Our client, a Lloyd’s Syndicate, are looking to recruit a Corporate Accountant to join their City based team.

Reporting into the Financial Director this role will include:

•  Setting up of financial processes,
• Day to day accounting,
• Periodic management and statutory reporting and MI. 
• Maintenance of corporate treasury and purchase ledger process in co-ordination with current managing agency, who will continue to be the outsourced syndicate finance team.

This role will suit an individual with previous Tax and VAT experience, someone with partnership accounting experience and who has an understating of the insurance industry.  Preference for an ACCA / ACA / CIMA qualified accountant.

Lloyd’s Syndicate looking for an FP&A Accountant to join their London City based office.

The post holder will be the key contact for SBF (Syndicate Business Forecast) and PMD (Performance Management Data), to include entry of SBF and PMD onto Lloyd’s Software, completing SBF narrative, updating SBF timetables, producing SBF P&L, controlling underwriting templates, completing monthly Lloyds PMD returns, class benchmarking liaison with actuaries, data output checks and reconciliations, investigating errors.

Another key area of responsibility for the successful candidate will be Management Information;  monthly class monitoring, premium, exec reports,  monthly staff slides and board packs, involvement in monthly underwriting packs, monthly premium tracker and monthly plan vs. actuals variance reporting with investigation where necessary.

This role also incorporates planning and re-forecasting; assisting the FP&A Manager with the annual corporate plan and quarterly re-forecasting, as well as bridging analysis of the corporate plans and SBF’s, as well as involvement in SII reporting, cash flow and investment forecasting and analysis, Risk Appetite confirmation.

The successful candidate will ideally be ACCA / CIMA qualified or studying and must have experience of financial planning gained within the insurance industry.

Extremely profitable, large and growing insurance company seek a Syndicate Accountant.

Preparation of Lloyd’s returns with assistance from others in the team (QMA, QMB etc).

Involvement in the preparation of annual returns such as stat accounts and FSA returns.

Working with the internal model team, actuaries and operations to ensure consistency of data across the business.

Preparation of internal management reports.

Candidates should be Qualified or studying, with technical Insurance knowledge, particularly Lloyd’s.

Our client, a US owned general insurance company with a global presence is looking to recruit a Newly Qualified Accountant who has previous insurance experience, ideally London Market, to join their London finance team.

Role responsibilities include playing a pivotal role in quarter end reporting; organising and allocating close process tasks, reviewing journals, preparing quarter end timetable, expense allocation for both planning and in PeopleSoft, understanding the FX process and consolidations. Also this position includes planning responsibilities; preparation of SBF, building GAAP plans, overseeing junior team members and reviewing assumptions and expense plans.

The successful candidate will be newly qualified, ACCA / CIMA / ACA with previous expense and FX accounting experience, US GAAP reporting experience and possess strong excel skills.

Accountabilities

- To be part of a team responsible for the production of management information that supports the Finance team and Senior Management in monitoring and managing the business. With particular emphasis on MI communication and reporting to key stakeholders within and outside Finance.

- To Finance and Senior Management for the provision of high quality, value adding and robust management information.

- To contribute to the functional dynamics both in and outside of the Finance department.

- To the other finance teams for management information input into the respective reporting streams e.g. Lloyd’s, statutory and regulatory reporting.

- To the Underwriting Divisions to provide finance information and answers to related queries.

- To the head of regional offices, Reporting Manager for financial information on the overseas offices.

- To Corporate Communications team for collaboration on production of the syndicate report and accounts.

- To external auditors and actuaries for provision of information, analysis and explanations.

- To external stakeholders (e.g. Ratings agencies, members agents and Lloyd’s) for provision of ad-hoc information.

The role as part of a team responsible for:

- Produce and enhance MI reports that accurately communicate the performance of the business and meet the needs of management.

- Liaise with management and other departments to ensure that the MI remains both relevant and useful.

- Ensure quarterly Three Year Syndicate forecasts are complete, understood and communicated.

- Ensure quarterly One Year Syndicate forecasts are complete, understood and communicated.

- Produce Mini Mi’s supported with robust analysis and commentary.

- Ensure QMR’s and MFR’s are complete, robust, understood and communicated.

- Own and produce Board pack.

- Develop MI, analytical review and commentary supporting the Year of Account and One Year Accounting position /performance.

- Provide the press release of quarterly Three Year Forecasts.

- Co-ordination of financial submissions of the overseas offices.

- Prepare and understand ILV analysis.

- Ensuring the Team deliver information that is right first time (reliable, timely, challenged, controlled and thoroughly reviewed).

- Production of the annual syndicate report and accounts.

- Liaison with auditors and actuaries.

- Liaison with other departments to enhance knowledge transfer eg. Underwriting, Claims & Outwards RI.

- Continually challenge practice and processes to ensure they meet best practice and changing requirements.

- Maintain and development MI systems, processes and controls including JSOX and Solvency II.

- Involvement in ad-hoc projects.

- Produce and maintain “FReD Manual Adjustments” and “Quarterly Financial Controls” files.

- Build and maintain the Financial Reporting Datamart (FReD) and ensure complete for quarterly reporting purposes. Prepare the interface to the General Ledger.

Technical Capabilities

- Newly qualified ACA accountant or equivalent.

- Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.

- Excellent analytical and problem solving ability.

- Good understanding of Lloyd’s or London Market insurance.

- Excellent excel and system skills.

- Ability to manage and prioritise tasks to meet deadlines and expectations.

- Strong technical accounting knowledge and experience (IFRS and Solvency II preferred).

Extremely profitable, large and growing Insurance company seeks a Syndicate Accountant.

Preparation of Lloyd’s returns with assistance from others in the team (QMA. QMB etc).

Involvement in the preparation of annual returns as stat accounts and FSA returns.

Working with the international model team, actuaries and operations to ensure consistence of data across the business.

Preparation of internal management reports.

Candidates should be Qualified or studying, with technical insurance knowledge, particularly Lloyd’s.

Exciting opportunity with Major insurance company for Newly ACCA Qualified Accountant.

Part of small Finance team assisting Finance Controller, liaising across business – Underwriters, Actuaries, key stakeholders. Identify and implement processes, control improvements enabling finance to deliver accurate, timely financial information on business performance whilst supplementing with quality additional management information.

Responsible for producing external reporting – including Head Office, regulatory, statutory reporting and monitor Company’s solvency position.

Requires strong communicator – liaise across business. Great opportunity for someone that wants responsibility and opportunity to join exciting company with clear career progression.

Candidates should be ACCA Qualified, with Insurance experience, US GAAP/IFRS.

March 2013

Many students entering the workforce today are unfamiliar with the role that executive recruiters play in filling open positions in the actuarial profession.

Actuarial recruiters are paid by their clients (employers of actuaries) to find qualified candidates for specific actuarial positions. Recruiters stay in regular touch with candidates to make them aware of any open actuarial positions that exist that match their skills and interests. Recruiters make the client aware of the appropriate candidates for their position, assuming that the candidate has granted permission to do so.

Recruiters provide candidates with assistance with the job search at all stages of the process. For example, should an interview situation arise, recruiters can provide the candidate with helpful interview tips and perhaps company information. In addition, recruiters can provide career-counselling advice and address any concerns candidates have, such as concerns about relocation and salary.

Our strength lies in our ability to successfully source individuals for roles that require specific insurance knowledge

Using an Actuarial Recruiter

Any candidate who is interested in making a career move with the assistance of a recruiter would first begin by discussing their interests and the types of positions that might be appealing to them. The candidate and the recruiter would discuss, location, compensation level, areas of expertise that the candidate has, and also let their recruiter know if they are utilizing any other recruiters to assist them in their search. (They would want to keep an organized list of which recruiters are submitting their resume and to where).

The candidate would forward their resume to the recruiter, who then would discuss the details of their resume with the candidate and make any appropriate/necessary changes. Also, any changes to the resume should be at the approval of the candidate. Professional recruiters would not submit a candidate’s resume without their prior approval. Upon the resume being approved by the candidate, the resume would be submitted to companies that they have an interest in. The recruiter will follow up for feedback on the candidate’s behalf and provide it (positive or negative), and then upon interest of the company arrange any interviews that would take place.

The recruiter will follow up with the candidate and the client regarding the interviews and relay information to both parties. If an offer should come at that point, the recruiter will work with the candidate to negotiate on their behalf and to provide a buffer between the client and the candidate, where issues may arise during negotiations.

Benefits of Using a Recruiter

A candidate can benefit from using a recruiter in many ways. Recruiters have an extensive knowledge base of the market and what is available, or, more importantly, what is potentially available. Since recruiters are looking at the job market everyday as well as building relationships with companies, they are very aware of the types of candidates that would be a good fit with a company, even if there is not a known position within that company. Since each time a recruiter places a candidate at a company they build a two-sided relationship, they end up having built bridge after bridge that each lead to a plethora of contacts. Having a third party who has a history with a company is a good way to present a resume to the company. If a recruiter has an exceptionally good history of presenting strong candidates to a company, that company is likely to listen to that same recruiter when presenting a candidate who falls short of what they would typically consider for a specific position or department.

Downsides to using a Recruiter

From a candidate’s standpoint, a downside to using a recruiter might be that the candidate doesn’t always feel he/she has “control” over the search process. This is why it is very important for a candidate and recruiter to develop a strong and trusting business relationship.

At the entry-level, there are some companies that may choose not to use recruiters because entry level candidates have modest skill sets.