Commercial Accountant – Lease Accounting

Location: Head Office, Leicestershire

Salary: £Competitive plus bonus & benefits
 

Ready to take ownership of a high-impact finance role in a fast-paced, commercial environment?
We’re looking for a confident, qualified accountant with a sharp eye for detail and a commercial mindset to join our Retail Cost team at NEXT. This is your chance to be the go-to expert for IFRS16 lease accounting, working with a diverse property lease portfolio and directly supporting senior finance leaders across the business.

What’s the role about?
As our Commercial Accountant, you’ll lead the charge on all things lease accounting – managing the financials for over 1,000 leases, owning the reporting for IFRS16, and playing a key role in forecasting, budgeting, and strategic analysis. You’ll also take the reins on improving systems, processes, and reporting functionality – plus, you’ll manage and mentor one direct report.

It’s a varied, hands-on role offering strong exposure to senior stakeholders, collaboration across teams like Group Finance and Estates, and the chance to truly drive change.

 

What you’ll be doing:

Own lease accounting for over 1,000 properties, including lease commitments, renewals, provisions and IFRS16 reporting.

  Lead monthly reporting and forecasting for lease costs, partnering closely with our Estates team to stay ahead of any changes.

  Control the lease accounting system, ensuring accurate data, smooth processes, and effective supplier management.

  Support Group Finance in preparing property lease results for monthly, half-year, and year-end reporting.

  Prepare Board-ready financial papers and field IFRS16-related queries from internal and external stakeholders.

  Drive process improvement by identifying smarter ways of working and leading changes across your remit.

  Manage one FTE, supporting their growth and development as you lead by example.

 

We’re looking for someone who is:
ACCA or ACA Qualified
A confident IFRS16 expert, with solid experience in lease accounting
A natural problem solver who thrives on detail and accuracy
Excel-savvy and tech-friendly – able to handle data, systems and reporting with ease
Organised, commercial and comfortable managing deadlines and priorities
Motivated, proactive, and ready to make a real impact

 

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