Preparation, production and reporting of monthly management accounts for one of the Midlands Cooperative Society divisions for multiple sites throughout the Midlands region.

•Managed, validated and compiled analysis of monthly accounts, providing commentary of headline explanations of variances for 20 different account types for 552 stores and head office.•Coordinated, reviewed and authorised, at detailed level, month end accounts ensuring accuracy and adherence to strict company deadlines. •Prepared Budgets and Forecast for two business areas, store cost and head office overheads, with a combined total of £95 million. •Reviewed existing accounting processes, identified weakness, devised clear processes and re-trained staff resulting in over £700k of claimed refunds and undercharged rent.•Reviewed monthly balance sheet reconciliation and trained team to understand how to deal with, and take appropriate actions, with reconciling items such as overpayments to landlords. Provided supporting documentation of account balances at all times.•Produced financial reports for senior management for use in monthly management accounts meeting, providing explanations to significant variances and bringing attention to any anomalies.•Created and presented financial reports to non finance people such as store management and other non finance departments, by means of routine monthly reports or ad-hoc information on request. •Analysed raw telephone data monthly, picked up abuse and system configuration issues and brought them to the attention of the I.T department for swift resolution. Also ensured lines for closed stores were cancelled.•Used detailed analysis from monthly accounts to highlight any anomalies for further investigation, for example significantly increased water bills showed up leaks or having the supply tapped into.•Volunteered to be employee representative. Liaised between senior management and staff on major and minor key company policies. Brought issues, from both sides, to the table and was a key player in working to find solutions and a way forward.

•Accurate monthly preparation, validation and analysis of store accounts providing explanations of variances for 10 cost types, to strict company month end deadlines. •Precise production of annual targets for 552 stores for 10 controllable cost types, taking into account trading conditions relative to that individual cost type.•Designed, developed, and produced monthly, store controllable cost report showing actuals versus targets. Report still being used for measuring and controlling cost and is key KPI for store bonus payments. •Production of store profit and loss account for 552 stores for senior management. Accuracy and attention to detail was essential as one of the functions of this report was to ascertain non viable stores.•Analysis of raw data, devising and producing monthly exception reports for customer goodwill and telephone cost for senior management. These reports highlighted inefficiencies, abuse and weakness and in turn saved the company £50k p.a.•Key store contact on all aspects of store reporting providing support and advice from how to read and interpret report to advice on controlling cost. •Reviewed company’s telephone estate identifying overcharges, surplus telephone lines, abuse and IT configuration issues that were not being addressed. Took ownership and devised, implemented and delivered monthly exception reports that were used by management to control cost. This resulted in savings of £35k per annum. •Identified weakness in company telephone payment authorisation process, circ £1.5m p.a. Nominated as expert and took over remit for payment authorisation. Monthly overcharges now identified and recouped.•Consulted with stores and created a controllable cost report tailored to their needs. This proved to be a great success and helped increase ownership and management of own cost base. Won company award for producing this document.