Financial Accountant

Aura Power develops and builds large scale solar and battery storage projects in the UK, Germany, Italy and other markets. Aura has recently merged with Verdant Energy and is positioning itself to become a major independent power producer in the UK.

We are seeking a technically strong Financial Accountant to join us at an important stage in the company’s development. Playing a central role in maintaining high-quality financial records and supporting statutory compliance, this role will take ownership of statutory reporting, audit coordination, and complex accounting matters across multiple entities, thus ensuring the business is well prepared for future milestones.

Reporting to the Financial Controller, the position sits within the finance team and involves managing key external relationships with auditors, tax advisers, and in-country accountants. It will be well suited to an accountant who can work independently, apply sound judgement, and wants to help strengthen financial control in a growing renewables business.

While the role currently has no direct reports, there is headroom to develop over time into broader finance and management responsibility.

What you’ll be doing:

You will:

• Act as the first point of contact for multiple entity audits, including individual company and consolidated audit activity.
• Lead day-to-day audit relationship management and coordinate the flow of information needed for timely delivery
• Own statutory reporting responsibilities across relevant entities
• Serve as the first point of contact for tax advisers across relevant entities
• Ensure compliance with accounting standards, including technically sound treatment of one-off postings and review of accounting records
• Prepare and submit the group VAT return
• Review the quality of books and records and strengthen financial control where required
• Question legacy processes and recommend improvements where more effective approaches are available
• Manage relationships with Italian and German in-country accounting teams
• Escalate issues appropriately and ensure deadlines are managed reliably

Skill, Knowledge and Experience

What experience you’ll need/ Is this the job for you?

You will need to be a capable and independent accountant with strong technical foundations and the confidence to take ownership of a varied workload. This role is likely to suit you if you are:

• Detail-focused and rigorous
• Comfortable taking ownership and working independently
• Motivated by the renewables sector
• A quick learner and practical problem solver
• Interested in broadening their scope and growing into more senior finance responsibility over time

At Aura, cultural fit matters alongside technical capability, so it is also important that you demonstrate our values in how you work: collaborative, responsible, a force for good, impactful and curious.

You should bring:

Essential:

• Strong technical accounting knowledge
• Statutory accounts drafting and/or review experience
• Audit experience, either as an external auditor or through managing audits in-house
• Understanding of VAT and corporation tax
• Ability to work independently, manage priorities, and maintain a clear task list
• Chartered accountant qualification or equivalent experience

Desirable:

• Experience across European jurisdictions
• Consolidation experience
• Group reporting experience
• Experience working within a multi-entity corporate structure

Where you’ll be working

You will be based in our Bristol office, which is located in central Bristol in Queen Square.

How much will you be paid?

The salary for this role ranges from £55,000 - £60,000+ per year (depending on experience). We also offer a discretionary annual bonus.

Why you’ll want to work for us

You will enjoy the close-knit atmosphere of a small team, coupled with the perks of a larger organisation. We offer a supportive and encouraging work environment.

We are proud of our unique culture at Aura Power, which is down to the talented individuals that work for us. Many of the Aura team are empowered simply by contributing directly to the energy transition in the fight against climate change but we believe in offering a number of other benefits to keep our team motivated. These currently include:

• Comprehensive, private medical insurance through Vitality.
• Twenty-eight days of paid holiday in each calendar year for full-time positions. One additional day is given for every two years of service up to a maximum of 32 days each year. Public holidays are given in addition to the above.
• Competitive, Equalised Parental Leave
• Additional Annual Leave Purchase Scheme of up to 10 days
• Career Break allowance
• Death in Service benefit
• Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Vibrant and positive work culture with regular team socials
• Pension Scheme

Promoting a healthy work-life balance

We take pride in offering a flexible working model at Aura Power so that our employees can enjoy a healthy work/life balance. If you need to work around childcare, doctor’s appointments or other life commitments, we encourage you to chat with your Line Manager. Most of the time, within reason, flexibility is fully approved.

We recognise that people have different ways of working and want our employees to flourish in a flexible working environment. Therefore, we entrust all of our staff to deliver their outcomes in line with their best working pattern and believe that by doing so, their outputs are of a consistent high quality.

The important stuff:

You must have the right to work in the UK

Location: Bristol

About the role: This is a Permanent, full-time role

Hybrid

Office/WFH balance: Min 3 days a week in Bristol office

Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to right-to-work verification, references and a standard DBS check.

Applications close: Monday 5th October at 12pm.

Potential Start date: As soon as possible

If you are a technically strong accountant and the ownership, scope and development potential of this role sounds like a good fit for you, please apply by emailing careers@aurapower.com with your CV and cover letter and tell us why you’d like to join our team.

***We kindly ask that recruiters do not contact anyone at the company. We have recruiter relationships in place already and are not currently seeking any more***