PR/118795 | [FTC] Financial Accountant – Retail & E-commerce

SUMMARY OF JOB PURPOSE

We are on a mission to drive and expand their global business and become the most iconic premium lifestyle brand. As part of our ongoing SAP (S/4HANA) implementation for EMEA retail and e-commerce finance operations, with UAT scheduled, we require a hands-on Financial Accountant to join on a 1yr Fixed Term Contract basis.

This role has two equally important focus areas:
 

1. Act as an equal, independent partner to the Senior Financial Accountant during UAT — owning assigned test scenarios end-to-end with full autonomy, without requiring step-by-step oversight, so that UAT coverage and timeline are not dependent on a single person

2. Maintain continuity of day-to-day retail and e-commerce accounting operations during the intensive UAT period, so that BAU does not fall behind while the team is focused on testing
   This hands-on role owns key accounting activities for stores and e-commerce, including month-end and year-end closing, external audit support and group consolidation reporting, using SAP (S/4HANA or an equivalent SAP ERP platform such as SAP ECC) as the core finance platform.
   This role requires someone who can be trusted to run their own portion of UAT independently from day one. Prior hands-on experience participating in a SAP implementation project and/or formal UAT process is a mandatory requirement — this is not a role for someone who would be learning UAT methodology for the first time, given the compressed timeline and the need for the candidate to work at parity with the Senior Financial Accountant.

The ideal candidate is someone who:

• Has strong, practical hands-on experience with SAP S/4HANA, including comfort navigating transactions well enough to independently design, execute and validate test scenarios

• Has direct, demonstrable prior experience in a SAP (or equivalent ERP) implementation project, specifically in a UAT capacity — able to speak concretely to test scripts written, defects identified/tracked, and sign-off decisions made

• Has a solid background in fashion retail and e-commerce accounting

• Can work independently with minimal supervision, operating at parity with the Senior Financial Accountant rather than as a junior support function

• Is available to start within a short timeframe, given the one-month UAT deadline

   

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
UAT Execution & SAP S/4HANA Validation

• Independently own an assigned portion of UAT scope, working at parity with the Senior Financial Accountant — not as a supporting tester, but as a co-equal owner of test coverage for retail/e-commerce accounting flows (e.g., sales postings, returns, inventory movements, cost of sales, reconciliations, consolidation-related data flows)

• Design and/or finalize test scenarios and scripts within assigned scope, based on business requirements, without requiring detailed instruction

• Execute test scenarios, validate SAP S/4HANA outputs against expected accounting treatment and group reporting requirements, and make independent judgment calls on pass/fail criteria

• Log, document and track defects/issues; directly coordinate with IT/SI teams on resolution and retesting within assigned scope

• Validate data migration items relevant to retail/e-commerce (e.g., opening balances, master data, account mapping) within assigned scope

• Provide clear, concise UAT status updates and escalate only genuine blockers — not routine progress — to the Senior Financial Account

• Contribute to UAT sign-off decisions for assigned scope

Post Go-Live Transition

• Support hypercare activities following go-live, helping stabilize BAU processes within the new SAP environment

• Support knowledge transfer/process documentation for BPO vendor training

• Support handover/transition at contract end depending on business needs at that time
  Financial Close & Retail Accounting

• Own month-end, quarter-end and year-end closing activities for fashion retail stores and e-commerce operations

• Prepare and review journal entries, accruals, provisions, prepayments and balance sheet reconciliations

• Ensure accurate accounting for sales, returns, discounts, inventory, cost of sales, payment fees and other retail or e-commerce transactions

• Investigate variances and unusual balances, coordinate corrective actions and meet the group reporting timetable

• Maintain complete accounting records and supporting documentation in accordance with applicable standards and company policies

   

Consolidation & Group Reporting

• Prepare accurate and timely group reporting consolidation packages, including entity-level data collection, consolidation adjustments and submission to regional/HQ reporting systems, in line with group accounting policies and deadlines

• Perform intercompany reconciliations and execute intercompany eliminations (e.g., intercompany sales, balances, profit-in-stock) as part of the consolidation process; support resolution of mismatches and consolidation adjustments

• Analyse movements in the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow and provide clear explanations to regional and group stakeholders

• Support statutory-to-group reporting alignment, including reporting adjustments and mapping

   

SAP S/4HANA, Controls & Process Improvement

• Use SAP (S/4HANA or equivalent SAP ERP, e.g., SAP ECC) to post, review and analyse accounting transactions and produce reliable financial reports

• Maintain data integrity, account mappings and reporting logic and troubleshoot system or interface issues with relevant teams

• Operate and enhance key financial controls, including review evidence, access discipline and segregation of duties

• Identify opportunities to standardise, automate and improve closing and reporting processes across retail and e-commerce channels

• Collaborate with Finance, IT, BPO and operational stakeholders to resolve accounting and reporting issues

YOUR EXPERIENCE – MUST HAVE

• At least five years of finance and accounting experience in fashion retail, including e-commerce operations.

• At least three years of hands-on experience using SAP for accounting transactions, month-end and year-end closing, reconciliations and financial reporting. Five or more years of SAP experience is preferred.

• Demonstrable experience participating in at least one SAP or equivalent ERP implementation, migration or formal UAT project. This must include hands-on involvement in activities such as preparing or executing test scripts, validating system outputs, identifying and tracking defects, performing retesting and contributing to sign-off decisions.

• The ability to independently navigate SAP and validate accounting results without requiring step-by-step guidance. Experience with SAP S/4HANA is preferred; experience with SAP ECC or another equivalent SAP ERP platform will also be considered.

• Strong accounting knowledge with practical experience in monthly and annual closing

• Hands-on experience in group consolidation, including preparation of group reporting consolidation packages and execution of intercompany eliminations (e.g., intercompany sales/balances, unrealised profit elimination)

• Experience supporting external financial audits and preparing audit-ready documentation

• Strong systems aptitude, with the ability to understand end-to-end data flows, identify root causes and resolve finance system or interface issues

• High level of accuracy, ownership and attention to detail, with the ability to deliver under tight closing deadlines

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills and the ability to communicate accounting matters clearly to finance and non-finance stakeholders

• Advanced Excel and Microsoft Office skills

• Professional working proficiency in English; experience in an international, multi-entity environment is strongly preferred