Rutherford Cross is delighted to be retained by Cooke Aquaculture Scotland to recruit a Financial Accountant.

The Company

Cooke Aquaculture Scotland is a leading company in the Scottish Salmon Industry producing exceptionally high-quality products for an increasingly demanding market, in accordance with outstanding farming practices. The business has operations throughout Scotland, Cumbria and the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland, dedicated to achieving a strong and sustainable aquaculture industry.

The business has previously operated under a number of banners before its acquisition by Canadian based Cooke Aquaculture Inc in 2014. The parent company, a long-standing family owned operation was established in 1985 in New Brunswick on Canada’s East Coast. What started as a humble family aquaculture company with a single marine site has grown into a global seafood leader with fully integrated facilities, product lines and distribution networks. In recent years, the business has embarked on an aggressive plan for growth, including acquisitions and an ongoing strategic search for development opportunities.

Cooke Aquaculture Scotland farms its salmon in Orkney and Shetland, the most northernly part of the United Kingdom - the strong tidal waters surrounding the islands make it the perfect place to rear the world’s finest salmon. The company also has vital operations on the UK mainland, with freshwater sites geographically spread in Argyll, Cumbria, Clackmannanshire and Sutherland. Tucked into the natural beauty of the countryside, all sites operate with state-of-the-art technology for the perfect integration in their environment. Bellshill is the hub for logistics and sales, from the reception of the harvested fish to distribution to markets around the world. The vertical integration of all these operations guarantees full traceability for customers.

Cooke Aquaculture Scotland’s latest accounts boast a healthy turnover in excess of £150m and an impressive net profit of over £35m. The business has a very stable team with a positive and collaborative working culture which has been helpful in maintaining an extremely low level of staff turnover.

The Opportunity

The role of Financial Accountant has become available due to an upcoming retirement in March 2021. The position will report directly to the Group Financial Controller.

Since becoming owners of the business in 2014, the Canadian based parent company has given Cooke Aquaculture Scotland a great deal of autonomy, which has been well received and has contributed to very positive financial performances.

The post holder will take responsibility for a range of accounting duties including management and statutory accounts preparation and acting as main point of contact for the annual audit.  This individual will be expected to build excellent relationships across the business. They must gain a strong understanding of the operation and its culture and develop a deep knowledge of its customers and supply chain.

The business has an excellent track record of extremely low staff turnover and the existing finance team work very harmoniously. Cooke Aquaculture is keen to appoint an individual who will complement the department as it stands and in time drive the team forward.

There is scope for the Financial Accountant to take on greater responsibility and play a more influential role in the business, should the individual produce a high standard of work and demonstrate the right attitude. This is an exceptional opportunity to join an established business, with ambitious plans for the future, by playing a key role in its journey.

The Candidate

The position incorporates a wide range of responsibilities requiring a confident individual with strong interpersonal skills and a technical accounting background. The Financial Accountant will have experience of preparing management and statutory accounts and a willingness to support in audits and tax disclosures. The role encompasses a broad range of duties and therefore requires an individual who is prepared to be flexible regarding business needs.

A summary of the key candidate requirements are as follows:

• New or recently qualified accountant; ICAS, ACCA or CIMA
• Strong technical foundation in accounting
• Confidence and strong interpersonal skills, especially when interfacing with senior management and internal/external stakeholders
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail
• Ability to work under pressure, manage deadlines and prioritise effectively
• Energy, drive, tenacity, professionalism and commitment
• Strong IT skills with good knowledge of MS Excel
• Ability to work well in a team, but also capable of taking ownership for the delivery of specific tasks
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Job Description

Job Title:                            Financial Accountant

Reporting to:                      Group Financial Controller

Location:                            Bellshill

Position Overview:

The Financial Accountant position has been created due to the retirement of the current incumbent. The successful candidate will work closely with the wider finance team based across various locations, including Bellshill, Carlisle, Orkney, and Invergordon, whilst also liaising with stakeholders in operations, sales and logistics. This position will require an individual who is hungry to learn about the business and eager to take on a wide range of duties.

This vacancy represents an excellent opportunity for a motivated accountant who wants to work in a high performing FMCG business. In addition, the business will provide a firm career platform with good opportunity for personal and professional development as well as the mandate to shape and define how the role evolves. The company is agile in its approach and is very receptive to recommendations, resulting in great autonomy for the postholder.

The main duties and responsibilities will involve:

• Working with colleagues to produce monthly financial reporting & management accounts for the group, ensuring specific deadlines are met
• Preparing budgets and forecasts, and supporting budget holders with relevant financial information
• Supporting the delivery of the statutory financial reporting process through planning, compliance, accuracy and completeness of the group and subsidiary statutory accounts in line with legal requirements and in-house timeframes, including reporting to the Audit Committee
• Assisting with the delivery of the group consolidated results for the year end statutory financial reporting process ensuring compliance, completeness and accuracy of all information
• Active involvement in the day-to-day management of financial controls within the group, ensuring appropriate guidance and advice is issued to non-finance colleagues when required and the relevant finance team members are engaged in the month end / year end processes and aware of key monthly and annual deadlines
• Preparing the necessary disclosures for the Group and individual subsidiary statutory accounts as well as the annual tax computations
• Working with colleagues to prepare and submit the group VAT returns
• Working with the statutory and other external auditors ensuring audit requirements are delivered in line required timetables
• Developing technical awareness and expertise in all areas of financial control (including stock and credit control) to enable the support and delivery of financial reporting
• Supporting the development and ongoing maintenance of the Group Finance Controls, ensuring documentation remains up to date and reflects the changing business needs and regulatory environment
• Supporting the Group Financial Controller in process improvements and projects as required
• General treasury duties incl FX management
• Other ad-hoc duties as & when required

On Offer:

Basic Salary:                               £40,000 - £50,000

Private Healthcare:                   For individual

Pension:                                       Company scheme in operation

Holidays:                                      30 days per annum

Professional Fees:                        Paid

Recruitment Process:

First round interviews are with our retained advisors at Rutherford Cross.

Second round interviews are with the Group Financial Controller and a member of the HR Department

Third round interviews are with the Group Financial Controller and another member of the Finance team.

Applications should be sent to [email protected]. Any direct applications will be sent to Cooke Aquaculture’s recruitment partners Rutherford Cross for review.