Operations Accountant - North East

W&A is partnering with an established manufacturing business to recruit a European Operations Accountant based in Fochabers. Working within a small, collaborative finance team, this role offers a good mix of management accounting, commercial analysis and business partnering, with the opportunity to influence operational performance and improve financial reporting processes.

Location: Fochabers, Moray

Salary: £35,000–£45,000

Working Arrangements: Fully on-site

The Opportunity

The European Operations Accountant will play an important role in providing financial insight across the business’s European manufacturing operations. Working closely with colleagues in Finance, Operations and Supply Chain, you will help ensure management has a clear understanding of costs, operational performance and the factors influencing financial results.

Alongside regular reporting and analysis, you will support product costing, inventory management, budgeting and forecasting. There is also scope to contribute to improvements in financial controls, systems and reporting processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare and analyse weekly and monthly operational P&Ls, providing meaningful commentary on performance, variances and trends.
• Support the accurate accounting and reporting of manufacturing and operational costs.
• Work closely with operational teams to understand cost drivers, challenge assumptions and support informed decision-making.
• Prepare product costings to support new product introductions, ensuring accuracy and consistency.
• Analyse stock movements, usage and losses, including preparing reconciliations and stock provision calculations.
• Partner with budget holders on overhead reporting, forecasting and budgeting.
• Identify opportunities to streamline and automate financial and operational reporting processes.
• Support improvements in financial controls and collaboration across Finance, Operations and Supply Chain.

What You’ll Bring

• CIMA or ACCA qualified, part-qualified or qualified by experience (QBE), with FMCG business partnering experience.
• A sound understanding of management accounting principles, ideally gained within a manufacturing or operational environment.
• Strong analytical skills and confidence working with financial and operational data.
• Advanced Excel capabilities and excellent attention to detail.
• A commercially minded approach, with the ability to explain financial information clearly to non-finance stakeholders.
• Strong communication skills, a proactive attitude and the confidence to challenge information and suggest improvements.
• Experience of manufacturing cost analysis, inventory accounting or ERP systems such as Oracle would be advantageous.

Package & Benefits

• Salary of £35,000–£45,000.
• Early finish on Fridays.

Why Apply?

• Join a small, collaborative finance team with exposure to the wider European manufacturing business.
• Gain broad experience across operational finance, management accounting and commercial business partnering.
• Work directly with operational stakeholders, with the opportunity to influence business decisions.
• Contribute to meaningful improvements in reporting, processes and financial controls.

To learn more or apply, please contact Laura Buchanan Owen for a private and confidential discussion. Alternatively, submit your CV and we’ll be in touch.