General Accountant

Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 32 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.6bn in 2025. There are no limits to where you can take your career.

Job Summary

We are seeking a detail-oriented General Accountant with a strong foundation in financial reporting and a solid understanding of end-to-end finance processes. The ideal candidate will have hands-on accounting experience along with exposure to or participation in ERP system implementations, upgrades, or process improvements.

This role will support core accounting functions while also contributing to process optimization, system enhancements, and cross-functional finance initiatives.

Job Responsibilities

Core Accounting Duties

• Prepare and post journal entries, ensuring accuracy and completeness
• Perform monthly, quarterly, and annual close activities
• Reconcile balance sheet accounts and investigate variances
• Support preparation of financial statements in compliance with GAAP/IFRS
• Maintain and improve accounting documentation and schedules
• Assist with external and internal audits

ERP & Process Improvement

• Participate in ERP implementation projects (LN)
• Translate accounting requirements into system configurations and workflows
• Support data migration, validation, and system testing (UAT)
• Identify and recommend process improvements and automation opportunities
• Work with IT and cross-functional teams to enhance financial system efficiency

Process Flow & Controls

• Demonstrate strong understanding of end-to-end finance manufacturing finance processes, including:
• Procure-to-Pay (P2P) – raw material purchasing and supplier management
• Order-to-Cash (O2C) – production, shipment, and customer billing
• Record-to-Report (R2R) – financial close, inventory reconciliation, and reporting
• Apply knowledge of cost accounting principles, including:
• Standard costing methodologies
• Cost allocations and product costing
• Inventory valuation and variance analysis (material, labor, overhead)
• Understanding of how cost data flows through ERP systems and impacts financial reporting
• Support the design and maintenance of standard costing systems within ERP environments, ensuring accurate cost setup, updates, and reporting
• Ensure adherence to internal controls and compliance requirements (SOX, if applicable)
• Analyze workflows and cost structures to improve accuracy, transparency, and operational efficiency

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with departments such as AP, AR, FP&A, IT, and Operations
• Provide financial insights to support business decisions
• Act as a bridge between finance and system/IT teams during projects

Job Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or equivalent relevant experience
• 3–6+ years of general accounting experience
• Strong knowledge of GAAP and financial reporting
• Solid understanding of financial process flows (P2P, O2C, R2R)
• Advanced Excel skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with at least one ERP system (implementation, upgrade, or heavy use)
• Exposure to automation tools, reporting tools, or data analytics

Key Skills & Competencies:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to connect accounting processes with systems and data flow
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills
• Effective communication skills, especially translating finance needs to technical teams
• Continuous improvement mindset

Why This Role Matters:

This position goes beyond traditional accounting. It plays a critical role in ensuring that financial data flows accurately through systems, supporting both financial integrity and operational efficiency.

We’ll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go?

A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working

Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we’ve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It’s a culture that won us ‘The Best Workplace Culture Award’. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.

We’re also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.

We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.