Paul Harris
Wokingham,Berkshire
Summary
Experienced accountant with a high level of business awareness coupled with a strategic financial and analytical background. I am a self-starter with a get along attitude and the ability to build relationships across the organisation. I am proactive and ready to question existing processes. I can identify control and efficiency improvements and have the drive to implement change. Detail-oriented finance professional with expertise in management reporting and process optimisation. Delivers accurate financial insights and drives effective hedging strategies to maximise profitability. Champions collaboration across teams to enhance financial processes and foster strong organisational relationships.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Financial Control (Contract)
Foundation Home Loans
Bracknell
2024.02 - 2025.09
- Month end processes, including preparation of management accounts, balance sheet reconciliations and Trial balance reviews. (shortened month end from 10 day to 6 day close).
- Review Fixed assets, prepayments and accrual schedules.
- Raising invoices for service and managements fees.
- Review current processes across Financial Control to identify potential improvements and automation opportunities.
- Proactively manage hedging activity including maintaining hedge relationships, hedge effectiveness calculations, designations, de-designations & re-designations, identifying opportunities for process and strategy developments.
Finance Manager (Contract)
Castle Trust Bank
Basingstoke
2023.04 - 2024.01
- Running of the detailed stage 3 credit risk model each month including updates for property valuations, categorisations, and new mortgage arrears/defaults.
- Monthly analysis detailing key movements and drivers in IFRS 9 ECL provision.
- Presentation of findings to the Impairment Committee.
- Monthly cashflow analysis for large building developments finance cases.
- Running of monthly prospective and retrospective hedge accounting models.
- Production of effectiveness assessment and related reporting.
Product Control (Contract)
Sucden Financial
London
2023.01 - 2023.03
- Oversee Daily P&L process.
- Conducting P&L analysis for relevant desks: metals, options, soft commodities, coffee, sugar, etc.
- Supporting investigation of targeted year-end inquiries.
- Assisting in preparation of monthly financial accounts.
- Supporting team by addressing ad hoc queries.
Year end Program Manager (Contract)
Castle Trust Bank
Basingstoke
2022.09 - 2022.12
- Oversee daily audit process, addressing all auditor queries raised on online portal.
- Coordinated interactions with auditors and subject matter experts at CTB.
- Coordinate evaluations of submissions for auditors to confirm accuracy, completeness, and adherence to standards.
- Assisting in creation of financial statements across all legal entities.
- Facilitated collaboration between front section of financial statements and Exco members.
- Oversaw schedule coordination for external tax advisors during audit procedures.
Intercompany Accountant (Contract)
ADP
Chertsey
2021.11 - 2022.08
- Managed Inter-company monthly accounts receivable and payable billing.
- Resolved discrepancies and disputes while ensuring processing of all recharges and top side adjustments for over 20 counterparties.
- Monthly reconciliation of activities and internal cross-charging across businesses / countries.
- Transfer the role to the shared service centre in Pune.
Assistant Vice President
First Abu Dhabi Bank
London
2021.01 - 2021.10
- Perform detailed monthly review of IT, contractor, and professional fees, updating GL accordingly
- Reviewed VAT returns and maintained the partial exemptions (PESM) model that was agreed with HMRC.
- Engaged in software system integration process enabling UK branch alignment with global system platform.
- Completed the annual Foreign Account Tax Compliance returns for the UK.
- Executed IFRS9 analysis and presented results to HQ.
- Executed inter-system reconciliations and resolved outstanding items.
- Reviewed monthly balance sheet reconciliations, highlighting items at risk.
Finance Manager/Business Partner
Transsnet Payments
Bracknell
2018.12 - 2021.01
- Finalized VAT returns, coordinated with payroll bureau, and remitted PAYE to HMRC.
- Generated annual and monthly management accounts, budgets, forecasts, and cash flows.
- Execute monthly bank reconciliations, ensuring accurate postings to GL.
- Managed staff in overseas locations.
- Generated intercompany re-charge invoices from UK to overseas operating companies.
- Generated reports overseeing marketing budget allocation and tracking operational balances with mobile service providers.
- Developed comprehensive transfer pricing agreement alongside loan agreements.
- Evaluated costs of marketing strategies prior to implementation.
- Aligned commission revenue with mobile operator reports
Intercompany Accountant (FTC Contract)
De La Rue
Basingstoke
2017.11 - 2018.12
- Oversee comprehensive intercompany (ICO) reconciliations covering balance sheet and P & L each month, quarter, and year.
- Oversaw cross-entity intercompany reports, coordinating with global entities to ensure alignment with UK-based entities..
- Responsible for the creation and implementation of end-to-end intercompany processes, including looking after the ICO cost centres.
- Assisting the cash team with ICO funding and cash settlements.
Product Controller (Contract)
Mizuho Int
London
2015.05 - 2017.06
- Oversee daily P&L generation for Government and Credit bond trading desks, ensuring adherence to benchmark time frames.
- Align daily P&L between front office and general ledger while addressing trader inquiries regarding daily P&L.
- To assist traders in the detection of booking errors and to provide solutions as required for any booking-related issues.
- Maintain precision in updating revenue and balance sheet accounts with timely preparation and substantiation of full month-end balance sheet reconciliations.
- Allocating cash from accounts receivable and payable reports.
Management Accountant (Contract)
William Russell
Lightwater
2015.01 - 2015.04
- Oversee management accounts and year-end accounts preparation in support of external audit.
- Closing cash books on a monthly basis.
- Maintain fixed asset register and update depreciation schedules.
Financial Analyst (Contract)
Johnson & Johnson
Wokingham
2014.09 - 2015.01
- Facilitated transfer of GL ledger data between UK GL and European subsidiary during transition from distributor to customer model.
- Formulated reconciliations to analyze and detect differences between ledgers and provide status updates for senior management.
- Created automated individual journal production using Excel VBA.
Project Accountant (Contract)
Vodafone
Newbury
2014.06 - 2014.09
- Administering financial planning and forecasting for key segment of 4G networks upgrade initiative.
- Analysing spending and goods receipting on individual line items under the following headings: hardware, software, and professional services.
- Capitalising costs (CAPEX) associated with mobile phone base stations and masts.
- Oversee performance evaluation against budgets regularly while collaborating with budget managers to ensure precise forecasts are prepared.
- Liaised with procurement teams to oversee the tendering process, ensuring cost-effectiveness and adherence to budgets.
- Conduct financial modelling aimed at uncovering variances, risks, and opportunities associated with site delivery.
- Composed weekly reports and communicated financial results to wider team and senior management.
Product Controller (Contract)
Mizuho Int
London
2013.06 - 2014.06
Intercompany Accountant (Contract)
Vodafone
Newbury
2011.11 - 2013.04
- Oversaw inter-company recharges for four operating companies, facilitating cross-charging of car fleet, software, publicity, payroll, training, insurance, and phone expenses
- Reconciled aged items on suspense account income tax & NI and payroll charges in collaboration with shared service centres in Hungary and India, resulting in substantial savings.
- Department lead on the re-engineering focus group for the intercompany processes and workflow.
- Tested and made recommendations for new recharge forms and reports that were rolled out globally.
- Liaised with 20 operating companies in an exercise to distribute revenues received from a search provider.
- Capitalising overheads to assets under construction.
- Compiled travel and expense reports for Executive Board, enhancing oversight of organizational spending.
Enabled strategic target setting by providing detailed financial insights.
Monitored alignment with forecasts and budgetary constraints to support cost reduction initiatives. - Supported Accounts Payable team in managing tracking of unpaid or overdue marketing invoices for sponsorships, events, and associated activities.
- Oversaw monthly revenue distributions for department, providing detailed commentary.
- Remodelled reports for non-finance people. This involved building on non-existent relationships between HQ and overseas business units.
- Streamlined bonus accruals and tax charges processes through effective communication with Group Tax and HR.
ABS P&L Controller (Contract)
Jefferies Int
London
2011.01 - 2011.11
- Execute daily P&L reporting and provide comprehensive explanations for Asset Backed Securities (RMBS, CMBS & CDO)
- Established reconciliation processes for general ledger and balance sheet substantiation.
- Part of the project team to move P&L onto a dedicated production system.
- Identified and rectified errors between the sub-ledger and general ledger.
Rates Balance sheet Financial Control (Contract)
HSBC
London
2010.06 - 2011.01
- Executed dual-focused responsibilities on Collateral Management project and Collateral Balance Sheet control.
- Oversaw product control for Collateral straight through processing project, UAT, and implementation, providing consistent progress updates to senior management.
- Facilitate parallel execution of both processes prior to handover to BAU.
- Problem solving, managing investigations and impact on daily P&L and balance sheet substantiation.
Financial Controller Hedge Fund (Contract)
DEUTSCHE BANK
London
2009.11 - 2010.06
- Reconciled trading P&L and balance sheet with general ledger, ensuring accuracy.
Posted PV differences and reserves for precise financial reporting.
Reclassified various asset types across multiple legal entities to maintain compliance. - Conducted cash reconciliations for Derivatives, Bonds, and Money Markets trades and rectified mismatches
- Conduct monthly balance sheet substantiation and close books at month-end.
- Clearing outstanding audit points.
Education
ACCA -
Skills
- Financial software expertise
- ERP systems knowledge
- Advanced Excel skills
- Hedge accounting proficiency
- Management reporting
- Process optimization
Custom Section
- Bloomberg
- Summit
- SAP
- CODA
- Oracle
- Murex
- Sage
- Excel (Macros & VBA)
Timeline
Financial Control (Contract)
Foundation Home Loans
2024.02 - 2025.09
Finance Manager (Contract)
Castle Trust Bank
2023.04 - 2024.01
Product Control (Contract)
Sucden Financial
2023.01 - 2023.03
Year end Program Manager (Contract)
Castle Trust Bank
2022.09 - 2022.12
Intercompany Accountant (Contract)
ADP
2021.11 - 2022.08
Assistant Vice President
First Abu Dhabi Bank
2021.01 - 2021.10
Finance Manager/Business Partner
Transsnet Payments
2018.12 - 2021.01
Intercompany Accountant (FTC Contract)
De La Rue
2017.11 - 2018.12
Product Controller (Contract)
Mizuho Int
2015.05 - 2017.06
Management Accountant (Contract)
William Russell
2015.01 - 2015.04
Financial Analyst (Contract)
Johnson & Johnson
2014.09 - 2015.01
Project Accountant (Contract)
Vodafone
2014.06 - 2014.09
Product Controller (Contract)
Mizuho Int
2013.06 - 2014.06
Intercompany Accountant (Contract)
Vodafone
2011.11 - 2013.04
ABS P&L Controller (Contract)
Jefferies Int
2011.01 - 2011.11
Rates Balance sheet Financial Control (Contract)
HSBC
2010.06 - 2011.01
Financial Controller Hedge Fund (Contract)
DEUTSCHE BANK
2009.11 - 2010.06