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The Team

KPMG’s Infrastructure Group in the UK consists of over 150 professionals and is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading independent business, financial and regulatory advisers in infrastructure. The group has won many awards, including Financial Advisor of the Year (Infrastructure Journal) for several years. The group has locations in London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds and Manchester, but is organised on a national basis, operating under a single national cost centre.

We provide in-depth advice on strategic, financial, regulatory and commercial issues driving investments in infrastructure across Transport, Power & Utilities, and Social Infrastructure in the UK and globally. Our work includes market and policy design, economic and regulatory analysis, deal structuring and execution, as well as strategic and transaction advice to enable private and public capital to fund infrastructure. We work closely with other functions within KPMG to advise clients on mergers and acquisitions, valuations, tax, accounting, and due diligence.

The utilities sector is the largest business area for the Infrastructure Group and encompasses work for large clients in the sector, including all of the leading UK energy and water companies as well as some of the largest utilities in Europe and beyond. We provide in-depth strategic and technical advice on corporate finance and corporate financial management, regulatory finance, regulatory policy, business and financial planning, cost assessment and benchmarking as well as other drivers affecting value. Our work combines elements of policy, finance, strategy and economics to assist our clients in structuring investments, securing financing, supporting regulatory regimes and maximising shareholder value. We are widely recognised by many industry stakeholders as market leaders influencing the future of the utilities sector. For example, we are advising three of the four water companies that referred their PR19 final determinations to the CMA.

Our business is continuously expanding and we are looking for high quality candidates to support our Power & Utilities business with a particular focus on cost assessment, modelling and benchmarking as well as financial analysis. This is to support the development of new service lines, building on the work already undertaken in the Group.

The Role

- Building relationships with clients and developing wider networks with clients and other advisors
- Running coverage of clients, supporting our reputation as a leading advisor in the utilities sector
- Developing market intelligence and sector knowledge
- Maintaining a good understanding of the regulatory frameworks and their financial implications
- Proactive business development to identify new opportunities
- Leading the development of proposals and supporting pitching for new business with ideas
- Managing delivery of several medium to large size engagements on a day to day basis
- Ensuring quality of economic and financial analysis as well as written and verbal advice
- Being responsible for the quality of deliverables produced for clients
- Providing effective management, coaching and mentoring of junior staff on specific engagements
- Managing junior members of the team and as part of the wider business
- Developing the team, inspiring and empowering team members
- Ensuring compliance procedures are adhered to
- Recognising and addressing potential risks
- Any other duties commensurate with the role

The Person

- Have significant experience in the utilities sector, in the industry, as a regulatory, policy maker or as a consultant specialising in these sectors
- Have a detailed knowledge of the current UK regulatory regimes and regulatory mechanics for utilities as well as their application
- Understand operations of the wider utilities sector, its structure, composition, stakeholders and relevant policy debates
- Be highly skilled in quantitative economic analysis, cost assessment in particular, have detailed knowledge and experience of statistics and econometrics, ideally applied in the utilities sectors
- Have a sound knowledge of finances and financial structures of regulated utilities (we will consider candidates with deep expertise in financial analysis even if they do not have econometrics or cost assessment experience, or vice versa)
- Demonstrate strong working knowledge of economic and financial theory and its application
- Provide compelling and well-thought out solutions to complex economic and financial problems, being able to provide persuasive and self-assured responses in a credible manner
- Bring excellent report writing, quantitative analysis (Stata or equivalent), Excel and Powerpoint skills
- Be comfortable and experienced in an external facing role and in presenting to clients
- Be an independent thinker with the ability to identify problems and contribute to the development of solutions, helping us to remain at the cutting edge of innovative thinking in the sector
- Relish the opportunity for interaction and dialogue with companies, investors, regulators and other stakeholders, and with a host of functions across KPMG
- Have experience of managing medium size project teams; be a proven team player who can demonstrate a clear desire to manage teams, who can gain the trust and support of internal colleagues
- Demonstrable credentials of leading the delivery activities on major consulting projects
- Be highly motivated and ambitious, willing to take advantages of the opportunities this position offers
- Language skills and experience in other markets and jurisdictions are a bonus
- At least 3 A levels or equivalent; Undergraduate or higher Graduate Degree in Economics, Finance, Mathematics or similar (candidates with other degrees will be considered depending on their experience)
- All UK staff who have not passed a Financial Services Authority (FSA) approved exam will be required to do so.

Summaryof role purpose


Tosupport our growing sustainability/ESG (‘Environmental, Social and Governance’)and non-financial information assurance business across Audit we have afantastic opportunity for a senior manager to join our team and assist inproviding large corporate companies in different sectors, including those fromthe FTSE 100, with assurance over a wide variety of topics. These topics include Greenhouse Gas (GHG)emissions, waste, water, community investment, sustainable supply chains,health and safety (H&S), diversity, gender pay gap, responsible investingand other non-financial information. They will be responsible for managing theseassurance engagements from within an exciting and newly formed Assurance hub. And they will also have the opportunity toprovide ESG reporting advice to non-audit clients.


Descriptionof the role


You will workwith directors and partners to lead sustainability/ESG assurance and reportingadvice on specific clients. You willtake responsibility for all aspects of the end to end engagement process,including: working to agree timetables, agreeing fees, overseeing the scope ofwork and deliverables, the quality of the testing and assurance fieldwork,preparing the final reporting and being responsible for coaching the team.


Roledimensions

Leadership and Management

•Complete the second review of the documentation on the assurance file in linewith KPMG’s quality standards and our internal KPMG Assurance Manual.
•Manage engagements in line with the assurance standards ISAE 3000 and ISAE 3410or equivalent.
• Review final client reporting for final review bythe director/partner.
• Coach manager and oversee work performed by the rest of theteam.


Stakeholder Interaction and Challenges

• Juggle multiple sustainability/ESG Assurance engagements
• Oversee engagement and client acceptance procedures
• Own and strengthen client relationships.



Impact, Risk,Accountability and Governance

• Take responsibility for supporting the director/partnerin identifying and pursuing new assurance opportunities. Build your own business network, bothinternally and externally
• Identifying,researching and helping to resolve complex sustainability/ESG assurance issues.
• Be responsible for engagement finances and budgeting
• Develop and improve the standardised Assurance workprogrammes


The Person


The ideal candidate will meet the followingcriteria:


Experience

• Experience of leading and developing teams, managing budgets, strong organisational skills and demonstrated ability to juggle competing priorities
• Experience (minimum 7 years) in a sustainability/environmental related field, including experience of delivering and managing sustainability assurance engagements for large clients (ideally FTSE 350 or equivalent) under ISAE 3000 and ISAE 3410
• Experience of working directly with and reporting to senior client stakeholders, including being able to identify and resolve issues directly with clients, or escalate as appropriate.
• Experienced in review and development of audit/Assurance working papers.



Desirable

• A 2:1 degree or above from a recognised university or institution in a sustainability/ESG related degree

Expertise/ technical rolerequirements


• Strong understanding of industry reporting frameworks such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, TCFD and the GHG Protocol
• IT literacy with sound knowledge and experience of Excel/Word/Powerpoint.

Skills

• Inquisitive mind with a strong passion for sustainability and ESG issues
• An ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individuals both internally and externally.
• Self-driven and resilient.
• Drive and resilience and ability to thrive in a pressured environment
• Focus on delivering high quality work whilst maintaining excellent attention to detail .

KPMG is looking to consolidate its leading position within the insurance marketplace by appointing talented and enthusiastic auditors into newly-created senior manager roles. Our insurance audit department is expected to grow significantly in the next 3 to 5 years based on recent audit tender results. In addition, the forthcoming new requirements from the IASB will generate a significant amount of change in the insurance industry. As a trusted partner within the industry, KPMG will be supporting insurance companies throughout this accounting change across a range of disciplines including financial reporting, actuarial, IT and management consulting disciplines.


Successful applicants will be working on some of the largest opportunities in the marketplace and will be exposed to excellent career development within a fast-growing, multi-disciplinary team. Working alongside directors and partners, you will be in a senior client facing role, forging strong relationships with top tier insurance clients.



The Role

As a Senior Manager, you’ll be involved in all aspects of delivering audit engagements, from planning through to completion on a broad spectrum of Insurance clients. The role will include executive level client interaction and exposure to multiple clients on an annual basis, as well as daily tasks such as:

Responsibilities:


- Supervising, mentoring, and coaching junior staff
- Managing partner involvement on audits, providing progress reports as required
- Acting as the initial point of contact throughout the year for your clients; manage timetables, anticipate costs, raise fees and agree dates for cash collection
- Regularly and proactively communicating with senior clients on relevant industry matters
- Keeping up to date with KPMG's product and service offerings and identifying the sales opportunities that will help us grow our business
- Establishing and maintaining strong internal and external networks within the industry
- Communicating with clients and subject matter experts on technical matters relevant to insurance audits
- Actively driving the planning of the audit, as well as the actual fieldwork at interim and final, statutory audit and completion work
- Working on tenders and working as part of the relevant independence team
- Be part of the insurance department management group and drive firm’s strategic initiatives
- Performance manager for other qualified accountants

The Person

Qualifications & Skills:

- Must possess professional qualification; ACA, ACCA or CPA (or international equivalent)
- Demonstrates gravitas and impact to earn trust and respect amongst senior leadership and the team
- Established strong leadership skills and proven ability to provide clear directions and constructive feedback

Knowledge & Experience:

- Significant financial statement audit experience, ideally within professional services
- Extensive external audit experience with financial services clients, particularly in the Insurance sector
- Demonstrated practical knowledge of FRS, IFRS and topical matters relevant to insurance audits
- Experience in IFRS 17, US GAAP, Solvency II and CASS rules preferable, though not essential
- Proven ability to identify and pursue business opportunities whilst maintaining a solution mind-set
- Knowledge of developments within the financial sector and proven ability to proactively build strategic partnerships and influence senior leaders
- Drive and resilience to deliver in a pressured environment
- Commitment to building the reputation of KPMG through the quality of work, knowledge and experience relevant to the industry

KPMG is looking to consolidate its leading position within the Insurance marketplace by appointing talented and enthusiastic auditors into newly-created manager roles. Our insurance audit department is expected to grow significantly in the next 3 to 5 years based on recent audit tender results. In addition, the forthcoming new requirements from the IASB will generate a significant amount of change in the insurance industry. As a trusted partner within the industry, KPMG will be supporting insurance companies throughout this accounting change across a range of disciplines including financial reporting, actuarial, IT and management consulting disciplines.

Successful applicants will have the opportunity to be working on some of the largest opportunities in the marketplace and will be exposed to excellent career development within a fast-growing, multi-disciplinary team. Working alongside directors and partners, you will be in a senior client facing role, forging strong relationships with top tier insurance clients.


The Role:


As an Audit Manager, you’ll be involved in all aspects of leading and delivering audit engagements, from planning through to completion on a broad spectrum of Insurance clients. The role will include executive level client interaction and exposure to multiple clients on an annual basis, as well as daily tasks such as:

- Leading a field work team including supervising and coaching more junior members of staff to help them reach their full potential Reporting to audit Partners and Directors on all salient points arising from audits
- Acting as the initial point of contact throughout the year for your clients; managing timetables, anticipating costs, raise fees and agree dates for cash collection. Planning and execution of audit fieldwork and statutory reporting across a portfolio of clients Project management of all aspects of audit including agreeing audit timelines, team briefings, and supervision and delivery of audit work
- Budgeting and monitoring the financial performance of projects, focusing on optimising profitability Identifying, researching and helping to resolve complex audit issues Preparing client deliverables, building relationships with the client staff and acting as an ambassador for the firm
- You may also have the opportunity to work on specific audit related projects across the audit function
- Being a performance manager to trainee accountants

The Person:


Qualifications & Skills:


- Must possess professional qualification; ACA, ACCA or CPA (or international equivalent)
- Must demonstrate gravitas and impact to earn trust and respect amongst senior leadership and the team
- Established strong leadership skills and proven ability to provide clear directions and constructive feedback

Knowledge & Experience:


- Significant financial statement audit experience, ideally within professional services
- Extensive external audit experience with financial services clients, ideally in the Insurance sector
- Demonstrated practical knowledge of FRS, IFRS and topical matters relevant to insurance audits
- Experience in IFRS 17, US GAAP, Solvency II and CASS rules preferable, though not essential
- Proven ability to identify and pursue business opportunities whilst maintaining a solution mind-set
- Knowledge of developments within the financial sector and proven ability to proactively build strategic partnerships and influence senior leaders Drive and resilience to deliver in a pressured environment
- Commitment to building the reputation of KPMG through the quality of work, knowledge and experience relevant to the industry

The Restructuring team in the North is looking for an Associate Director to join its team based in the Manchester Office.

The team delivers a blend of stakeholder / lender side advisory work (including support with financial restructurings), company side advisory and formal insolvency. The team in the North provides services to a full spectrum of businesses from small owner managed concerns through to large multinationals and also a wide range of work with public sector organisations, all typically experiencing some form of stress or distress.

The team is not aligned to specific sectors and specialisms, however there are individuals with significant experience in certain areas and situations and we would welcome this in applicants. Applicants however should expect to work across all sectors as situations and clients demand.


Where possible, assignments will be resourced to suit individuals’ base locations, but the nature and unpredictability of our work will mean that some travel (and possible international working) will be required.
The role will involve working across a range of assignment types, as highlighted above, and applicants should be ready to work in dynamic, flexible and fast moving environments.


Key Responsibilities:
To be an effective Associate Director within the team you’ll undertake the following:

• Frequently acting as day to day lead for delivery of client advisory projects or significant insolvency workstreams, taking the role as a key contact on engagements.
• Build strong, trusted adviser relationships with senior management and mid-level executives and other key stakeholders in engagements (including lawyers and contacts at banks and other lenders)
• Manage teams of colleagues working on the engagement, ensuring effective delegation and also multiple workstream delivery
• Manage engagements and projects to scope, time, quality and budget complying with KPMG engagement management practices
• Communicate views and insights (both in writing and verbally) in an effective and compelling manner to clients and KPMG colleagues, able to adjust style to circumstances
• Lead the design and development of client ready deliverables with minimal Director and Partner input
• Work with Partners / Directors across the business development cycle, including development of proposals and client sales presentations
• Coach and develop team members providing high quality developmental feedback
• Develop insightful sector points of view on key strategic issues for your chosen sector(s)
• Identify, design and lead practice development initiatives, coordinating other members of the team
• Appraise challenging & fast developing situations and look to develop innovative solutions and assess options for businesses and their stakeholders, which in certain instances may involve consideration of formal insolvency processes.

Key skills and competencies required:
• Demonstrable experience in leading workstreams, ideally on a mix of both advisory and insolvency assignments.
• Significant experience in the insolvency market.
• Experience at advising and working alongside a range of stakeholders, including lenders, corporates and internal KPMG stakeholders
• Strong commercial and business acumen
• Ability to work innovatively and ‘self start’ as well start teams of colleagues
• Ideally relevant insolvency qualifications (or targeting the same)
• Desire to build wide advisory and insolvency skillsets and develop knowledge of all Restructuring offerings
• Ability to communicate well across a range of operational and financial staff at all levels. This is also often in challenging circumstances given the financial positions of the organisations we typically work with.
• Willingness to embrace work across all sectors and potentially undertake some travel.