantra is an independent global mid-market financial services firm providing investment banking, asset management, and private capital services to companies, families, and investors operating in the mid-market segment. The Group has over 650 professionals across Europe, the US, Latin America, and Asia.

Its Investment Banking division provides independent advice on M&A, debt advisory, financial restructuring, structured funding & asset backed securitizations, credit portfolio advisory and capital markets transactions, having advised on c. 750 deals for a total value of c. €187bn in the last four years. Alantra’s senior bankers and execution teams offer a global understanding of industry sectors combined with strong local relationships with the companies, investors, entrepreneurs, and financing institutions in each of its markets.

In Alternative Asset Management, Alantra offers its client unique access to a wide range of investment strategies in five highly specialized asset management classes (private equity, active funds, private debt, energy, and venture capital). As of 31 December 2023, assets under management from consolidated businesses stood at €2.2bn, while assets under management from Strategic Partnerships, in which Alantra holds a significant stake, were at more than €13.4bn.

For more information, please visit www.alantra.com

Job Description:

ALANTRA is offering an exciting new position for a Finance associate in our London headquarters with excellent career advancement prospects in a dynamic, international, and collaborative environment within a multinational group.

You will be an integral part of our global finance department with a focus primarily on financial reporting of our UK businesses as well as oversight of certain international subsidiaries.  

Our commitment to creating a high performing culture

We believe that our ability to attract, retain and develop a diverse workforce delivers real value to our company and our clients, and that every employee should play an active role in promoting and sustaining an inclusive culture. We are committed to creating a workplace where employees feel comfortable to bring their authentic selves to work. We do that best through supporting candidates from a variety of backgrounds throughout the recruitment process. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and we aspire to have a workforce which reflects employees and applicants of varying backgrounds including ethnicity, sex, age, nationality, disability, religion, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, socio-economic background, gender identity and/or expression or any other protected characteristics.

Role description:

Alantra is currently seeking a Finance Associate to join its dynamic and collaborative team based in London.

You will be a self-motivated professional with a forward-thinking perspective, eager to learn, with ability to work in a fast-paced and international environment, with excellent verbal and written communication skills and rigorous attention to detail and process.

The candidate will support our UK and certain international entities in all related financial reporting matters including:

• Oversee the monthly, quarterly and annual financial reporting cycle for multiple legal entities across the UK and non-UK businesses, ensuring they are completed within the internal and external reporting deadlines
• Reporting on your areas of responsibility in the context of the wider group consolidation
• Lead the preparation of statutory financial statements in accordance with local GAAP requirements and assist with external auditors to ensure timely completion of audits
  • For the UK this will include ensuring the correct treatment of revenue and expenses and journal entries to complete the financial accounts
  • For the international businesses, this will include overseeing the local outsourcers to ensure they have all necessary information, deadlines are met and having an understanding of the financial reporting movements in each jurisdiction
• Manage the monthly balance sheet reconciliation process, ensuring all accounts are reconciled in a timely manner and implement new accounting standards as needed
• Drive continuous improvement and automation by designing and implementing new processes as well as internal controls to incorporate evolving business needs and reporting requirements
• Assisting the preparation of quarterly VAT returns and regulatory filings; corporation tax and transfer pricing matters
• Providing support to some company secretarial requirements

Requirements:

• Experience in a finance function, preferably within financial reporting
• Postgraduate finance qualification (e.g. ACA) strongly preferred
• Bachelor’s degree preferred, but open to candidates with alternative experiences
• Strong interest in banking and financial services
• Proven history of process improvement
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills; proficient in the use of the rest of the Microsoft Office suite
• Knowledge of SAP would be an advantage but training will be provided
• Similarly knowledge of VAT treatment and corporation tax would be beneficial
• Excellent problem solving and data-handling skills demonstrating analytic rigour and attention to detail
• Knowledge and experience of automation of financial controls & analytics
• Demonstrated ability partnering with international colleagues in different jurisdictions would be beneficial
• Well organised, self-motivated and eager to learn
• Ability to take ownership of a task whilst working under pressure
• Entrepreneurial spirit with the ability to contribute your own ideas and work autonomously
• English proficiency (verbal and written) is a requirement

• High degree of professional ethics and integrity