Financial Accountant

Organisation: Bristol Bears
Salary: £40,000 - £45,000 per annum depending on experience
Location: Bristol Bears High Performance Centre, Abbots Leigh, Bristol, BS8 3TF.
Contract type: Permanent (Full time)
Closing date: 1 February 2026
Job Description: DEPARTMENT: FINANCE
REPORTS TO: HEAD OF FINANCE – BRISTOL BEARS

Bristol Bears Rugby Club is part of Stephen Lansdown’s sporting group of companies which includes Bristol Sport, Bristol City Football, Bristol Flyers Basketball and each of their respective community foundations.

The Club’s ambition is ‘to inspire our community through rugby success’. Our supporters regularly attend Ashton Gate Stadium to watch the team perform in Premiership and European Cup Competitions as well as our Women’s team who play at the highest level of domestic competition.

JOB PURPOSE
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join Bristol Bears as Financial Accountant. Reporting into the Head of Finance - Bristol Bears, the successful candidate will ensure the smooth and efficient running of the Club’s finances and compliance obligations and fulfil monthly accounting responsibilities. The successful candidate will partner with key stakeholders to provide insights that support performance and development opportunities.
You will have a background in financial accounting, reporting, and control, with strong organisation skills and the ability to interpret information effectively. You will be analytically minded with excellent attention to detail, working with teams across the wider sporting group to enhance and centralise finance and intercompany accounting processes, and seek opportunities to evolve the group’s finance systems where possible.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES
• Deliver month-end close processes, including accruals, prepayments, deferred income, fixed assets and balance-sheet reconciliations, ensuring a robust financial control framework is maintained.
• Own and produce monthly management reporting packs, delivering timely and accurate accounts with clear variance analysis versus budget and concise commentary.
• Perform day to day accounting operations including expenses, bank reconciliations, accounts receivable and credit control.
• Work with shared group resources, including the Payroll Administrator.
• Oversee the monthly payroll and year end P11d processes, ensuring accurate club inputs and compliant, timely payroll processing.
• Prepare monthly VAT reconciliations and quarterly VAT returns.
• Monitor cash flow and prepare cash flow forecasts.
• Support the Head of Finance with the year-end audit process, acting as key point of contact for the external auditors.
• Full ownership of Bristol Bears Women finance operations, to include:
o Budgeting and forecasting
o Presenting updates to Board
o Business partnering with departmental heads through regular financial reviews
o Primary contact for Premiership Womens Rugby League, providing regulatory and ad hoc information
o Salary cap compliance and modelling
• Identify and implement process improvements to strengthen controls and improve efficiency.
• Work alongside Head of Finance to business partner and deliver department P+L’s and salary cap models.
• Support the Head of Finance with ad hoc tasks and deputise as required.

KEY SKILLS
• Qualified or nearly qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA)
• Previous experience of budgeting and forecasting, closing month end and preparing accounts
• Self-starter with a positive, can-do attitude, the ability to work to tight deadlines and balance workload
• Excellent relationship building skills within finance and across the wider business
• Ability to problem solve in a pressured environment
• Proactive approach to process improvement
• Strong IT skills
• Previous experience of working within a sporting environment would be advantageous

KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Bristol Bears Senior Leadership Team
Bristol Bears Performance Staff
Group Chief Financial Officer
Group Finance Team
Payroll & HR

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
We are committed to the principle of equal opportunity and its policies for recruitment, selection, training, development and promotion are designed to ensure that no employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, ethnic and national origin, disability or gender reassignment.

SAFEGUARDING
Bristol Rugby Club Limited is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees to share this commitment. This role would be subject to a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check.

LOCATION: Bristol Bears High Performance Centre, Abbots Leigh, Bristol, BS8 3TF.
CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent, full-time contract, 37.5 hours over 5 days
SALARY: £40,000 - £45,000 per annum depending on experience
CLOSING DATE: Sunday 1st February at midnight
How to apply: To apply please go to: https://www.bristol-sport.co.uk/jobs/head-of-finance-2/