Jason Graham Fcca Email & Phone Number

London, England, United Kingdom

Founded in 1979 the LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS is one of the world’s most recognised literary magazines that publishes 24 issues a year on a bi-weekly basis. As at 2024 it retains a 73,000 subscriber base. In addition to the magazine, it runs a successful bookshop (and formerly cakeshop) in Bloomsbury, close to the British Museum.Key achievements:• Beginning as Finance Manager in January 2022, a few weeks after arriving I found myself stepping up into the Head of Finance role following the surprise departure of the existing Finance Director. With this I picked up managing a team of four, providing a seamless transition for the function with zero disruption.• Bringing a fresh approach to legacy systems I have been able to streamline and simplify existing processes. Improved has been seen in moving the management reporting from Quarterly to Monthly, to enhancing the budget process, introducing a forecast model, departmental cost analysis and extending cash flow reporting for what is a challenging cash management position attached to a business structure funded every six months by a family trust.• Team management has seen an improvement in morale, communication and productivity.Duties and responsibilities• Management of four-person team and fortnightly management meetings with department heads.• Daily cash flow management.• Preparation of monthly management accounts packs for magazine and retail divisions presented to management.• Creation of forecast model with department analysis maintained with regular updates.• Preparation of annual budgets consulting with stakeholders and recognising industry trends.• Managing year-end processes for submission to external auditors for annual audit.• Overseeing full monthly balance sheet reconciliation and stock movement review.

London, United Kingdom

Offering management level accounting services on a term contract basis, my most recent appointment was with a high street casual food brand with over 60 outlets serving as Interim Group Management Accountant.Key achievements:• Arriving as a short notice appointment covering exited Group Management Accountant I took on the role without a handover while the company was in the process of performing year-end, going through a software change from Sage Line 100 to Navision and changing auditors from Grant Thornton to PWC in addition to meeting demands from the bank with ad-hoc reports and generating covenant tests.• Conducted review of existing processes and uncovered historical issues and weaknesses with view to identifying improvement and solution for following full-time Group Management Accountant.Duties and responsibilities• Production of monthly Group Management Accounts compiled four entities (including one in the US). Complete production of monthly management accounts of over 60 locations with annual turnover of £91 million.• Provide management information for FD and FC, leadership team, area managers and bank.• Collation and creation of ad-hoc reporting for bank.• Begin audit pack, collating schedules and information for PWC review.• Offer informed opinion on impending software transition from Sage Line 100 to Navision. • Put together a handover pack for next full-time Group Management Accountant.

London, England, United Kingdom

KINGDOM OF SWEETS (Croftray Limited then Fordgreen Limited) is a family run business with 15 international themed confectionery stores across the UK, Ireland, Germany and Holland. Also having an events business (Simply Sugar Limited) running concession stands within arenas and stadiums in London (including Wembley Stadium and the Olympic Stadium) and the Midlands as well as a warehouse in the North West of England to support the business (Overhirst Limited).Responsibilities:• Manage a small team reporting to MD and the business owners.• Ensure P&L's for each store are provided complete with balance sheet reconciliation• Cash flow management and forecasting in a challenging climate and environment• Entrusted with running bank transactions and communicating with account managers• Supplier account management (including administration of CCJs)• Managing year-end accounts of 20+ multinational entities for submission• Ensure compliance with internal financial and accounting policies• Oversee payroll and creditor functions• Effectively maintain all financial records• Preparation of VAT returns in the UK, Ireland and Holland (including Dutch VAT inspection)• Intensive intercompany reconciliation of a complex group structureKey achievements:• Arriving at the beginning of a concentrated period of growth (joining with 6 locations, currently 15 locations) my role was to establish an accounts function from scratch coupled with managing a demanding cash flow looking to fund growth internally without having to source external investment.• Managing a small team developing and establishing the finance department offering the business a strategic insight not previously in place.• Head of finance during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

London, United Kingdom

ST JOHN RESTAURANT is the innovative Michelin Star rated restaurant chain created by Fergus Henderson. It hosts three locations in London (Farringdon, Shoreditch and Bermondsey) in addition to operating its own bakery (ST JOHN BAKERY), wine companies that import (HG WINES) and make wine in France (HG VINS) and property management (AQUABOULEVARD)Key achievements:• Arriving at time of upheaval for the finance function (the third head of finance in five months), without a handover I reviewed, overhauled and streamlined systems and controls to become more versatile, accurate and detailed• With limited timeframe and scope I directed a difficult audit covering the incorrectly recorded period from before I joinedDuties and responsibilities:• Perform the role of preparing, analysing and delivering financial information of five trading entities and head office to board of directors and senior management team. Facilitating the process of decision-making and financial control of the business during a testing period of trade• Daily management of bank facilities and maintaining a challenging cash flow• Monthly preparation of management information and narrative for bank covenant• Monthly preparation of rota and salaried payrolls including Tronc• Quarterly board meeting presentation of management accounts and financial position• Managing team of three and leading the finance hiring function• Annual preparation of budgets and forecasts for seven accounts used to inform business strategy• Preparation of annual accounts for audit and statutory submission• Liaising with tax accountants and assisting tax planning• Quarterly submission of VAT returns for the four entities• Assisting HMRC with VAT inspections and PAYE queries• Administering auto enrolment pension contributions via Nest• Systems used: Sage Line 50, Fourth Hospitality and Vintner

London, United Kingdom

Key achievements:• Improving the overall quality and delivery of information and communication between finance and management• Overhaul of cash flow reporting bringing better transparency to the business Duties and responsibilities:• Performing the role of preparing, analysing and delivering financial information of four locations to board of directors and senior management team. Facilitating the process of decision-making and financial control of the business• Production and review of a detailed financial reporting pack, liaising with the Operations Director and Managing Director on fluctuations against budget, variance queries and performance• Daily management of bank accounts and maintaining cash flow• Monthly preparation of management accounts and pack with full balance sheet reconciliations• Preparation of payroll for group (fortnightly and monthly) including Tronc payroll systems• Reconciling Tronc payroll variables and reporting the management team. • Preparation, submission and payment of quarterly VAT returns• Management and supervision of small team• Preparation of budgets and forecasts that reflect the business strategy• Preparation of annual accounts for audits acting as first point of contact with auditors and tax advisors• Liaising with Inland Revenue/HMRC

London, United Kingdom

Production of the monthly and annual management reporting of, at its peak, ten restaurant locations spread across London.Key achievements:• Bringing cohesion and organisation to flawed department• Consistently meeting monthly bank covenants and requirements working to tight deadlines• Redesigning existing reporting functions and implementing fresh financial models• Building and supporting finance department• Implementation/upgrade of Sage systemDuties and responsibilities:• Managing a small team responsible for preparing the monthly management accounts for two groups of restaurants (at peak twelve city locations), presenting these to the Directors and also meeting a bank deadline• Production of monthly management pack containing detailed profit and loss comparing performance to budget, full balance sheet account reconciliations, fixed asset registers and schedules for all balance sheet accounts• Present management accounts, budgets, forecasts and strategy documents to the directors• Review and explanation of key variances with qualitative and quantitative reasoning involving analysis of all direct costs in comparison to forecasts and budgets• Consolidation of all companies and titles for reporting purposes with comprehensive monthly intercompany reconciliation of all companies in Hansan and London Restaurant Properties parent groups• Preparation of quarterly VAT returns for both parent groups (Hansan and London Restaurant Properties) and communication with any HMRC queries and inspections• Production and review of weekly flash reports, monthly accounts and cash flow• Production of statutory accounts and organisation of audit for Baker Tilly• Review and analysis of all direct costs and overheads• Control and monitoring of purchase and sales ledgers

London, United Kingdom

Music industry specific accounts practice involving management of client portfolio and general accounts preparation to statutory submission and reporting to associated director.Duties and responsibilities:• Working for a Chartered Accountants specialising in providing financial services to music industry clients• Commanded a portfolio of noted music clients including The Verve Live LLP, Cerys Matthews, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds touring.• Bookkeeping, including running cashbooks, bank reconciliation and the purchase and sales ledger• Production of cash flow and forecasts looking forward to the predicted performance of acts/artists and the financial requirements for the following months, including tax planning. For acts on tour a report was produced detailing divisionalised tour accounts and review of performance against budget figures• Daily management of client bank accounts with full access to funds involving preparation of payment• Full explanation of results and variances against budget• Preparation of quarterly VAT returns for clients and communication with any HMRC queries and inspections• Presenting year-end results for annual tax submission• The accounts package used was Viztopia.

London, United Kingdom

Preparation of monthly management accounts packs for a number of companies within the SPZ Group including Sarm Studios, ZTT Records, Perfect Songs Publishing and Stiff Records.Key achievements:• Streamline of management accounts pack and process• Successfully supporting incoming members of staff both senior and juniorDuties and responsibilities:• Working closely with both the Financial Director and Financial Controller and producing monthly management accounts for seven of the companies at one time.• Bank and intercompany reconciliations along with controlling the purchase ledgers, petty cash and performing a monthly cheque run as well as dealing with the various day-to-day enquiries up to month end• Produced the management accounts (including detailed analysis and schedules) for up to seven of the companies for presentation to the FD• Quarterly calculation of management fees to be charged back across the group• Comprehensive communication with clients using studios, acts enquiring about royalty payments, off site transactions and suppliers chasing payment• Production of monthly accounts for the U.S. subsidiary. Every six months also produced the royalty statements for Stiff Records in their entirety and assisted in the production of the ZTT Records royalties using Musicalc

Colchester, United Kingdom

involving management of client portfolio and general accounts preparation to statutory submission and reporting to associated partner.Duties and responsibilities:• Accounts from incomplete records, prepare management accounts, participate on audit jobs and work on tax computations and the completion of VAT returns

Colchester

involving general running of record label. Duties including discovering and liasing with artists, organising production and pressing of releases, working with distributors, dealing with press and the media, direct sales and mail order etc

Colchester, United Kingdom

involving management of client portfolio and general accounts preparation to statutory submission and reporting to associated director.Duties and responsibilities:• Visiting clients, installation of Tasbooks and the training of clients to use the program in additional to being involved for the first time in other services such as management accounts, cash flow forecasts, liaising and assisting in HMRC investigations

Frinton On Sea

involving management of client portfolio and general accounts preparation to statutory submission and reporting to associated partner.Duties and responsibilities:• Employed by Scrutton Bland as a Junior Accountant with intention of gaining full-qualified accountant status. • The preparation of accounts from incomplete records covered various duties, bringing the clients’ books into shape to present to the Inland Revenue. • Preparation of VAT returns, wages and attending out of the office audit jobs.

Education record

Education record